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- Lewis Hamilton announced the acquisition of a Ferrari F40 via Instagram.
- The vehicle sat in a dusty garage for over thirty years.
- Master mechanics at the Maranello factory completed a full vehicle restoration (not revealed yet).
- Hamilton previously stated his desire to design an F40 road car.
- His proposed Ferrari ‘F44’ concept featured a proper manual stick shift.
Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has taken the covers off his latest vehicle acquisition, a barn-find Ferrari F40.
Sharing the news on his social accounts, Hamilton explains how his relationship with the Ferrari F40 has grown over time, from a dream as a young man to owning one for himself and completing a full multi-million-dollar restoration through the factory Ferrari Classiche division.
“When I joined Ferrari last year, I made sure to have one with me on my first day at Maranello. That’s how much it means to me,” said Lewis in the post. Of course, referring to the announcement images where he stood in front of the factory, draped in a black suit beside a mint condition Ferrari F40.
Now, he has one in his garage. Hamilton secured his example after it had been off the road for more than three decades. He took it back to Ferrari’s headquarters, where master engineers and mechanics at the Maranello factory spent weeks restoring the vehicle to better-than-new condition. Hamilton noted that acquiring and restoring the F40 is a personal milestone, calling it a dream come true.
“This is the car of my dreams and has been for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I dreamt of having one.”
He concluded the announcement by indicating that more details regarding the project will be shared in the future.
“These cars are works of art and incredibly rare, 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.”
1/13Ferrari Classiche Restoration Process
To return the F40 to its factory condition, Hamilton would have relied on the Ferrari Classiche programme. It’s a factory restoration service, similar to Lamborghini Polo Storico, that returns the car to brand-new condition and confirms the vehicle retains its matching-numbers engine, gearbox, chassis, and bodywork. Unlike third-party restorations, this validation provides owners with confidence, provenance, and long-term collectibility. Upon successful certification, Ferrari issues a Classiche Red Book to accompany the vehicle.
The Certificate of Authenticity is available for road cars over 20 years old, Special Series, Sport, and Ferrari F1 models. However, getting it is quite a process. It begins with an inspection using photographs, measurements, and technical data, performed either by Ferrari Classiche or an authorised dealer. Next, a technical analysis verifies that the chassis is original, checking the bodywork, interior, and mechanical systems. A Certification Report is then submitted to the Certification Committee, which can accept or reject the findings. Once approved, a document incorporating photographic and technical evidence accompanies the Certificate of Authenticity, which is signed by Piero Ferrari.
While the costs associated with this restoration process vary considerably, Classiche cars have sold at auction for around USD$4 million in the past and with current F40 prices skyrocketing past $8 million in recent months, we wouldn’t expect the value and cost of this project to be less than USD$10 million.
Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari F44 Concept
The acquisition aligns with Hamilton’s long-standing appreciation for the Ferrari F40. During the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton told Motorsport.com that his dream was to design a Ferrari road car based on the F40. He proposed calling the vehicle the “F44,” a tribute to the legendary 1980s model and incorporating his race number. Hamilton specified that his vision for the F44 included a proper manual stick shift, which he intended to work on over the coming years.
Built in the late 1980s, the original Ferrari F40 is widely regarded as the greatest road car ever created and was the last vehicle approved by Enzo Ferrari before his death in 1988.
If Hamilton were to successfully design a successor with a manual transmission, it would mark the first time a true manual stick shift had been added to a Ferrari road car since 2012. Ferrari has historically made it clear that quick-shifting gearboxes are the standard for current and future production models, but they did bend the rules recently, with the release of the Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale.
Hamilton’s contract with Ferrari concludes after the 2026 season, though it includes an option to extend to 2027 or 2028. Between now and then, he will remain active off the track, securing major deals with Lululemon and wearing Richard Mille watches valued at over AUD$1 million as part of his Ferrari deal.
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