What frequently interests us the most, is far away. I live in Italy, and my fantasy trip is driving from one coast to another in the US, visiting every one of the famous spots en route as well as finding less touristy objections. Most importantly however, I’d one day love to encounter American vehicle culture in the entirety of its structures.

Andrie Hartanto, who lives in California, had a fantasy trip like mine. But his fantasy objective was Europe, its well known dashing circuits and nearby car culture. It’s likewise a fantasy trip he really acknowledged in his track-tuned Ferrari F430.

How Andrie and I met is a story in itself. It was Walk 2022 when suddenly I got a message demand on Instagram. It was Andrie, who had been coordinated to my 2021 Speedhunters story on a couple of Honda S2000s by his Spanish companion, Andres Balboa. Andres had met Andrie a couple of years earlier during a trip to San Francisco, and a strong kinship was framed. At the point when Andrie educated him concerning his arrangements to visit Europe – and Italy specifically – with his F430, Andres proposed he reach out to me to check whether I could offer any exhortation on Italian car culture and the best dashing circuits to drive.

Obviously I was eager to assist, and the more Andrie and I traded messages, the more dreamlike everything became. Here I was conversing with a 10,000km away, individual, who saw my article on Speedhunters, and who had precisely the same energy as me. We kidded as though we had been companions for eternity.

As I recommended spots of interest and circuits that could be added to Andrie’s very nearly three-drawn out schedule, I started to picture the photograph open doors this trip could introduce for another Speedhunters story – and here we currently are. However, before I get into that, let me appropriately present the man and his Ferrari.

Driving mostly BMW and Honda vehicles, Andrie has contended as an expert race driver in different motorsport disciplines for north of 10 years, including perseverance and exemplary dashing, and time assault. En route he has brought home different class titles, remembering those for the USTCC, SCCA and the West Coast Honda Challenge. Andrie’s latest experience was a CS2 class Clubman race at Suzuka Circuit in Japan. On top of this, he has a designing foundation and is the organizer behind Prima Hustling, which represents considerable authority in race vehicle undercarriage set up.

Utilizing his insight and experience, Andrie has improved this Ferrari F430 – which he’s named Pegaso Rosso – to his optimal determination, with a mix of redesigned Brembo front brakes, BC Fashioned wheels, IPE exhaust headers, Recaro RMS (driver) and SPG (traveler) rigged back race seats, and a back wing that he planned and manufactured himself. It’s an amazing machine all over.

In December 2021, after quite a while not utilizing his Ferrari even close however much he would have enjoyed, Andrie started contemplating a fantasy trip he could make with it. Europe was the conspicuous objective, and toward the finish of Walk 2022 – a similar time he reached me – an arrangement was set up for the mid year.

The vehicle was ready for transportation, and before long left the US for its 45-day-long ocean excursion to the Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s biggest seaport.

At the point when the Ferrari showed up, Andrie and his significant other had currently be in the Netherlands for seven days partaking in the trenches in the Dutch capital and windmills in the open country, yet presently the road trip could begin appropriate. Belgium was first on the rundown, with delays in Brugge, Ghent and Antwerp. Obviously, Andrie won’t miss the valuable chance to visit the Autoworld exhibition hall in Brussels by the same token.

In the wake of getting through Luxembourg, the pair showed up in Germany, yet from Frankfurt Andrie’s significant other got back to the US and his Spanish companion Andres went along with him. Their objective: Nürburgring.

Andrie contended here in the 6 Hours of Nürburgring in 2018, however lapping the Nordschleife in his own vehicle was something different. Four entire days were spent at the Green Heck, and during that time Andrie got to encounter everything – full wet driving circumstances, semi-dry circumstances, lastly on the last day – absolutely dry circumstances.

The following stop was Switzerland, going through Lucerne towards the Furka Pass in the southern Swiss Alps – quite possibly of the most gorgeous road in Europe – and afterward on into my nation of origin: Italy.

In the home of Ferrari, Andrie at first finished two track days, one at Tazio Nuvolari Circuit south of Milan, and the other at Monza Circuit – the first of three current F1 tracks he drove during his time in Europe – prior to traveling toward Engine Valley. There he visited Ferrari’s Maranello HQ, the Enzo Ferrari Historical center, and the Automobili Lamborghini Exhibition hall in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Before Andres got back to Spain, the pair likewise came by the Umberto Panini Exhibition hall, a confidential assortment of different makes and models however popular for its 19 memorable Maseratis.

