F1 Ferrari in Barbados!
Sunday 26th November 2006 Article and photos by Narend Sooknarine
As we got out of the taxi in Warrens, Barbados, the air was fresh with excitement. Roughly 20,000 fans had already crammed the area, pressing against the fences and finding their way to rooftops, walls and on friendly shoulders to grab a photo or zoom in with their camcorders. Marshals were also positioned at control points all along the road course. There was so much red we thought it might have been a Trini football match. Although it wasn't, we were glad for what it signified. Red is the characteristic colour of the most dominant force in Formula 1 Ferrari. Together with Shell, who partners with SOL Petroleum in the Caribbean region, the blitz and buzz was all about their new SOL/Shell developed
V-Power® fuel and its ability to power a Ferrari Formula 1 car.
Our timing was exact, as we walked into the heavily restricted makeshift pit/refueling area, more popularly known as Shell Warrens Gas Station at precisely 10:10am. We were officially ten minutes late but thanks to accreditation made possible by Barry Gale, Antonio DaSilva and Robin Bradford and Christian Scherr, we were allowed into the pit area by the Police forces. Immediately after used our Jedi powers (the zorce), instructions were issued that no other media was to be allowed in. Martin Sharp was present with his media team as well as members of zhaust.com, our Bajan counterparts. From the moment we were in the camera was put to solid work and within 10 minutes, over 400 shots were taken just for you...
Interestingly enough, SOL (Simpson Oil Limited) Petroleum acquired the assets and teamed up with Shell Branding International to market and sell the Shell brand of Products shortly after the United Nations arbitrators ruled in a 116-page document to settle a fishing dispute between both islands. In the end, both sides claimed victory, however, with the clearer definition a maritime boundary, Trinidad & Tobago has given up major oil exploration/expansion potential to Barbados, now making petrochemical products a viable option for the Bajans. We hear that a mutually beneficial arrangement between the islands is being worked on. With all that in mind, if this kind of event is the result of SOL digging deeper into oil then we're all for it! Clearly, SOL, Shell and Ferrari know a thing or three about marketing.
About 15 Ferrari engineers were around the car, making finals checks and adjustments while Ferrari test driver Marc Gené calmly waited for the 10:30 start. This particular F1 car was a 2005 model that weighs around 700kg and packs a 3-litre V-10 making 900hp at around 19,000rpm. For this particular test however, the car would be run to 18,000rpm, running on the new
V-Power® fuel, straight out of the gas pump at the Shell Warrens Gas Station. This is the same fuel that will now be sold to consumers in the Caribbean region. It is said to be safe at up to 20,000rpm. According to Ferrari, no remapping was done to make the fuel more compatible. This is highly possible in our opinion since the existing fuel maps are driver-selectable using a simple dial on the steering wheel. Of course other things such as traction control and differential control can also be adjusted in this way by the driver during a race.
At precisely 10:30am test driver Marc Gené donned his full-face helmet, fire-retardent facial sock, neck brace and gloves and clambered into the tight quarters of the 900hp Ferrari. The steering wheel had been removed by one of the pit crew to facilitate his ingress. As he strapped himself in we managed to get a signature "thumbs up" photo our first attempt at communication while awestruck.
The car itself was fully unveiled as by now the competition must have figured out may things about this 2005 car. Normally at F1 meets certain parts are blanketed to avoid other teams grasping the knowledge just by looking at the car, at least until close to race time. The airport's fire truck and vacuum trucks were there to do their part along with a proper medical team in case of any emergency. The biggest concern of the Ferrari team earlier in the day was not rain or traction, those were things they were used to and had prepared for... It was in fact, getting their coffee. There was also a spare car, kept in the tent set up at Warrens Shell Station along with the bulk of all the Team's tools which was a 2004 model.
Before starting however, there were issues that were managed by the marshals, officials and Team Ferrari engineers. One was loose concrete on the road which was removed by marshalls and the vacuum truck. With just 25mm of ground clearance, one can understand why this had to be done.
By now it was time to crank up the ignition. The car's engine is spun using an external electrically powered crank starter hooked up to a powerful, portable battery rack. At this level of racing, there is no point in carrying a heavy full-sized battery when every ounce of advantage counts.
With the car still on its two portable, manually operated perches, the engine was fired up. Marc Gené gave it a few sharp burst of throttle, prompting the resident shutterbugs to fire even faster despite our inability to capture the sound. A camcorder would have been great at this point. The car was then lowered and manually rolled out to the red freshly painted start line just outside of the Shell Warrens Gas Station.
Still containing full race gas, Marc would drive the car and make a few laps from Warrens roundabout to Automotive Art and back. According to a Bajan national, this journey should take on average about 20 minutes under regular road conditions with light traffic. As the car revved for warmup, some typically sensible Bajans were already putting on their earplugs while others preferred the raw unedited Ferrari V-10 soundtrack. The exhaust pipes even look like the famous Australian Opera House!
