Italian driver pursues world record by driving Ferrari SF90 on aircraft carrier

An Italian race driver pursued a world record by driving a Ferrari SF90 on the flight deck of a navy aircraft carrier off Italy's Mediterranean coast.

Fabio Barone rode the deck of a ship stationed off Civita Vecchia, near Rome, aiming to set the fastest-car-on-a-boat record with a target of at least 160 kph (99.4 mph) before braking to avoid launching off the ski jump and colliding with the cruise liner moored ahead. The attempt followed Barone's 2023 Italian Timekeepers Federation record on a different carrier in southern Italy, where he hit 152 kph (94.4 mph). Race engineer Alessandro Tedino said he could not be certain the new mark would be achievable, noting the ship had been at sea overnight and the flight deck had been wet when the crew woke up to begin the drying process, a task completed by late morning. “If it remained wet, then of course it’s impossible to have the maximum speed and best brakes. It can be very, very dangerous,” he said.

As the familiar Top Gun theme thumped from speakers, the carrier’s portside elevator hoisted Barone and his team to the deck, where journalists, naval officers and VIPs waited. A group of children with Down syndrome, chosen as honorary “mechanics for the day,” removed a red, satiny cover to reveal Barone’s red-and-black Ferrari SF90. Barone settled into the cockpit, then rolled the car along the deck to warm the V-8 turbo engine. The engine roared louder with each pass as he pushed the car’s 1,085 horsepower harder and harder.

He positioned himself at the far end of the 236-meter (774-foot) flight deck and awaited the all-clear. “Here he goes! Here he goes!” announced the emcee as Barone accelerated toward the ship’s midsection, then continued to the far end. Seconds later, he came to a controlled stop amid applause that mixed excitement with caution about whether the record would stand. The official timekeeper examined the gauges and declared, “The detected velocity: 164 kilometers per hour (101.9 mph). I declare it the new speed record on a ship!” Barone raised his arms in triumph, hugged his crew with helmet on, and waited for the final confirmation.

“The main thing you focus on is concentration and then you realize that you are breaking the record only when you are halfway,” Barone said afterward. “I have two hands, two feet and I use them at the same time like a pianist.” Tedino noted that Barone’s team will submit certified results to Guinness World Records, which said it looks forward to reviewing the application and supporting evidence for the latest attempt.

The event comes after last year’s Italian record-setting drive on another carrier in southern Italy, when Barone posted 152 kph (94.4 mph). Guinness World Records will evaluate whether the latest run meets their criteria for a global record on a moving platform, including vehicle stability, speed verification and independent timing.

AP videojournalist Paolo Santalucia contributed.