On or about March 3rd, 45-year-old Russian racing enthusiast Vadim Kogay took delivery of a brand-new Ferrari 458 GT3 racer.
It went downhill from there.
The color’s definitely right! But all the driving is wrong. Mr. Kogay appears to be playing a game of Gran Turismo in a half-million dollar car. He overshoots turns, completely forgets to steer when steering is required, he races hard against cars that are a lap ahead…
…and, best of all, manages to go off HARD during a yellow on the same corner, and near the responsible car, where the yellow is flagged! The motorsports community is busy laying into this guy, but hey — at least he’s out there giving it a shot. And the car, to be fair, looks to be quite rapid. Mr. Kogay, if you want a co-driver, I’m your man!
I had a dream once where I found myself in a bright green Ferrari, in the middle of a race, with no idea what the hell I was doing. It was remarkably like that video.
What do you get when you combine a Russian oligarch who stole all his money from the public purse, a complete absence of taste, and no driving ability whatsoever?
The sad punchline here is that if he ultimately wrecks it, he’ll just buy another and do it again.
“What do you get…?”
Looks like you get Jethro Bodinsky.
“Hey, lookit me go, Uncle Zhed!”
This is like an episode of Quantum Leap. Sam leaps into a race drivers body mid-race and fails. Then Al shows up back at the pits with Ziggy to find out that they have to keep a mechanic from getting hit by a bus. The events wrap up nicely within a convenient 22 minute period and everyone is happy.
Next week, Sam leaps into an amateur boxer. (mutes trumpet) bwaa, bwaa
Mmm, green . . . !
Looks like Vadim got into the Ketel One BEFORE he got into the Ferrari…
The Continental GT3 is really a thing that exists?
Oh yes, and it is glorious. I got to watch it at the Gulf endurance championship at the Yas Marina course in Abu Dhabi before I left. It towers over the other cars, back fires and snarls. It is wonderful
Vodka is a hell of a drug
Hilarious, the best part is the incredulous reaction from the commentators (Where…what is he doing?)
I attended the 2013 US GP in Austin and one of the pre-races was a bunch of Ferrari’s racing about the circuit much the same way.
Bumping into each other, coming in way too hot in the corners forcing them to hammer on the brakes to the point of stopping, the works.
I assumed it was the same type of drivers as this guy, lots of money to buy their fantasy life, probably kicks ass in Gran Turismo, Forza etc. just don’t quit your day job.
So, way more entertaining that the actual F1 race is what you’re saying? Yup, that was my reaction too when comparing the Porsche Cup race to the snoozefest that followed when Schumacher essentially led from pole to checker.
Speaking of pay drivers and F1, how about that Max Chilton managing to finish >20times in a row with a pay-to-race package.
Actually that pretty much looks EXACTLY like me when I play GT5.
You stole my line.
Yea but I don’t hurt anyone playing video games. I’ve done some autocrosses and a couple of track days and one thing I’ve learned is that I’m not a very good driver. I’ve also learned that a faster car isn’t going to change that.
That guy is a hazard to the other drivers.
“I don’t race cars often, but when I do, I race a Ferrari.
Stay stupid, my friends.”
The Most Ridiculous Racer in the World
,Because I can afford it` TM
“And that’s going to go down like a cup of cold sick with the race director.”
Best race announcer ever!
Seconded!
Anything that can help kill-off the oligarchy is a good thing.
I once tried watching one of these races. In the rain at Silverstone. Let’s just say traction controls for gentlemen drivers do wonders for my power napping, though this Kogay guy is proving me wrong.
Nice little quip about Gran Turismo. Ironically, the GT Academy race team was at Monza as well. They didn’t have so many issues flailing about in the gravel.
GT Academy- one easy way of confirming that I’ll never be on the podium at Le Mans.
Currently hovering between 11-12,000th place.
This is only a failure if he does not learn. He is out there trying when most people (including me) sit at home. Good for him. If this was some average guy in a spec RX7 no one would be that upset.
You can (and should) “get out there and try” in something other than a GT3 car first. This is precisely the reason for lower racing classes.
I bet he won’t be making that mistake again. He tried to buy speed and it failed. Lets just hope that he is smart enough to get some training before going back on the track. Like I said, at least he is out there trying to race.
If this was some average guy in a spec RX-7 he would have been black flagged after two laps.
I actually really enjoyed listening to the announcer’s give him the business because it went from a tone of ‘what is wrong with him?’ to ‘What is right with him?’ In the end I picture it kind of like beer league softball, nobody is going to notice you suck because everybody else around you is pretty pathetic. This guy sadly is just a bit too rich for his own good and caused some near-wrecks that were totally unqualified. I’ve never had the pleasure of racing in a GP race nor will I likely ever. But I’ve had my fair share of legal racing with SCCA and illegal racing which we won’t discuss here and that car is so much better that with some mild competence could atleast NOT be in the gravel every other lap.
I would suggest he rent the track on off-days for an hour and keep everybody safe.