Michael Fassbender Is Racing A Ferrari 488 For Kicks, Despite Not Owning A Car

When he’s not bringing life to characters like the creepy robot in Prometheus/Alien: Covenant and X-Men’s Magneto, Michael Fassbender likes to dabble in a bit of racing. At least, he does now: despite not owning a car of his own, the 40-year-old actor has teamed up with Ferrari itself to have a crack at the North American Ferrari Challenge this year. And he’s not doing too badly.

Speaking to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, Fassbender admits that his first race at Laguna Seca at the weekend weekend didn’t go too well as he ended up “third last,” but mentioned that he’d managed to finish “sixth in my class” aboard his 488 Challenge in race two. Fine work.

The 12 Years a Slave actor underwent training last year with Ferrari’s Corso Pilota training programme, and will be taking part in “four or five” events during 2017.

The Ferrari Challenge was conceived in 1992, with regional championships run in Europe, Asia and North America. For the 2017, the 488 Challenge - the series’ first turbocharged car -replaces the outgoing 458 Challenge Evo. It may not sound quite as good as its predecessor, but it makes up for that with speed - it’s a second faster around Ferrari’s Fiorano test track.