Ferrari continues to have
a great attraction in Japan, where over the weekend just
gone, the annual Ferrari Festival 2010: Fuji took
place at its usual home, the famous grand prix circuit
in the shadow of Mount Fuji. Over 600 Japanese Ferrari
owners' took part in their own cars, with the event
drawing a crowd of 2,000 spectators.
Among the plethora of
cars taking part in this lavish celebration which was
organised by Ferrari Japan in conjunction with the Corse
Clienti department of Maranello, was a showpiece
historic single seater, the F399 grand prix car
campaigned by Scuderia Ferrari during the 1999 season,
as well as four of the new 599 GTB Fiorano-based
track-orientated race cars and six of the similarly
aimed dramatic FXX "laboratorio" circuit-only machines.
These racing cars all
took to the Fuji track during several untimed sessions
that were held. In addition, Saturday saw a host of
Ferrari 348, 355, 360 and 430, in their Challenge
versions, take part in the Ferrari Trophy of Japan.
Also on display at the
Ferrari Festival 2010: Fuji event was the entire
range of Maranello cars, including two premières for the
Japanese market, the 599 GTO, the most high performance
car ever built by the Maranello marque, which made its
debut at the Bejing Motor Show back in April, and,
somewhat surprisingly, the 458 Italia, which hasn't been
showed off in Japan yet. This stunning the two seater
coupé which has received widespread critical acclaim
ever since it was launched in September last year.
