On Tuesday, February 4 in Paris, auction house RM Sotheby's will put up for sale a very special Ferrari: Michael Schumacher's F355 GTS, believed to be the first Ferrari that the Formula 1 driver drove as his personal sports car when he joined the Prancing Horse team. We are at the beginning of 1996 and the F355 GTS, which has just been presented, is the very last model in the Maranello range.
What makes this supercar, which has changed hands several times over the years, even more special is the German driver's autograph on his seat and the numerous newspaper photos showing them together. The price? It will be interesting to find out once the auction is over.
Personally configured by Schumacher
Built in early 1996, Schumacher's F355 GTS is painted Le Mans Blue with a cream leather interior, a combination said to have been chosen by Schumacher himself. The service book indicates that it was delivered to Weber Management GmbH (the company of Michael Schumacher's manager Willi Weber) on April 30, 1996, just two days after the European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, where Schumacher finished second.
Photo: RM Sotheby’s
Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F355 GTS
Photo: RM Sotheby’s
Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F355 GTS, rear view
Schumacher mainly drove it in Monaco, where the car was first serviced on May 5, 1996, after covering 1,639 km.
Photo: RM Sotheby’s
-The Ferrari F355 GTS with Michael Schumacher in a newspaper of the time
Photo: RM Sotheby’s
The autograph on the seat of Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F355 GTS
A letter indicates that the official Ferrari service center in Munich serviced the car until September 1997. It is not known how long Weber Management owned the F355 GTS, nor how long it was used by Schumacher. In May 2002, the car became the property of Pierre Valentin, of Mougins, France, and later Christopher Allen.
A well-preserved F355 GTS
The F355 GTS was purchased by the current owner in 2004 and received Ferrari Classiche certification in 2020. This document confirms that the car no longer has its original engine, but it would have had an upgraded engine when it was delivered new to Michael Schumacher (a fact which, however, remains to be proven).
Photo: RM Sotheby’s
The engine of Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F355 GTS
During its current ownership, the F355 GTS has always been serviced by Ferrari-approved service centers and has undergone maintenance at regular intervals. The last major service was carried out by FMA Ferrari in September 2024 and included the fitting of a new windscreen, new rear brake pads, timing belts, spark plugs, a new battery and the restoration of the dashboard.
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