VIN: the Rene Herzog / Stephane Ratel Ferrari F40 / F40 LM / F40 GTE chassis 74045
History of chassis 74045
Chassis 74045 started life as the second of Ferrari’s F40 prototypes.
It was retained by the factory until early 1992, at which point it was sold to Swiss racing driver, Rene Herzog.
Herzog started his career pedalling touring cars for the BMW-Alpina team in 1970. In 1971 he also raced a Ferrari 512 M with compatriot, Herbert Muller.
Herzog did just one race in 1972 (at the Le Mans 24 Hours in a Schnitzer BMW 2800 CS). He followed this up with a season spent mostly driving a two-litre GRD prototype in 1973. After the Oil Crisis curtailed his driving career, Herzog turned his attention to selling sports boats and later custom-built Alucraft yachts.
He returned to racing in 1989 with a Group C Porsche 962.
Upon his acquisition of chassis 74045, Herzog sent the car to Michelotto where it was upgraded to LM specification. After the conversion was complete (in May 1992), Herzog sold the F40 to fellow Swiss resident, Charles Zuger.
In 1995, Zuger sold the still little used chassis 74045 to GT racing impresario, Stephane Ratel in France.
Ratel was the ‘R’ of the burgeoning BPR GT Championship. He purchased the car to contest the 1995 BPR series where, alongside F40s from the Ferrari Club Italia, it would serve as chief opposition to the new McLaren F1 GTR.
The F40s proved to be fast but fragile. They often qualified at the head of the field, but could not match the McLarens in terms of reliability.
For the ‘95 season, 74045 ran under the Pilot Aldix Racing banner. It was driven predominantly by Michel Ferte and Olivier Thevenin with title sponsorship from Japanese pen manufacturer, Pilot.
After four DNFs in the opening four races of 1995, the red Ferrari was switched to a handsome blue colour scheme. It next appeared at Pre-Qualifying for the Le Mans 24 Hours where it went fifth quickest overall and fastest of the GT1 cars.
After another DNF in the BPR series (at the Montlhery 1000km), 74045 returned to la Sarthe for the 24 hour race where, against the odds, it finished twelfth overall and sixth in the GT1 category.
Ferte and Thevenin followed their impressive Le Mans showing with victory at the Anderstorp 4 Hour BPR race in Sweden.
Their only other finish in the remaining four BPR races of the year was a second place at the Silverstone 4 Hours.
For 1996, chassis 74045 was uprated by Michelotto to the latest GTE specification.
That season it claimed three top six finishes: fifth at the Jarama 4 Hours, sixth at the Nurburgring 4 Hours and third at its final outing, the Nogaro 4 Hours.
The blue F40 also made its second appearance at the Le Mans 24 Hours, but failed to finish as a result of damage incurred after a fire briefly broke out during a night-time pit-stop.
In 1998, chassis 74045 was sold to dealer, Jean Guikas of GTC. In 2000 it was auctioned by Poulain-Le Fur and headed to Hong Kong before returning to Europe in 2008.
Notable History
Rosso Corsa
Retained by Ferrari SpA
1992 sold to Rene Herzog, Switzerland
05/1992 converted by Michelotto to F40 LM specification
Sold to Charles Zuger, Switzerland
1995 sold to Stephane Ratel (Pilot Aldix Racing), France
12/03/1995 BPR Paul Ricard 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) DNF (#40)
26/03/1995 BPR Monza 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) DNF (#40)
09/04/1995 BPR Jarama 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) DNF (#40)
23/04/1995 BPR Nurburgring 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) DNF (#40)
Colour changed to Blue
30/04/1995 IND Le Mans Prequalifying (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) 5th oa, 1st GT1 class (#34)
14/05/1995 BPR Paris 1000km, Montlhery (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) DNF (#40)
18/06/1995 IND Le Mans 24 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin / C. Palau) 12th oa, 6th GT1 class (#34)
02/07/1995 BPR Anderstorp 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) 1st oa, 1st GT1 class (#40)
27/08/1995 BPR Suzuka 1000km (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) DNF (#40)
17/09/1995 BPR Silverstone 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) 2nd oa, 2nd GT1 class (#40)
08/10/1995 BPR Nogaro 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin / P. Mondini) DNS (#40)
12/11/1995 BPR Zhuhai 3 Hours (O. Thevenin / M. Neugarten) DNF (#40)
Converted by Michelotto to F40 GTE specification
03/03/1996 BPR Paul Ricard 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) DNF (#40)
14/04/1996 BPR Jarama 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) 5th oa, 5th GT1 class (#40)
28/04/1996 IND Le Mans Prequalifying (M. Ferte) 30th oa, 16th GT1 class (#56)
12/05/1996 BPR Silverstone 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) 8th oa, 8th GT1 class (#40)
16/06/1996 IND Le Mans 24 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin / N. Leboissetier) DNF (#56)
30/06/1996 BPR Nurburgring 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) 6th oa, 6th GT1 class (#40)
25/08/1996 BPR Suzuka 1000km (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) DNF (#40)
06/10/1996 BPR Nogaro 4 Hours (M. Ferte / O. Thevenin) 3rd oa, 3rd GT1 class (#40)
1998 sold
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ferrari - https://www.ferrari.com
