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After heart surgery at the end of July 2025, I find myself in a rehabilitation program in August, where you naturally meet a whole whole range of fellow sufferers. You inevitably get into conversation – not only about the respective illness, but also about God and the world – and of course you also exchange views on hobbies.
That's how it goes with Klaus, who is just as much a car fan as I am. I tell him that at the tender age of 45, I rented a Ferrari 348 Berlinetta for a whole weekend. This led to me buying a four-year-old F355 not much later. Of course, in this context I also mention the track days in which I have been participating for over 15 years as a member of the Pistenclub – initially with the F355 – together with my son Robin.
Relatively quickly, however, we realized that the car was competitive neither in terms of performance nor suspension configuration, especially since Ferrari had also saved on ESP at the time. In 2012, we "upgraded" once again and bought a 430 Scuderia, which was also four years old. Klaus finds all this extremely exciting, so I spontaneously invite him to come along sometime.
The next suitable date is Monday, October 20, 2025, at the Nürburgring (Grand Prix track). Due to vacation and illness, I haven't been on a track for a long time, so it's high time anyway. Klaus then tells me quite euphorically that a long time ago he himself had driven a 430 Spider in the Sauerland region – together with the owner – which had also been a great experience for him. He is thrilled and gladly accepts my invitation – a true premiere for him.
On Sunday, October 19, 2025, we meet around 6 p.m. in Erftstadt, stop there for a small dinner and then drive one behind the other to the Nürburgring – me with the "Hubert" camper van and the trailer on which my "Scudi" is traveling. We park in the old paddock and settle in for the night. First, we sit at the dining table, where we each down two beers (non-alcoholic). Klaus tells me that he has since familiarized himself intensively with the "430 Scuderia" subject matter. Enthusiastically, he shares his findings with me: engine (pure-bred naturally aspirated with 510 hp), performance (3.6 seconds from 0-100 km/h, top speed 320 km/h), sequential 6-speed gearbox (duration of traction interruption 60 milliseconds), weight only slightly over 1400 kilograms – fully fueled with 95 liters of fuel.
What is special about the car, he says, is that Michael Schumacher played a key role in the development of the 430 Scuderia. In particular, it is thanks to him that the damper setting can be adjusted independently of the respective driving program using the so-called "Schumacher button".
None of this is new to me, but I don't want to dampen his enthusiasm under any circumstances. The performance data mentioned was quite a statement back then – the car came onto the market in 2007. By today's standards, of course, you're no longer at the very front. The successor's successor's successor will be launched on the market as a hybrid in spring 2026 and is expected to bring 880 hp to the road and take only 2.7 seconds to 100 km/h.
On the other hand, as an old driver – now 72 – I can really enjoy the "historical" aspect: especially the immediate throttle response and the little "kick in the back" when changing gears. Finally, we set up the guest bed instead of the dining area. As a visitor, however, Klaus is allowed to sleep "in the big bed". The physical separation with a "bathroom" and a thick curtain between the beds ensures that any snoring noises do not disturb the other's sleep.
The following Monday morning we find that we both slept well. After the morning toilet, we drive the motorhome into the paddock before breakfast so that we don't have to queue so long for check-in. Everything goes quickly in the Pistenclub box: We stick the start numbers on the car and then get a coffee. Then the briefing begins up in the press center, which Klaus doesn't want to miss under any circumstances, as he is very interested in everything to do with the track day.
So he follows attentively the "flag science" and the rules that apply when driving on the track. He was particularly taken with the statement by instructor Martin that we are not racing here, but are on the road with each other and not against each other. Of course, this also means letting faster vehicles pass and signal this intention by indicating to the right or left – always where you want to go.
At the end of the briefing, however, disappointment spreads at first. The bad weather from the previous evening with more or less heavy rain has not improved so far. For events with the Pistenclub, this is extremely unusual – in my experience, about 99.5 percent of all these events have beautiful or at least dry weather. Driving with semis in the wet is not a good idea, partly because the low temperatures mean the tires don't get warm enough to build up decent grip. So we leave the car on the trailer for the time being, sit in the dry motorhome and now enjoy a substantial muesli breakfast that we had previously postponed. I recommend Klaus to eat properly and fill his stomach well, because some people I've taken along in the past quickly suffered from nausea – which then led to the end of the ride after just a few laps.
After breakfast, we talk to other Pistenclub members and look at their cars. Since Ferraris are rather exotic at such track days, one or two people like to drop by our place too. In the late morning, the weather gets a bit better: the rain eases off, and the wind as well as the vehicles driving on the course ensure that the track slowly dries out. I decide to risk a try.
After unloading, I help Klaus put on the four-point harnesses – retrofitted on the recommendation of instructor Dieter at the Salzburgring. Then I press the start button, and the engine fires up with an automatically controlled burst of throttle. Klaus's original quote: "I don't just feel every single horsepower, I also get goosebumps through my clothes!" Since the air pressure in the tires is still very low from the last track day, I have some air topped up in the pit. Then we venture onto the track.
It starts off slowly at first – car and tires have to be warmed up first. But even after that, I drive with "restrained foam". This is not only for safety, but also gives Klaus the opportunity to get used to the situation. On the start and finish straight, I can already give it a bit more gas after a few laps, so that the engine sound comes into its own – which fascinates Klaus anew every time. After the stint, it's back through the pit lane to our parking space. I quickly check tire temperature and air pressure – everything in the green zone – and open the tailgate a bit so the engine can cool down better. Afterwards, we go to the Pistenclub box and enjoy our delicious lunch including espresso.
During lunch, Klaus tells me: "I have a particularly beautiful feeling from my memory: Many years ago, I experienced a Formula 1 weekend here at the Nürburgring. I sat at the exit of the start and finish straight in the Mercedes Motodrom and watched Michael Schumacher, among others – and today I'm buzzing across the track with you myself. Unbelievable!"
I've already had a whole range of passengers in the car on track days and experienced a wide spectrum of reactions. These ranged from total enthusiasm to anxiety states and severe nausea, because the centrifugal forces are significantly higher than on public roads. Klaus clearly belongs to the first category. He doesn't let any fear show and trusts me. He says: "Even if it takes a bit of getting used to in some places, I always have the feeling that you are an experienced and safe pilot." Of course, I'm pleased about that.
The break flies by, and the next stint begins. Klaus's original quote (from a small thank-you letter he sent me later):
"Here you were already able to increase the speed because it was getting drier and drier. The cornering too – the salt in the soup – became significantly crisper. I felt a real race feeling, for example in the Schumacher S-curve over the raised curbs. Later on the long start-finish straight, you were able to show me what speed the Ferrari can develop. Simply a super feeling! I just couldn't get the grin off my face. As far as I was concerned, it could have gone on like this forever!"
Finally, our last stint is coming up, in which it goes even faster, as the track is now completely dry. With a heavy heart, we pack our things afterwards and load the good old "Scudi" back onto the trailer. Heiner Pabst quickly sends me a short video via WhatsApp, which he recorded during the first stint when the road was still wet, when he drove behind us once. However, you can't see the small beads of sweat on my forehead on the film – because of the track still being quite wet. Klaus is completely fulfilled by the experience, the impressions and his "goosebumps feeling" and has consequently already registered a "need for a repeat."
Finally, thanks are due to the Pistenclub team present for the once again excellent organization, the good supply of drinks and food as well as the smooth process. Despite the sub-optimal weather, there weren't even any incidents on the track – so (except for the weather in the morning) everything was fine.
Until next time – maybe with Klaus again!