From the Engine Valley, Andrie got together with Alessio Cavalletti, one of the proprietors of the two S2000s I initially highlighted on Speedhunters, and fellow benefactor of the Magione Superbattle. Andrie and Alessio spent a few days together getting a charge out of good Umbrian food, passing through the pleasant Monte Peglia locale, and even saw Metallica in show together.

I had the delight of expenditure two days with Andrie and his Ferrari, first gathering at Vallelunga Circuit only north of Rome where he was going to leave on an entire day of open-pit track driving. At the point when I showed up at his pit enclose the morning, Andrie was occupied with changing his brake cushions, utilizing devices that fit totally in the F430’s frunk.

Vallelunga is an exceptionally lovely circuit that automakers including Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren frequently use for elite client driving occasions. The track is extremely specialized yet in addition quick, and that makes it a ton enjoyable to drive. Andrie had proposed to take me out for however many laps as I loved, and obviously I wasn’t going the open door cruise me by.

During the principal lap as a traveler I was mental. In addition to the fact that my psyche overwhelmed at the speed at which Andrie drew nearer and took Vallelunga’s corners, yet in addition the F430’s gigantic slowing down power. I had never experienced anything like this. As the laps proceeded, I turned out to be more agreeable and ultimately figured out how to shoot a couple of shots.

Being the level of the Roman summer, when noon showed up the surrounding temperature was lounging around 40°C (104°F). Andrie concluded that the intensity was an over the top gamble, purported it daily. Glancing back at the lap times, Andrie’s absolute first flying lap of Vallelunga was a 1:51, and with me on board he accomplished an even faster 1:48 – both noteworthy times. I can barely comprehend what he could have had the option to do with more seat time and cooler circumstances…

The next day, Andrie and I exchanged circuit speeds for a city traffic creep, which is unavoidable if you need to visit Rome via vehicle. We began in the EUR (Esposizione Universale Roma) area, which is known for its entrancing Extremist time design.

Our subsequent area was By means of Nicolò Piccolomini, popular for its perspective on the Holy person Peter’s Basilica arch.

As one of the seven marvels of the world, the Colosseum is an unquestionable requirement, so we went directly there after lunch. Pegaso Rosso looked nearly warrior like stopped out front.

The Manor Borghese gardens before the Public Exhibition of Present day and Contemporary Craftsmanship was our last unique area for the afternoon. The well known 1000 Miglia race goes through here each year, and it’s an incredible spot for photographs.

It was 7:00pm when we got back to the EUR area, where I took my last photographs of the Ferrari’s subtleties and inside. I don’t have any idea how it was conceivable, yet the police never halted us once during the day, which I believed was astounding given the vehicle was on Montana tags. They just restricted themselves to inquisitive looks.

Following an astounding two or three days, Andrie and I said our farewells, before he drove off to ultimately meet with a ship destined for Spain.

Subsequent to meeting back up with Andres and doing a full help (all oils and liquids, brake cushions and tires) on his F430, the road trip proceeded. For the last three weeks of the legendary experience, Andrie made Spanish circuit stops in Barcelona and Aragona (for Trackrat Club track days) and Navarra, prior to making a return trip to the Nürburgring in Germany for a Racetracker track day, and going to Belgium for some track time at Spa-Francorchamps. At last, Pegaso Rosso got back to the Port of Rotterdam for its ocean process back to the US.

‘However, aggressive’ would be one method for portraying Andrie’s road trip through Europe, yet I favor ‘insane’ – positively. It truly was a blessing from heaven for him.

Altogether, Andrie drove 12,021km (7,469mi) in his Ferrari between eight circuits and the public roads of six European nations. In addition to the fact that he gained such countless experiences en route, he likewise made numerous new companions, some of whom have proactively visited Andrie at his home in California.

That is the incredible thing about the car leisure activity – regardless of whether we can’t communicate in one another’s dialects, there’s consistently the worldwide language of vehicles. As an auto photographic artist, I truly feel like I have the best work on the planet. Furthermore, ideally I’ll get to do this once more with Andrie again soon, on the grounds that he as of late bought an Alfa Romeo 4C, and has plans to get it on another European trip the not so distant future.

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