Billionaire Playground: A Ducati at Ascari, Robb Report Motorcycling, May/June 2006
The Spanish Andalusian countryside is an endless rhythm of hills, ancient trees and bleached medieval cities- possibly the last place one would expect a world-class racetrack. After months of searching, Dutch racing enthusiast Klaas Zwart, a resident of Marbella, discovered the future home of the Ascari Race Resort while piloting his Eurocopter 130 above the virgin terrain just outside of Ronda.
Zwart embarked on a quest to build the ultimate private racetrack following the sale of his oil business in 1999. A winner of the EuroBoss race series in 2003, Zwart's familiarity with Formula 1 courses initiated his idea of what makes a great track. He then walked, cycled, and drove circuits from Monza to Sebring in order digest the scale, proportion, and sense of occasion that distinguish legendary tracks.
Covering 3.5 miles-the longest in Spain-Ascari winds effortlessly through the landscape, capitalizing on natural elevation changes. "Some of the Spanish Oak and Encinas trees are hundreds of years old, and we built this track with an absolute minimum impact on the environment" Zwart explains, adding that only twelve trees were removed in the process.
The graceful course is a merging of aesthetics with the realities of economics and structural engineering. The result is both scenically grandiose and technically challenging.
The track features homages to famous landmarks like the Eau Rouge curve from the Spa Circuit and the Copse corner from Silverstone, where Alberto Ascari, the F1 driver who inspired the track's namesake, won twice. Though Ascari boasts its share of tight, technical turns, its fast sections are also challenging in a hair-raising, manhood affirming sort of way.
Zwart's vision involves more than just paving a great racetrack into the countryside; his ultimate goal is to create a total experience in which the track is the centerpiece of a resort that includes a seven star hotel and spa.
The track timeshare and driving school are the first seeds of the Ascari experience to come to fruition, while the hotel and spa are slated for completion in 2008. Timeshare members like former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle and rock singer Jay Kay utilize their yearly allotment of 51 days of track time with personal exotics like Pagani Zondas and Ferrari Enzos. A lifetime membership costs 125,000, or roughly $150,000. Members and non-members can also rent track cars, or learn the intricacies of high performance driving on everything from Lotus Elises and BMW Compacts to Reynard F3000s and a pair of 1996 Benetton F1 cars, which produce 735 horsepower at 11,000 RPM.
"We don't just let anyone out in the Benettons," Zwart emphasizes, pointing out that potential drivers of the Formula 1 cars must first prove their skill in an F3000. The fee for driving the F1 car is 500 (about $600) per lap.
While Formula 1 racecars offer an unparalleled sensation of speed, thrill seekers need not accumulate a five-figure bill in a half-million dollar vehicle to pilot a seriously quick machine at Ascari. Proving that motorcycles offer an astonishing adrenaline to dollar ratio, Ducati's new 130 horsepower Monster S4Rs-the company's latest and most powerful naked bike- was not incongruous at the lush Ascari track during its world premiere there.
Originally introduced thirteen years ago with 73 horsepower, the Monster has enjoyed a gradual infusion of technology and power from its more expensive stablemates. This particular Monster is touted as the most evolved yet, essentially a true superbike, sans bodywork-or so the Ducati press machine states. In fact, the S4Rs is so focused as a high-performance bike that Ducati chose to highlight it only within the confines the track, ignoring the picturesque roads surrounding the Ascari property.
The S4Rs's top shelf components reflect its tremendous capabilities. On Ascari's first of 26 turns-- a tight chicane that interrupts a high speed straight-- the fully adjustable front and rear Öhlins provide the sharpness necessary to aggressively carve the bend. On wide, fast sweepers, the suspension also effectively communicates the bike's dynamics. Particularly on turn 23, a fast, banked left-hander, the suspension compresses and maintains the curve before a tap of the brakes preceding an abrupt left turn. If anything, the suspension's adjustability invites experimentation in order to setup the ideal ride height and dampening, which are crucial to exploring the bike's handling prowess. Aiding the bike's responsiveness is an aluminum Marchesini rear wheel that is 23% lighter than on the S4R, and a front wheel identical to the one fitted to the 999S.
Radially mounted, four-piston/four-pad front Brembo brakes are the same as those found on the 999R, and allow for gut-sinking deceleration when setting up for suspension-loading corners. They are more efficient than their predecessors, requiring 45% less pedal effort in order to yield equivalent stopping power. Braking at the end of long stretches is crucial, as several of the straightaways at Ascari lead to sharp and unforgiving bends. The Brembos perform admirably, biting hard, and effectively scrubbing off speed.
Once the handgrip is twisted and the Monster pulls out of a turn, its L-Twin begins churning from almost anywhere within the powerband. The thrust comes in handy on a track with the massive scale of Ascari; its torque not only produces a satisfyingly thick sensation of thrust at low RPMs, it also minimizes lost momentum if too tall a gear is selected.
Boasting the same engine as Ducati's flagship 999, the S4Rs's powerplant features the company's trademark "Testastretta", or narrow head configuration, which produces more efficient combustion. A new throttle body, airbox, rocker arms, camshafts, and bigger intake valves allow the engine to breath deeper and produce more power. Also incorporated into the S4Rs is a low sump design, enabling the oil pump to remain lubricated during high G-force cornering.
