Watch – Lewis Hamilton revives 69km Ferrari F40 after decades in storage
Words: Kyle Cassidy
Lewis Hamilton has brought an almost unused Ferrari F40 back to life, sending the 1991 supercar to Ferrari Classiche for restoration after it spent more than 30 years in a private garage.
The seven-time Formula 1 champion has released a video documenting the project at Maranello. The car had covered just 69km when he acquired it, with its previous owner reportedly driving it home from new before parking it for decades.
That’s barely a Sunday drive, spread across three and a half decades.
Hamilton had searched for an F40 with low mileage, originality and an interesting history. Having found this example, he chose to have it restored so he could use it, with Ferrari’s historic vehicle specialists tasked with preserving its character.
The work involved considerably more than washing off the dust and fitting a fresh battery. Technicians removed the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V8 for inspection, while the car was lifted to allow work underneath.
Despite the lengthy storage, Hamilton says surprisingly few replacement parts were required. The video follows the inspection and restoration through to the finished car’s unveiling and its first engine start after the work.
There was also a fitting coincidence waiting beneath the bodywork. The engine carried an “Engine No. 44” marking, matching the racing number Hamilton has used in Formula 1 since 2014.
The restored F40 now wears a 44 plate, completing the personal connection. Hamilton took it to this year’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where he posed with it on the circuit’s historic banking.
“This was such an exciting project, one that took a truly incredible team to pull off,” Hamilton wrote alongside the video, thanking Ferrari’s engineers and mechanics.
Ferrari’s work focused on restoring factory condition while preserving the car’s original identity.
With the restoration complete, Hamilton’s next decision is how much to drive it. He has admitted uncertainty over adding kilometres, believing its minimal use and extensive refurbishment make it one of the closest surviving examples to factory condition.
