Tips for driving a F40

Watch a Michael Schumacher race before getting in, then Monkey see Monkey do. You'll be fine. O, did I say Michael Schumacher race? I meant a Michael Schumacher race. Or an F1 race.
I would drive it like any other rwd car. Easy on the gas coming out of the corners and brake in a straight line.

 

You are smart to find out how to drive a F40.. I had severals "students" in this predicament. An instructor knowing the F40 would be to best way to go.
If you go on a track to learn, speed should be irrelevent, work on when and how to shift..
Where are you located?, If you want, I do fly all over to "teach" new owner.
Feel free to contact me if I could be of any help. I'm in Colorado.
Good luck, you'll enjoy the car...
Take care,
Roland

 

Make sure that when the turbo's kick in that your front wheels are straight cause if there not you will be all over the place.

 

Be careful in turns, if you spin up the turbos at the wrong time you will break the back tires and end up sideways.

 

These guys said it before I had the chance. Be sure you are pointing the front wheels straight when you apply the throttle and make sure you roll the throttle on, do not stab it. Bring the rpms up reasonably. The turbos on this car will spool up very quickly and the rear will come around and slap you in the face if you drive it like you do the 308. Be properly braked and in the proper gear for exit before you enter a corner and judiciously apply the throttle as you exit the corner. Remember please, roll the throttle do not stab it. This car does not like the accelerator applied like that. Drive out of the corner allowing the car to seek its basic line out. Do not be twitchy in trying to control it. It will do a very good job of exciting you.

Have fun, it is a real cardiovascular exercise to drive and will make your heart rate increase tremendously.

 

1, Very stiff/heavy clutch - Do a couple days worth of leg presses before you drive it and you'll be fine.

2. Be ready to "Stomp" hard on the brakes - Go slow and perform a few stops first and get the feel of its non assisted brakes.

3. Steering is wonderful (to me).

4. If the f40 is stock, previous posts were quite spot on in terms of respecting the power delivery particularly when the turbos kick in (there are ECU's out there which will make the power delivery more linear to the point where the car feels more "normally aspirated."

A couple of Sundays ago, a friend in his f40 plus mine went out for a drive. It was a blast. the roads were a mixture of highway and winding country roads. Both of us pushed our cars quite hard at times and the excitement from it was unbelieveable.

I hope you'll have the Tubi's on the car you're about to drive. The sound is incredible!

Have fun.

 

Agree fully. Do the leg exercises and put the car in neutral when you come to a complete stop. If you try to keep the clutch in and the car in gear your leg will begin to cramp quickly. And absolutely, absolutely get the brakes heated up before needing to USE them. At first you will feel like the car is not going to stop at all but it will with more pressure. And I agree, it is a real joy to drive. Moreso than an F50. But that is for another topic thread.

 

Funny, these driving tips sound like driving a high-performance bike. Brake hard, very, very hard. Pitch in. Feather that right foot and then just as soon as you see daylight, whamp, zinnnnnnnnnniiiinnngggggggg!!!!!!!

 

Watch out for the red Lola...

Seriously whenever I drive a new car the first thing I do is walk around it.
Next I get in and spend a long time adjusting the seat,mirrors, etc. I reach for and air shift the car. I depress the pedals. I quickly press in the brake and clutch at the same time. (spin) I reach for the turn signal, lights, horn,heat/ac. If it has a fire system arm it and reach for the button. Set off and note where the clutch grabs. Get it nice and warm. Warm up the brakes. Roll on the power. Note how the engine sounds at various rev's. Note how engine sounds at shift point. Never leave it in gear at a stop light. In Europe they have those neat put it in gear yellows before green. Be ready to countersteer if the tail starts to come around. At speeds above 200 MPH don't get too close to tunnel walls or large flat trucks. They will suck you in.
Run with your lights on. Look at the gauges. Smile.

 

Make sure you vist the men's room first to make sure you are empty of all body fluids-----because when you stroke that throttle and those turbos come on---you're going to pee your pants!!

Treat her like a Ferrari should be treated:
1. Warm her up
2. Gentle with the throttle
3. HARD with the brakes after warmup
4. Get used to how she handles before you go full throttle
5. ENJOY.
6. Write a long post on how it felt to drive sheer exitement.

 

Dr. Tax,

Now if you want to talk racing bikes.....can do that............did that, got the scars to prove it...................yesssirrr, yesssirrrr, yesssirrrr, loved it!!!!!!!!!!!

 

May I quote ***cough*** Jesse James ***cough***? "for best results, slightly depress the accelerator all the way to the floor" lol, just kidding...

Napolis, why the lights on suggestion?

 

Have fun & post some pics!

I found the F40 a bit harder to drive than the 288. The brakes and clutch are both pretty heavy compared to other cars I have driven. I'll point Rick to this thread & see if he has any advice.

 

LOL, Seriously...?!? Hot stuff...


Zorro, i'm not sure why Mr. G. said to keep the lights on, but i turn the lights on no matter what i'm driving, day or night... It's a safety measure, albeit, pretty darn passive... Even if i'm just driving to 7-11 or parking the car or moving it two inches or whatever; force of habit that i'm glad to perpetuate...

i can't say i've ever combed a car as extensively as Mr. G. advised, but one thing i ALWAYS look for before i engage a car is the hazard lights button... i HAVE TO know where that thing is before i'll drive something...


Andreas, let us know how it goes, i'm excited for you and anxious to hear all the details... Something tells me you'll do really well and have a great time, to boot... Congratulations...

 

The F40 is my favorite. Right now I have a GT2 Porsche which is also RWD, no traction control and turbos. Do you think that the F40 is a lot different?

 

I have an F40 and my best friend has a GT2( I also have a TT X-50 )

I have driven his GT2 several times and I must say, in terms of the oversteer component, they are very much alike. Both are quite tail happy. The F40 feels much much faster, but in reality they are likely a little closer than they feel.

The GT2 brakes are far superior to the F40's brakes, but, that is where everything ends. The GT2 has a very refined and linear power delivery, while the F40, well, I think you know....

I find that the GT2 is not all that much more exciting/faster in a straight line than the TT X-50, however, it is much more a drivers car, such as the F40 is.
The TT X-50 is a very easy car to drive fast, the GT2 is definately a more edgy car when you start to threshhold brake and start to "steer and drive" the car, the F40 is on the edge and much more visceral than just about anything when you start to explore it's limits.

Depends on what you are looking for.

 

I love my GT2, but I lust for an F40. Someday I want them side by side in my garage. The cobalt GT2 and the Red F40. Maybe I'll be ready for an F40 by the time I can afford one. In the meanwhile, I am having a lot of fun learning the GT2. You are exactly right it is a REAL drivers car, unlike the tuned turbo that I had before which was very sterile. The GT2 loves to be over steered thru corners. Contrary to popular opinion I really like the ceramic brakes too.

 

Don't do that, and don't lift in a turn! Otherwise, should be fine. Roll on the gas and learn the power delivery. Be prepared to back off SLIGHTLY when you get wheelspin, don't panic and lift off completely.

HARD on the brakes, there's no assist of any kind, just like a race car.

 

Andreas,

Driving an F40 on the street will only whet your appitite for getting one on the racetrack. The ultimate F40 experience is only when lapping a known track, getting some heat in the tires, and ultimately learning that you Can squeeze on the power at or before the apex. Trail braking is possible, but only on an F40 with modified brake bias, less rear brake distribution.

On a known racetrack, you'll be on boost when accelerating, no turbo lag.

Then the only issue is calculating personal liquidity and financing for one of your own!

You'll have a blast.


Best regards,

Rob Schermerhorn