The Ferrari F40:

Built to celebrate Ferrari’s 40^th anniversary, the F40 was designed by Pininfarina and assembled largely from new composite materials. Its sophisticated high-performance, turbo-charged drivetrain, combined with its first-class chassis gave the driver an unprecedented experience. As a result of its stunning performance and scintillating aerodynamic styling, the F40 is often called the greatest supercar ever built.

The F40 continued the extreme machine philosophy cultivated by its predecessor, the GTO, but took it to a new level. It was greeted by phenomenal enthusiasm with demand and production far exceeding Ferrari’s wildest dreams.

Not long after its official debut at a press conference in Maranello in July 1987, discussions of a special competition-prepared F40 emerged. For Ferrari, there could only be one man to control the project, Giuliano Michelotto, whose work on the Lancia Stratos rally cars, and the Ferrari 308 IMSA had earnt him high praise within the hallowed gates at Ferrari. Michelotto converted standard goad-going F40’s into competition cars which were then offered by the factory to privateer racers.

This F40 GT Competizione:

The car offered here, chassis 85690, was built by Ferrari in 1990 and collected directly from within the factory gates by Mr Pierre Alexander Popoff, the designer of the Mugello racing circuit in Italy. Popoff was a close friend of Enzo Ferrari and an enthusiastic member of the Ferrari Club Italia. In the accompanying history file, there are several images of Popoff collecting this F40 within the famed gates of the factory in Maranello, and at the Fiorano circuit.

Pierre Popoff was a resident of Lerici, Italy, and in July 1990 registered his F40, chassis 85690 in La Spezia with the Italian registration ‘SP 289123’. In 1992 the inaugural Italian GT Championship was run, and Popoff chose to modify this F40 to compete. He chose to run his car alongside two other modified Ferrari F40s, under the ‘Ferrari Club Italia’ banner. Popoff and 85690 would go on to compete in a total of 27 rounds of the Italian GT Championship over three seasons from 1992 to 1994, resulting in seven podium finishes and two outright victories.

Initially the car was prepared and maintained at Italian GT events by Nicomedi, however support was swiftly entrusted to Michelotto who were responsible for the majority of Ferraris hugely successful competition cars during the 1970’s and were also the leading experts on competition focussed F40’s.

Throughout the 1992 season, this F40 was raced in largely un-modified road-specification, however at Vallelunga in May it was decided that a slick racing tyre could be used in the championship, instead of the standard road specification Pirelli P Zero. This change, significantly reduced lap times, to everyone’s approval. For the 1993 season the Ferrari F40 was allowed to be upgraded to include the F40 Evolution front and rear suspension, designed by Michelotto, along with the Brembo brake discs (355mm instead of the standard 322mm) and calipers. The updated regulations also allowed O.Z. 17” magnesium racing wheels for the 1993 season. Michelotto had continued development of the F40 between the 1992 and 1992 season and were now extracting over 520 bhp from the engine comfortably, whilst occasionally increasing the boost to achieve over 550 bhp for limited runs! To end the 1992 season, Popoff competed with this F40 Competizione at the annual Bologna Motor Show Cup in December.

The extensive history file accompanying this Ferrari F40 includes copies of some early invoices from Michelotto and Tipografia Pizzinato during the 1993 season. As time passed and the teams experience with the F40 grew, the upgrades continued and the results improved, with Popoff winning the final event for 85690 at Misano in October 1994. Earlier in the 1994 season Popoff and 85690 had won the second race at Binetto in September, and achieved podium finishes on five other occasions. In total, 85690 and Popoff claimed two overall victories and seven additional podium finishes over 27 races, accomplishing a staggering 85% finishing record!

In 1995 Sergio Cassano wrote the definitive book on F40’s in competition, called ‘F40 Da Corsa’ which chassis 85690 is extensively featured in. The car was also later featured in a review of F40 Racing in the Ferrari Collection, published by Fabbri Editori. 85690 is so well known for its history in the Italian GT Championship that there were even two highly-detailed models made of the car, by Herpa in 1:43 and 1:87 scale.

After its competition days, 85690 was returned to road specification and in November 1996 was purchased by Silvia Servi, a female resident in Pavia, Trovo, who then, in February 1997 registered the car on registration ‘AN586BY’. During August 1998, the car was exported from Italy to the United Kingdom, where it has resided ever since.

The car was imported to the UK for Mr Andrew Duncan in Surrey and maintained by Ferrari dealer Graypaul where in September 1997 mileage was noted as 13,009 kms and a cam belt service completed. Shortly after its arrival in the UK, this F40 was photographed and featured on the cover of EVO magazine in December 1999.

By 2008 the car was being maintained by Ferrari specialist Bob Houghton and was now owned by Mr Richard Smeeton in Oxfordshire, an enthusiastic historic racer. Again, this F40 was regularly serviced and maintained regardless of cost, with the extensive history file containing many of these original invoices.

The car also received its highly coveted Ferrari ‘Red-Book’ Classiche Certification on 10^th July 2008 with the red binder confirming the car to retain its original chassis, engine, gearbox and body.

In 2013 the fifth, and current, owner purchased chassis 85690 and again has spared no expense in maintaining the car, predominantly with Bob Houghton. Being fastidious about the history and provenance of his collection, the current owner searched for Mr Popoff’s Son, Andrea to learn more about the history. Once in contact, Andrea assisted Bob Houghton and the current owner in returning the car to its period racing livery, which it currently wears. At the same time Bob Houghton reinstalled the upgraded period competition Brembo brakes, race exhaust and the incredibly rare 17” Magnesium wheels whilst maintaining the useable and compliant road-specification suspension, i.e. rubber bushes instead of the harsh-riding competition rose joints.

The car is offered with a fantastically well detailed history file documenting its impressive life including copies of the Italian registration documentation, confirming Popoff’s ownership, and over 150 images of the car competing in the Italian GT Championship. Also included in the file are UK MOT’s, servicing history from the UK’s best-known Ferrari specialists along with copies of correspondence with Michelotto in period. The original warranty card and owner’s service book is still accompanying the car, along with the owner’s manual and pouch. The coveted ‘Red-Book’ Ferrari Classiche Certification is also with the car, along with its three-piece Schedoni luggage. Let’s not forget, this is an entirely useable Ferrari F40 on the public road, so you certainly need your luggage for the weekends away!

The car offered here is exceedingly rare, one of only 16 recognised and accepted competition Ferrari F40’s, it was maintained by the best Ferrari competition workshop in the world, Michelotto, and to this day it continues to be maintained by the world’s leading Ferrari specialists. It is a genuinely useable Ferrari F40 with great competition history, eligible for both the Global Endurance Legends series and the Peter Auto supported Ultracar-GT1 Sports Club.

Should you wish to take this F40 on a Sunday morning cruise, or for a full-out assault of your favourite racing circuit, you will not be left wanting more. A very special opportunity to obtain one of the few competition F40’s with a fabulous story and comprehensive history file.

Price: POA