There are many ways to make 900hp, but nothing else sounds as heavenly the Ferrari's mechanical cacophony... Or as loud. As Marc rolled forward the high idle turned into a dramatic tone that defined potential and anticipation as the Ferrari made the roundabout slowly for tire warmup. As it came off the circle, the power was turned on gradually with a jet aircraft-like blast for the first two gears which sounded like they were being short shifted. The car was already moving with unnatural speed as third came on and the Ferrari was at full song complete with proper crowd roar as locals and visitors alike shouted, jumped and waved!
The F1 scampered up the hill as fourth, fifth and sixth were found regardless of the fact that the road had slight corners. It might as well have been straight, judging by the sound. Downforce was clearly in effect. By now the car was out of sight and we were waiting for just a short time, everyone was basking in the afterglow... each with an ear-to-ear grin. With a region that had a lifetime of anticipation for these sights and sounds, what else could bring such mass pleasure?
In just under two minutes Gené in the 2005 Formula 1 Ferrari was back at the roundabout once more, completely decimating the estimated regular traffic time of 20 minutes for the total round trip to Automotive Art and back to start at Shell Warrens Gas Station. Radar guns indicated 157mph or 252kph but the car's telemetry gave the true top speed which was achieved after the radar gun point of 270kph or 168mph on the public road course. Given that the course was 3km from Warrens to the Redmans area, this means that the average speed was around 90-100mph. Gené would make four to six laps and then return to the Shell Warrens Gas Station for refueling with the Shell
V-Power® gasolene directly from the pumps.
Fuel calculations were apparently very exact as the Ferrari stopped on the straight just before the Shell Warrens Gas Station and had to be restarted. The team of Ferrari engineers were immediately mobilised via radio and soon the car was running again but this time pulled straight into the Shell Warrens Gas Station for re-fueling with Shell
V-Power® gasolene. As Marc Gené discussed handling characteristics with his counterparts, engineers lifted the car once more and with the help of one very lucky Shell Warrens Gas Station attendant, began the refueling process.
In today's modern vehicles, knock sensors will immediately detect high grade fuel and allow slightly better performance. Shell
V-Power® is rated at 99 RON / 86 MON and uses Friction Modification Technology, as used in race fuel by Ferrari for 2006. For anyone involved in racing, this fuel means added insurance and maximum power before adding octane booster, combustion catalysts, fuel injector cleaner, race gas, aviation fuel, toluene and whatever else is rumoured to give a performance edge over the competition.
As the gas pump ran, media surrounded the refilling team to capture standard
V-Power® fuel going into the tank of the F1 car. There was no doubt that the public would want proof that this actually took place. The pump ran to a grand total of BDS$32.83 filling just under 15 litres of fuel at BDS$2.21 per litre. The new fuel also contains cleaning agents to remove and prevent power-robbing engine deposits and Shell claims the difference can be noticed from the first fill.
Now that the filling was complete is was time to test it! Once more, Marc Gene suited up to pilot his amazing 900hp machine. With the new
V-Power® his rev limit would be a milder 18,000rpm.
The startup procedure was repeated driver got in, steering wheel was installed, the engine started then the car was lowered off the jackstands. The team of Ferrari engineers pushed the car to the start line then Marc Gené took off. As we are on the topic of taking off, these cars could well be classified as aircraft since they do have wings. While we contemplated whether Team Ferrari paid landing taxes for all the low altitute flying and parking this car had to do, Marc Gené was gone in an instant. This time the car actually sounded fiercer. Now that Marc was familiar with the road course he was running the full 18,000 rpm as if he wasn't fast enough before!
A few laps later was saw Marc Gené slowing down suspiciously. Was something wrong with the car? Did he run out of fuel once more? Was the engine ok? What would happen a few moments later was not unexpected but totally exhilerating!
Marc flicked the car and gave it one sharp blast of throttle causing it to spin and face the other direction at which point he caught it, locked over and feathered the throttle to slide all the way around (180?) once more and then into a complete circle, clipping some of the lawn to excite the VIP stands as smoke billowed and poured perfectly from each of the rear tires with each dab of throttle. As he pulled out of the slide he held the car at an angle an powered out towards the roundabout, roasting the tires all the way and leaving a wonderful smoke trail that shadowed the rubber left on the Bajan roads.
The soundtrack for this display of drifting dexerity was astounding, worth recording and selling in a bottle with a designer label. Although Ferrari does have a cologne/perfume line and a branded laptop computer available to the public, nothing is as electrifying as this kind of action, up close and personal.
After this peak was achieved, Marc brought the car in for a pitstop and was congratulated by his team for such a marvellous display. Robin Bradford was on the scene to conduct a live interview which furnished everyone with the the most interesting facts. It was evident that Team Ferrari was happy with their display and the response of the Bajan people as Marc said publicly that the team wanted to return to Barbados and the Caribbean next year for further testing.
"Basking in the afterglow we all were" Yoda would say in his unique linguistic structure. Years of F1 on television and in the movies had finally come to life. Everyone who was exposed to this event had their minds forever opened to something new.
May the Zorce be with you...
I always said that one of these days I'll go watch a Formula 1 race and after seeing that Ferrari driving I want to go even more. 
