Ferrari Concept Bike Looks Amazing

Though we'd like Ferrari to keep focusing on building amazing cars, we can't take a look and not say anything about that incredible concept bike. Dubbed V4 Superbike, packing a modified engine from a Ferrari Enzo, F-16 fighter jet hand controls and buttons like those from a F1 race car, this must be the most amazing bike I've seen in my whole life. Badass enough?

 

Rossi in Rosso: MotoGP star drives Ferrari F2008 at Mugello

The Ferrari World Finals at Mugello finished a few weeks ago. But someone appeared to have forgotten to tell the tifosi, as a loyal garrison of the Scuderia's most loyal fans, thousand-strong, came back out last week to the track. After the Challenge series were decided, the 16M Scuderia Spider unveiled, the FXX program ran its laps and the fans celebrated the Formula One constructors' championship, what exactly were they hoping still to see? How about the prospect of seeing an Italian driver piloting an Italian F1 car around one of Italy's most famous tracks? And not just any driver, but Valentino Rossi, a world champion with credentials to rival Schumacher's. Valentino Rossi is an unassailable legend in motorbike racing, having taken the titles in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc categories in quick succession before moving up to MotoGP and taking the championship five times... so far. Having achieved dominance on two wheels, Rossi has examined the possibility of switching to four. He's competed in several championship rallies, winning the Monza rally in 2006. He initially tested a Ferrari F1 car at Valencia in 2006, where he embarrassed some of F1's most experienced drivers, prompting him to consider a professional switch to Formula One before ultimately deciding to stay in MotoGP. This past week's test session was just for fun then, but Rossi still proved his mettle. He lapped Mugello at 1:22.550 - just a second and a half behind Kimi Raikkonen's time - on his first drive without traction control. Rain interrupted the second day of testing, but while Rossi showed promise, he admits he'd be too old to start in Formula One at this point. Shame for F1 fans, but reassuring for MotoGP aficionados. Check out the gallery of high-resolution images from Rossi's test by clicking the thumbnails below. Gallery: Valentino Rossi tests Ferrari at Mugello [Source: Ferrari]

 

Fastest Man Alive gets dream drive in a Ferrari

Usain Bolt now wears the mantle of Fastest Man Alive having set world records in the 100 and 200 meter sprints at last summer's Olympics in Beijing. Fitting then that he was placed in one of the fastest cars in the world recently to take a stroll around one of the richest places in the world: Monaco. In the principality for the IAAF awards, Bolt was given the keys to drive an F430 along portions of the F1 circuit in the city. You can check out the gallery of high-res photos below while we wait for word on if he set any world speed records in the process. Gallery: Usain Bold drives a Ferrari [Source: Ferrari]

 

Rendered Imagination: The Ferrari Zobin Concept

It can be argued that Ferrari is known for living out on the styling edge and for staying too true to its own designs. Witness the wild Enzo supercar and compare that to the new California. The former is an F1 car with an enclosed body and the latter has been called a sell-out Ferrari for the masses. As such, we're always interested in new takes on the Ferrari design ethos, and we particularly like this concept called the Zobin by Iranian engineer Siamak Ruhi Dehkordi. The rear end looks cribbed from the one-off P4/5 produced by Pininfarina, but the front end places the Enzo's F1-inspired nose amidst the contortions of a metal band that swoops around to create both the front spoiler and front fenders, while still maintaining an open-wheel F1 look. The headlights are suspended from the metal band and seem to float beside center fuselage. This is a single-seater concept that's powered by a fictional engine of unknown cylinder count and displacement located amidship, but we're more interested in the design itself that we think is both edgy and honors those Ferraris that have come before it. Gallery: Ferrari Zobin Concept [Source: CarBodyDesign via CarScoop]

 

F1 budgets off the chart, $4.3 million per point

Ever wonder how expensive it is for a manufacturer to compete in Formula 1 racing? Not surprisingly, it ain't cheap. Each of the successful teams spend hundreds of millions of dollars on their programs, but success is not necessarily tied in to how much dough was spent. For instance, Ferrari, winners of this year's constructor's championship with 172 total points, spent about $2.4 million per point in 2008. McLaren and BMW, numbers two and three respectively, spent a bit more than that figure, but still under a cool $3 mil. Honda and Toyota, though, had budgets nearly as large as the top-tier manufacturers yet scored significantly fewer points. In fact, Honda's meager 14 points cost the automaker over 28 million buckaroos a piece, making theirs the most expensive points of all. On average, teams spent about $4.3 million per point. No wonder the sport is looking to cut its budget as soon as possible. Thanks for the tip, Keith! [Source: F1 Fanatic]

 

Officially Official: Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M to celebrate F1 title

After winning its 16th Formula one constructors championship last week, Ferrari has chosen this week to release a open top version of the F430 Scuderia. The Scuderia Spider 16M gets all the goodies from the lightweight Scuderia coupe like the 510 hp 4.3L V8 and the 6-speed F1 paddle shift gearbox. Ferrari is claiming the Scuderia Spider is the fastest open top model they've ever tested around the Fiorano test track, presumably beating out even the might F50 of decade ago. The Scuderia is 176 lbs lighter than a standard F430 spider at 2954 lbs dry. That's claimed to be good enough for a 0-62 mph sprint in 3.7 seconds and a terminal velocity of 195.7 mph. As a limited series model Ferrari has of course added lots of distinguishing features like a carbon fiber shell around the roll bar, number plaque on the dash and special interior trim packages. Only 499 Scuderia Spiders will be built and they will undoubtedly be priced higher than the $277,000 US base price of the coupe. For those with access to that much disposable cash, it will surely be worth the price of admission. The press release is after the jump. Gallery: Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M [Source: Ferrari]

 

Brazil Nuts: F1 title decided on last corner of last lap of last race

It doesn't get any closer than this. A photo-finish has nothing on the last-minute - make that last-second - end to yesterday's Brazilian Grand Prix, the ultimate decider of the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship. Even if you were watching it, chances are you might have missed it. It was that close. Heading into this final round, the rival pair of young guns Felipe Massa (Ferrari) and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) were the only two in contention for the drivers' title. But Hamilton's lead in points would mean that Massa would have to win the race with Hamilton coming in no better than sixth place. The win would put the two tied in points, but give Massa the crucial extra grand prix victory to just edge out Hamilton and claim the title. Any less and they'd have to start counting podiums. Saturday's qualifying set the stage: Massa on pole, wildcard Trulli beside and team-mate Raikkonen behind him, with Hamilton stuck in fourth place on the grid. Les jeux sont faites; all bets were placed and the dealer spun the ball. And we wouldn't know who had taken home the prize until the very end. Follow the jump to read how it turned out. Gallery: 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix