Richard Aucock
Ferrari arranged a special event in 1992 just for F40 owners. The images are now a part of history…
By 1992, Ferrari F40 production was drawing to a close. The iconic supercar, built to celebrate 40 years of Ferrari, had proven to be an incredible success, with more than 1,300 models built over a five-year period. F40s were being driven all over the world, and particularly in Europe. In Germany, for example, the legendary Ferrari was exceedingly popular. So in the summer of 1992, with the help of Ferrari Germany and the official Ferrari Owners Club of Deutschland, it was decided to hold a very special event indeed. This would be dedicated to the F40, with owners across the country invited to Italy for a driving tour that would go down in history. The event was held on 11-14 June. It would take in Maranello, the Fiorano test track, and some memorable laps at Italy’s Mugello race circuit.
Track driving was not as commonplace then as it is now, so driving on both Ferrari’s hallowed turf and the quick, challenging Mugello circuit were to be real highlights. 68 owners signed up to take part in the event: every F40 entered, apart from one, was red. That exception? A rare black model. Those who took part spoke of the incredible buzz throughout the event. It truly was a never-before-seen spectacle. At several points during the tour, time was allocated to take group photographs of the entrants. This would be an incredibly rare opportunity to photograph so many Ferrari F40s in one place, and the organisers were not going to pass it up. And it is these photographs that are now part of Ferrari folklore, and a jewel in the F40 archives.
It rained during the session at Mugello. This can clearly be seen from the images – not that it deterred anyone from enjoying the laps of the circuit. Owners and organisers also patiently waited in the rain for all the cars to be lined up and positioned perfectly. Everyone knew this was no ordinary photoshoot. Images were taken both in the Mugello pitlane and out on the racetrack – owners demonstrated tremendous skill to drive three-by-three, close to one another, at a steady speed, so the photographer could get the shots. Another lesser-seen shot is even more incredible. It shows two long rows of F40s – with Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo standing at the head of the line. He was a special guest on the event, as was Piero Ferrari. He actually drove in the rally, in a F40.
In between the track sessions, entrants drove many miles across beautiful Italian countryside. The rain eased and it turned into a beautiful week in June, onlookers marvelling at the incredible sight of, literally, dozens of Ferrari F40s driving in convoy. Traffic was stopped in every town they visited. Even today, lucky entrants say with pride that they were there. It was an experience only Ferrari could achieve and, thanks to both the willing owners and a patient photographer, it is one that will be forever remembered in history.