Ferrari on a flight deck: Did it set a world record? Short answer: A Ferrari SF90 did sprint across an Italian Navy aircraft carrier and hit 164 km/h before stopping just shy of the edge. The “world record” label is likely correct in spirit—but official Guinness certification was still pending at the time.
What makes this more than a viral clip is what the headlines missed: the record claim wasn’t yet ratified, the car’s power was overstated in some reports, and the location and measurements are more precise—and impressive—than most captions suggest.
The stunt, the stop, the stakes On September 18, 2025, Italian driver Fabio Barone pointed a Ferrari SF90 down the deck of the Italian Navy’s new flagship, the Nave Trieste, just north of Rome in Civitavecchia. He used roughly 205 meters of the ship’s 236‑meter flight deck to reach a measured top speed of 164 km/h (about 102 mph), and then braked hard, coming to a halt just before the ramped edge.
- Verified: The car, the carrier, the date, and the speed. Multiple outlets reported the run and the near‑edge stop. See Associated Press and ANSA for core details and measurements:
Lead correction: “World record” vs “Guinness record”
- Key finding: Guinness had not yet certified the record as of Sept 18–19, 2025. AP reports the attempt would be submitted to Guinness for official recognition. That’s a crucial difference from headlines implying it was already in the book. Source: AP.
Where this fits in—and why 164 km/h matters
- Barone has done this before. In 2024 he reached 152 km/h on the carrier Garibaldi, making 2025’s 164 km/h a clear step up. Source: AP.
- The pre‑Barone benchmark often cited is Porsche’s 2019 Taycan demo on the USS Hornet: 145 km/h in a 0–90–0 test. That showed what was doable on a ship, but Barone’s numbers are now the reference point. Source: Porsche newsroom: https://newsroom.porsche.com/de/2019/produkte/porsche-taycan-leistung-test-flugzeugtraeger-uss-hornet-shea-holbrook-18492.html
What car was it—and how powerful is it really?
- The car is a Ferrari SF90 Stradale. Ferrari lists it at 1,000 cv (metric horsepower). That’s roughly 986 hp in imperial terms.
- Some coverage mentions “1,085 horses.” That figure doesn’t match Ferrari’s official SF90 Stradale spec and is closer to the track‑focused SF90 XX family (Ferrari quotes 1,030 cv for the XX). Bottom line: the 1,085‑hp number looks inflated for the Stradale. Source: Ferrari specs: https://www.ferrari.com/en-US/auto/sf90-stradale
- Key correction: The SF90 Stradale’s official output is 1,000 cv, not 1,085 hp.
What we know vs. what’s still unconfirmed
- Verified facts
- A Ferrari SF90 accelerated on Nave Trieste’s deck in Civitavecchia on Sept 18, 2025. [AP, ANSA]
- Top speed recorded: 164 km/h. [AP]
- Deck length: about 236 m; around 205 m used for the sprint. [ANSA]
- Driver: Fabio Barone, improving on his 2024 carrier run. [AP]
- Needs confirmation or more detail
- Guinness certification: Submission planned; as of publication it wasn’t yet certified. [AP]
- Independent timing specifics: Outlets report the measured speed, but the exact timing equipment and verification method used on the day haven’t been fully detailed publicly.
Why the headline hype matters Calling it a “Weltrekord” (world record) is fair if you mean “fastest measured car run on an aircraft carrier deck.” But “Guinness World Record” is a formal label with rules and verification. Until Guinness stamps it, the record is real in practice, not yet official on paper.
How we checked
- We traced the basic claim to AP’s on‑scene reporting and ANSA’s Italian‑language brief for location and deck dimensions.
- We cross‑checked the car’s power against Ferrari’s official spec page after seeing higher horsepower figures repeated elsewhere.
- We reviewed a widely cited precedent—the Porsche Taycan’s USS Hornet run—to place the new speed in context.
Quick takeaways
- Yes, the stunt happened, and 164 km/h on a ship’s deck is a remarkable, verified number.
- The record claim is strong but not yet Guinness‑certified.
- Beware the 1,085 hp figure; Ferrari’s own data says the SF90 Stradale is rated at 1,000 cv.
Sources
- Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/f49d49a367a972af143ccad1ada22317
- ANSA (IT): https://www.ansa.it/canale_motori/notizie/mondo_motori/2025/09/18/auto-barone-da-record-su-nave-trieste-show-con-la-ferrari-sf90_7482455d-a834-46ae-9551-83b40e8876b2.html
- Ferrari SF90 Stradale specs: https://www.ferrari.com/en-US/auto/sf90-stradale
- Porsche Taycan on USS Hornet: https://newsroom.porsche.com/de/2019/produkte/porsche-taycan-leistung-test-flugzeugtraeger-uss-hornet-shea-holbrook-18492.html
If and when Guinness publishes its ruling, we’ll update this piece to reflect the official status.