Ferrari F12berlinetta around Fiorano

Ferrari are in the midst of launching the new F12berlinetta this week, stretching the legs of its newest prancing horse in the hills above Maranello where the car was originally developed.

To mark the occasion, the marque’s F1 drivers, Felippe Massa and Fernando Alonso, were let loose on the nearby Fiorano circuit to show just how playful Ferrari new super car can be. No wonder Felippe wants to stay driving for the Scuderia..

You can read the first drive reviews in all the usual outlets, but I’m a big fan of Andrew Frankel’s writing (his is the only review I’ve seen which dares to criticise the F12) , so you can read about his experiences here.

The key messages coming out from the first drives are how much smaller and more darty the F12berlinetta feels compared to the outgoing 599 GTB, the sheer breadth of performance available from its new generation 12-cylinder 6.3-litre engine and how driveable it remains as an overall package.

It’s great to know that 20 years on from the iconic McLaren F1, Ferrari are producing a normally aspirated V12 super car which is even quicker to 125mph. And yet, whereas McLaren’s F1 carried a price tag of around £700,000 the F12berlinetta can be yours for as little as £239,736. When you put it that way it almost sounds like a bargain..

Not only is the F12berlinetta the most powerful road car ever built in Maranello – with 729 bhp and the ability to accelerate from 0 to 125mph in a mere 8.5 seconds (2.5 seconds quicker than a 599 GTB) – but it’s also the quickest Ferrari road car around the car maker’s Fiorano circuit, with a lap time of 1 min 23 seconds (compared with the 599 GTB’s 1:26.5 min).

Which brings us nicely back to the video (above). Both Alonso and Massa were intimately involved in the development of Ferrari’s fastest road car and look pleased with their efforts as they playfully jostle on track, enjoying the sheer pleasure gained from drifting Ferrari’s finest.

Sounds like the F12 provides a great experience to drive, and one that we look forward to seeing amplified further in the forthcoming Enzo replacement.

Gallery