My first blog had to be about my favourite day at work – our Ferrari Experience at Silverstone.
It was back in 2010 that we organised the very first Ferrari California Experience. Since then nearly 300 deserving kids have enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime thrill of being driven around this iconic track in a Ferrari. The event is now at the heart of the brand’s CSR activity and one of my personal favourites.
The excitement levels went up an extra notch this year thanks to the presence of Tulisa. The singer had been invited along as an ambassador to Rays of Sunshine, one of our two charity partners. One little girl was so overcome at meeting her idol that she promptly burst into tears!
Tulisa couldn’t have been more charming, chatting with the children, having her photograph taken and signing autographs.
There really is something quite special about seeing these amazing cars lined up on the track.
This year the model of the day was the California T. Luckily the weather was great which meant that the roof of each car could be down for all rides, making it even more thrilling for the passengers.
The California T can go from 0 to 62 mph in a pretty impressive 36 seconds and has a top speed of 196 mph. Our drivers didn’t quite reach those speeds, but some serious rubber was burnt nonetheless. This year each child was treated to not one but two rides, which went down particularly well!
Meeting this group of inspiring youngsters was, as usual, a humbling experience. When you talk to someone like cancer sufferer Rhys Powell (pictured left with me), who has shown such bravery, it really does put things into perspective.
Since the event we’ve had the most brilliant feedback from the families, the charities and our sponsors, some of which, like Lego, have been supporting us since day one. All I can say is let’s get those cars going faster than ever next year!
