Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has taken ownership of a Ferrari F40 that had been stored in a garage for more than three decades, fulfilling a long-held dream of owning the iconic supercar.
In a series of social media posts and a YouTube video, Hamilton detailed the discovery and restoration of the car, which he found "covered in dust" after it had sat untouched since leaving the factory. The British driver immediately transported the F40 to Maranello, where Ferrari's engineers and mechanics spent weeks bringing it back to life.
"There are cars that you admire and then there are cars that make you feel something," Hamilton said in the video. "Growing up Ferrari was more than a badge, it was the sound, the history, the posters on the wall, the dream. And the F40, this is the Ferrari of my dreams. It was with me on my first day at Maranello when my childhood dream of driving for the team in red came true. This car is just wow."
Hamilton described the car's original condition, noting it remained exactly as it was when it left the factory floor, complete with dust on the paint and dirt in the grille. "Seeing it come back to life, it's incredibly special," he said. "Some cars you just don't forget and this one's mine."
The F40, produced by Ferrari between 1987 and 1992, is one of the rarest road cars ever built, with just over 1,000 examples rolling out of the Maranello factory. The model was the last road car commissioned and approved by company founder Enzo Ferrari before his death in 1988. It was also the first production road car to break the 200mph barrier, with a top speed of 201mph and a 0-60mph time of around 3.8 seconds.
Hamilton's acquisition comes after he sold his entire £13 million car collection in September last year to focus on his new passion for art. At the time, he said that if he were to get another car, it would be the F40, describing it as "a nice piece of art."
Posting on Instagram on Monday, Hamilton introduced the car as his "very own F40," adding that "this is the car of my dreams." The post included images of the dust-covered car at Ferrari's "classiche" department, which restores and certifies Ferraris over 20 years old.
"These cars are works of art and incredibly rare," Hamilton wrote. "So when I found this one, covered in dust after being sat in a garage for over thirty years, I knew I had to bring her home."
The seven-time champion has been a Ferrari F1 driver for over 18 months, and his connection to the F40 predates his move to the team. He was pictured posing next to an F40 outside Enzo Ferrari's house during his first visit to Maranello in January, and earlier this year posted a video of himself driving a Japanese-based F40 at a Tokyo car meet.
Ferrari F40s have commanded prices in excess of £6 million at auction, with values varying based on condition, mileage and specification. Hamilton has not disclosed how much he paid for his example, though it is expected to have cost millions. A recent sale by auction experts RM Sotheby's saw an F40 with just 1,118 miles fetch £3.7 million.
The F40 has a storied history among collectors, with original owners including F1 legends Niki Lauda, Jacky Ickx, Gerhard Berger, John Surtees and Stirling Moss. Former Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel also owned an F40 that previously belonged to opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, though he reportedly sold it after leaving the Italian team in 2020.
Hamilton has hinted at further projects involving the car, saying he "can't wait to share more" with his followers soon. The timing of the announcement has also raised speculation that he could arrive at Ferrari's home race this weekend in Monza in his freshly restored F40.