The widely acclaimed Ferrari Racing Days returned this weekend to Shanghai for the seventh consecutive year, with more than 160 national media and 45,000 passionate Ferrari owners and enthusiasts descending on the Shanghai International Circuit for a gripping and exhilarating programme with the Maranello super car manufacturer that makes the world dream about Italian excellence.

Customers, fans, and media enjoyed a dazzling array of highlights including the Corse Clienti programme which consisted of the F1, XX Programme and APAC Challenge; a stunning fleet made up of a record number of classic cars, each of which reflects Ferrari’s 70 golden years; and innovative Maranello new creations such as the most powerful Ferrari 812 Superfast and the revolutionary LaFerrari Aperta. The ambitious programme was enhanced by a star-studded list of special guests and celebrities such as the renowned actor William Feng, famed singer and actor Jimmy Lin; well-known race driver and actor Huayang Gao; the talented young Chinese race driver Guanyu Zhou; and some of the brands’ most passionate Ferrari Owner Club (FOC) leaders. 

On-track thrill with racing DNA

At the heart of the Ferrari brand are decades of success in the renowned competitive scene of Formula 1™ racing. As the only constuctor to have taken part in every world championship since the start of Formula 1, Scuderia Ferrari has won 224 races, 16 constructor titles and 15 driver titles since the 1950 inaugural season, and Ferrari has achieved over 5,000 victories in motorsport worldwide. It was therefore essential that motorsport should play a central role in Ferrari Racing Days 2017. As the most popular one-make series of racing in the world, Ferrari Challenge is now in its twenty-fifth year since established in 1993 and Ferrari APAC challenge is also in its seventh year. It brings together complete track novices and those who already have competition experience. With 30 race cars and their race drivers participating in the end, there was no shortage of action on the track.

Overwhelming admiration for Ferrari’s finest work made the chance to get behind the wheel of a Prancing Horse irresistible for many fortunate guests. During a series of test drives and laps with professional Ferrari instructors, select guests were given the opportunity to experience the thrills of the current model range, including the Ferrari 488 GTB and 488 Spider, California T, California T Handling Speciale and GTC4Lusso, discovering the true potential of each Ferrari on the long straights and flowing corners of the Chinese Formula 1™ circuit where Ferrari has enjoyed huge success.

Further guest was the appearance of William Feng driving onto the track behind the wheel of LaFerrari Aperta, the new limited-edition special series model to mark the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the marque. This preceded the Grand Ceremony when all Ferrari models, special guests and Ferrari Greater China President and CEO Matteo Torre gathered on the track to greet all the participants. Famous singer, actor and racer Jimmy Lin also sparked further excitement when he presented awards to the winners of APAC Challenge in the afternoon.

Excitement beyond the track

Following the successful opening of the Tribute to Ferrari – 70th Anniversary Exhibition at Shanghai Auto Museum, the Italian supercar manufacturer presented some of its most stunning classic cars from the Museum to Shanghai International Circuit, including the legendary 195 Inter, the glorious Testarossa that was first made available in 1984, the pioneering front-engined V12 car 550 Maranello, and the highly coveted 599 GTO created in 2010.

One of the acclaimed highlights of this years’ programme was the all-new Ferrari 812 Superfast. During the two-day programme, a special “Shift to 12th Dimension” interactive area was designated so that participants could enjoy and fully experience the fastest and most powerful production model ever. Another highlight was the extreme performance all-new LaFerrari Aperta, the highest performance Spider hyper-car available today.

Ferrari Racing Days are always ideal occasions for family reunions. From the Ferrari Challenge Race Simulator, to an extensive display of Ferrari Formula 1™ replica cars, there were Ferrari activities around the paddock for enthusiasts of all ages and interests. The Kids Corner not only offered fun family interaction but also helped to enhance their knowledge of traffic safety. Meanwhile, a zone for corporate social responsibility was designed to showcase Ferrari’s long-term commitment to the China market. The corporate social responsibility programme entitled "The Love of Red" covers four core areas including environmental care, driving safety, education and social welfare.

Reflecting on the success of the Ferrari Racing Days in 2017, Mr. Matteo Torre, the President and CEO of Ferrari Greater China, explained, “I truly believe that there is no better platform than the Ferrari Racing Days as a way to celebrate our 70th Anniversary with our growing family of customers, fans, partners and media. We are wholeheartedly dedicated to fulfilling our long commitment to China by consistently providing better products, services and experiences to customers and enthusiasts as a proud brand representing the pinnacle of made-in-Italy achievement, embodying luxury, exclusivity, performance, design and quality.”

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