Driving a supercar is a fantasy for many motorists, but it’s one that can come true when you hire a Ferrari or if you are ever lucky enough to own one outright.
Either way, there are a few things to consider before driving a Ferrari for the first time, especially if you don’t want to end up as a cautionary news headline.
Most important of all is to make sure you are insured. It’s a legal requirement before you hit the public road, but it also ensures that if an incident happens, you won’t be left to pay the full cost of replacing the car.
Here are five other things to consider before driving a Ferrari for hire or one of your own.
1. Named Drivers
It’s especially important when you hire a Ferrari to make sure it’s fully insured – and to tell the hire company if any other drivers are going to take a turn behind the wheel.
Newly qualified drivers or those younger than 28 may need special permission from the owner’s insurers, so don’t think you can get away with not mentioning it, as you won’t be insured in the event of a crash.
2. Slow Down!
It’s easy to let all those horsepower go to your head, but once you actually get the engine running, it’s a good idea to take it slowly at first – and ideally not on a busy road.
You’ll need to get used to much more responsive acceleration than you get on a typical family hatchback, for instance, as well as sensitive handling, so although it might be less exciting, it’s essential you take it easy until you’re ready to drive at speed.
3. Watch the Wings
One thing you’ll notice about a Ferrari, like most supercars, is its low but very wide profile, and that can cause problems on public roads.
Watch out for narrow gaps and raised kerbs high enough to scrape the wings, and avoid routes with speed bumps in case you get beached halfway over them!
4. Keep it Fuelled
Don’t get caught out by how much fuel a supercar uses – especially if you hire a Ferrari for the weekend or longer, as you’ll need to refuel it before you return it.
Keep plenty in the tank and you don’t need to worry so much about taking your supercar for a spin away from the town or city, and discovering some of the stunning scenery to be found alongside roads in rural areas.
5. Choose a Model
Not all Ferraris are the same, and some models are specifically more suited to newcomers, including the recently introduced turbo-charged California T. At well over 500 horsepower, it’s not exactly ‘entry-level’ but is often regarded as such.
Consider driving one of these at first, until you get a feel for the Ferrari experience. If you’re planning to buy a Ferrari of your own, you might even want to hire a California T for a weekend or longer, to make sure it’s what you want long-term.