Introduction

What can go wrong? Let me tell you a story about my weekend.

Weekend Plans

Thursdays in the Middle East signify the weekend. Friday and Saturday are the official weekend. At 10:30 pm on a Thursday night, I am in the midst of my first malt beverage when I get a call from a buddy. He says, ‘Mate, what are you doing tomorrow morning?’ I respond by saying nothing. He then goes on to say, ‘I was supposed to be driving the new F8 Tributo on track tomorrow morning, and I have been rear-ended by some idiot. My license is with the cops. Would you mind filling in for me?’ Now, which fool is going to say no to such an opportunity? He says, ‘Okay, I am going to ask the PR head from Ferrari to call you. He needs to vet you.’

Preparation

It is 11:30 pm. I am on my way home after abandoning a night out with my friends, eagerly waiting for a call from Ferrari. I have half given in and message Amit ‘no call yet’. The second I type this, my phone rings. After a quick interview, I have been instructed to report at 8:30 am sharp tomorrow morning at the Dubai Autodrome.

The Excitement Builds

Now I am all hyped. I am thinking to myself: I will be driving the new Ferrari on track tomorrow morning! This is a new first for me. I get home and prepare my camera gear and wait until the morning.

Arrival at the Track

6:15: I am wide awake and alert. I could barely sleep all night due to my excitement. I get to the track on time. It takes me a second to realize that “Yes, I am actually here. I will be driving one of these beautiful cars on track today!”

A Closer Look at the F8 Tributo

For it is. I did not think much of it when I saw the press photos, but when I look at it in person, it is a beautiful car. Very rarely can I say this about new vehicles, but this one is quite pretty.

Design Features

• The front end is shaped around the giant s-duct designed for better airflow and downforce.
• The headlights are smaller, sharper, and have an L-shaped design.
• The windows are made bigger for better visibility on the race track.
• The sides are dominated by giant scoops, reminiscent of the 488 GTB.
• The rear features a new Lexan engine cover and integrated louvers for engine cooling.
• The new rear spoiler is nicely integrated into the shape of the car.

All the above changes have only one goal: to make the car as light and aerodynamic as possible. The F8 Tributo is now 40kgs lighter and 10% more aerodynamically efficient than the 488 GTB.

Driving Experience

It goes. It does! I get the silver F8 with beautiful tan brown suede leather interiors. Everything feels sublimely well put together. The entire car feels high quality, and it feels pretty solid.

Comfort and Handling

As I adjust myself in the car down and low, I realize how excellent the visibility in this car is, and it also has a dead pedal for your left foot. I remember not having a dead pedal in the 458, and that one small thing made the car quite uncomfortable to drive long distances.

The steering wheel is smaller and thinner, making it easier to grip and turn. This helps in making your response times faster.

Performance

The engine in this car produces 720 Hp and is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It is the fastest and most powerful Ferrari V8 ever produced, having won multiple awards, including the Engine of the Year award for three consecutive years.

Ferrari has taken all the data it could from the 488 GTB, Pista, and Challenge series and applied that information to make the F8 more dynamic, faster, and a better overall performer.

From changing the way air flows into the engine to redesigning specific components, 50% of the parts have been altered in this engine over its previous version.

It is time for me to unleash those 720 horses. This car does 0-100 in 2.9 seconds and comes equipped with Ferrari’s new launch control system.

On the Track

While all of this information is there in my head, I actually cannot process it because as soon as I floor the throttle, the car is off the line like a cheetah on a chase. All my attention is now on trying to remember the course, the turns, the braking points, and the turn-in angles.

This car is so quick that every time I leave one turn, I am at the next one, still trying to figure out the previous one.

At the back straight of the Dubai Autodrome, I was trying to achieve a straight line top speed. I look down at the speedometer, and I am at 268 KPH. I realize I have overshot the braking marker by 50 feet. Now I am terrified and stomp the brakes as hard as possible. At this moment, all I can think about is slowing down enough to make the turn. Everything worked as advertised at this moment. The F8 came down to a 50kph speed with no drama at all. I could turn in easily and continue flooring the pedal to the floor.

Unrivaled Performance

It never feels like a turbocharged car. There is absolutely no turbo lag, and performance is available in every gear every time. Every time I floor the throttle, the car is accelerating to 8000 RPM relentlessly. It refuses to slow down, and the power delivery is linear and seamless.

It handles so sublimely. Taking this car around bends is effortless, and the brilliant Ferrari traction control ensures that you remain in control. The steering is light in a typical Ferrari manner and extremely accurate. The traction control 6.1 lets you play around, but at the same time, it has your back. You know it is working around your inputs so that you can have fun while driving this car.

Civilized Yet Powerful

At the same time, the F8 is so civilized. It is a car you can drive every day, and the suspension is superb. Yes, you can feel a few bumps here and there, but you wouldn’t expect such refinement from a car like this.

It also sounds much more civilized. The sound of the car is deep and resonant but a bit more muffled to meet the new noise pollution norms which are getting implemented worldwide.

Conclusion

This is a car you can fall in love with over and over again. You desire it and at the same time, love it. You can never get enough of it. The fact that it is so usable every day makes it even more appealing to me. I cannot wait to drive this thing on the road!