One to Buy: ex-Pierre Alexandre Popoff 1990 Ferrari F40 GT
When GT racing underwent its early 1990s revival owing to the widespread collapse of Prototype racing, Ferrari’s F40 found itself as the most competitive machine available prior to the arrival of the McLaren F1 GTR in 1995.
Following an inaugural season in 1992 when several more-or-less standard F40s had gone racing, organisers of the Italian GT Championship allowed considerably more development for the ‘93 campaign at which point Michelotto created a GT upgrade pack that featured a number of parts derived from the awesome F40 LM.
As expected, the F40 GT went on to dominate the 1993 and ‘94 Italian GT Championships and today these cars are highly prized as among the most significant racing cars of their era.
Currently on offer at the Joe Macari showroom in London is one of these rare cars: chassis 85690.
Originally delivered to VIP customer and close friend of Enzo Ferrari, Pierre Alexandre Popoff, chassis 85690 was initially prepared for the 1992 season by Nicodemi, after which Michelotto brought it up to GT specification for the following season.
During his time with the car, Popoff most notably took victory at the Binetto Italian GT Championship race in 1994. It was retired from competition duty at the end of that season, since which time it has been painstakingly restored and issued with Ferrari Classiche certification.
