Alain Prost’s stint as a Ferrari F1 driver did not dwell as much as expectations, however no less than he bought a Ferrari F40 out of the deal. Now that automobile is headed to public sale.
Delivered new to Prost throughout his first season with Ferrari, this 1990 F40 will probably be auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s on Could 10. It is a prime instance of an iconic supercar, one which’s additionally tied to one in every of F1’s traditional tales.
Prost got here to Ferrari for the 1990 season because the reigning driver’s champion, having defeated arch rival and McLaren teammate Ayrton Senna in controversial style on the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix. The French driver collided along with his Brazilian teammate, who went on to win the race, however was disqualified for utilizing an escape highway to rejoin the circuit after the collision.
Ferrari F40 given to Alain Prost (picture through RM Sotheby’s)
Leaving the poisonous intra-team rivalry at McLaren behind, Prost decamped to Ferrari as a three-time champion. Symbolizing the adjustments underway at Ferrari on the flip of the last decade, Prost was the primary driver signed after the demise of Enzo Ferrari, and was gifted the F40—the final automobile developed whereas Ferrari was nonetheless alive—to be used as his private highway automobile.
Launched in 1987, the F40 instantly put different supercar builders on discover with a 200-mph high pace—making it the quickest manufacturing automobile on the earth on the time. A 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 produced a then-impressive 471 hp, though catastrophic turbo lag meant a Buick GNX may beat it within the quarter-mile. At present, the F40 remains to be held in excessive regard for its analog nature and outrageous styling.
In keeping with the public sale itemizing, Prost took supply of the automobile however by no means used it. He did not final lengthy at Ferrari, both, famously getting fired from the crew halfway via the 1991 season. This was after Senna repaid the favor on the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, crashing into Prost within the first nook to safe the Drivers’ Championship for himself. The Frenchman returned to F1 in 1993 with Williams, successful a fourth championship and retiring on the finish of the season.
Ferrari F40 given to Alain Prost (picture through RM Sotheby’s)
Prost’s F40, in the meantime, was bought to Ferrari collector Graham de Zille. Prost signed the roof previous to sending the automobile off to its new dwelling. The signature was clear-coated and remains to be faintly seen. The F40 has been pushed slightly below 2,900 miles since new, in keeping with the itemizing. It was additionally constructed with out the catalytic converters and adjustable suspension added to later examples—which RM claims is a extra fascinating spec.
All of that explains the pre-auction estimate of $2.7 to $3.3 million—not shocking for an important automobile as soon as owned (albeit briefly) by one in every of F1’s biggest drivers.
