Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XXI

2 5 0 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I had signed more documents than a real estate purchase agreement, so I elected to ease off for fear of invoking the ‘you- bend-you-own-it’ clause I had probably signed. Later, on a drying track I could feel its active aero working over the front and rear, giving it grip levels akin to all-wheel drive but without the weight hindrance. Veins under the floor direct air towards the back and over or under continually moving rear wings and diffuser flaps which move depending on a myriad of factors such as throttle position, yaw and G-forces, and each lap repaid me with large doses of confidence to push it harder. The aero gives 360kg of downforce at 200kmh when cornering and 90kg on the straight. To ensure there’s always a massive kick of power out of corners, the engine engages what Ferrari calls ‘pre-load’, which marginally raises the revs as you lift off leading into the corner. This loads up the electric motor so that as soon as you bury the right foot, you instantly have a 100 percent electric power supplement to get that instant snap of torque. LaFerrari is incredibly flat through corners with virtually zero body roll and its punch out of turns from the electric motor is equally mind-blowing. Yep, it was a phone call that was worth waiting 25 years to receive.