For an even more hardcore riding experience, Ducati offers modifications that make the Monster positively rabid. Replacing the stock exhaust with the Termignoni kit incorporates huge, 50mm pipes, carbon fiber silencers, a high performance racing air filter, and a dedicated engine control unit that mates the powerplant to the pipes. Not only is the L-Twin's growl even more seductive with the aftermarket components, the boost to 148 horsepower is markedly perceptible, from lazy engine speeds all the way up to its higher, 10,000 RPM peak. The increased power pushes the Monster even closer to the domain of Formula 1-type performance, but in a progressive, linear way that is predictable and smooth, not snappy or high-strung. Though brand new Michelin Pilot Power Race tires are initially a bit hesitant in their footing, after a couple of warm-up laps they bite with more reassuring traction than their stock, street counterparts. The race compound Michelins are the undisputed weapon of choice for track riding.
Adding to the trick effect is an exhaust note that bellows with unmistakable authority. Its volume projects far longer distances than stock, and though officially a track-only accessory, it will no doubt make its way onto public roads thanks to zealous Ducatista whose love of decibels and power outweigh their fear of law enforcement.
While the mechanical evolution of the S4Rs makes it a more finely tuned track instrument, aesthetic improvements have also made it easier on the eyes. Although the mechanical complexity of water-cooled engines inevitably involves more hoses, pipes, and loose metallic ends, Monster product engineer Giulio Malagoli takes pride in the S4Rs's nip/tuck job which hides electrical cables for a more uncluttered look, and eliminates the use of zip ties. There is still quite a bit of visual noise created by the Monster's engine, but then again, it's not called a naked bike for nothing.
Exterior details on the S4Rs are in keeping with efficient, high-grade construction. While the ounces saved by utilizing carbon fiber on the front mudguard, radiator guards, timing belt covers and side panels may be incremental, the bike's fierce power to weight ratio is reflected in its agility, and the alacrity with which it hustles its dry weight of only 390 pounds around both tight and wide sections of track.
At Ascari, the Monster's spare design philosophy matches the austere task of ultimate speed. Engine revs rise rapidly but steadily, shooting insistently until a quick click of the left foot brings the next gear change. The small fairing does not offer much wind protection, and quivers under high-speed aerodynamic stress, but such is the essence of this plain-clothed superbike; the Monster S4Rs's refinement has a raw edge.
Though its riding position is somewhat upright, a day of wrestling the Monster wracks the wrists, tightens the thighs, and knots up the shoulders. It also fills the senses with sound, wind, and the crudely refreshing sensation of unfiltered velocity. The S4Rs compresses Ascari's F1 scale with sheer power and deft maneuverability.
The day after the launch, I met with Klaas Zwart, who happened to be testing his Ascari A10. The 600 horsepower, race-tuned supercar will eventually see a production run of 50, competing against exotics like the Porsche Carrera GT and the McLaren SLR.
Strapped into the passenger seat with a five-point harness, it became immediately clear that the A10 was purpose-built for the racetrack. Its BMW V8 sputtered and spat, shaking the carbon fiber monocoque as it revved in the pits and shot itself towards the same 26 turns I had traversed in the Monster.
The A10 exhibits some very motorcycle-like characteristics: light weight, stripped down design, and purposeful construction. It was still a little rough around the edges, Zwart told me, and its chassis was being sorted out. But it was breathtaking, accelerating as only a lightweight, 600 horsepower racecar can. Handling was impressive thanks to stiff suspension, extreme aerodynamic downforce, and thick tires that kept everything firmly planted. Though straight line acceleration between the A10 and the Monster was close, the car's four large contact patches produced more absolute grip around bends than the bike's two, allowing it to carry higher speeds. In contrast, turns in the A10 felt more safe and insulated within the airtight security of the cabin. The sensation of speed was strong, though not as invasive as on a motorcycle, where the road passes inches below and the sky rotates above.
For a car, the A10 is uncompromising. As powerful and responsive as it is, however, there is no way to drag a knee across the asphalt, or to be as physically involved in the maneuvering of the machine as one is on a motorcycle.
It is, of course, unfair to compare superbike and supercar. But after experiencing the S4Rs and the A10 on a track like Ascari, it is almost impossible not to. They are both designed to provide sensations of speed without concession or the pretense of practicality. The two are handcrafted, providing a similar feeling of tailor-made ergonomic familiarity. And considering their specific aims of producing ultimate performance, they accomplish their goals exceedingly well.
The visceral impact of riding the Monster S4Rs is undeniable, particularly on a track. Apathy or passivity is impossible when pushing its limits, and in modified form it offers even more gut-wrenching performance. While lightweight supercars are staggeringly seductive, this $15,000 Ducati offers its own unique allure. And perhaps that is why we love motorcycles like the S4Rs for what they are: relatively inexpensive, finely tuned machines that feel perfectly at home at the great tracks of the world, as well as riding out of your driveway into the rough-and-tumble of everyday street life.
Basem Wasef
info@basemwasef.com
323.791.8560