1989 Ferrari F40

Enzo Ferrari and Nigel Mansell, two of Formula One’s most ego-driven characters, joined forces for the 1989 Formula One season. The determined Briton Mansell replaced Italian hero Michele Alboreto partnering Gerhard Berger in the splendid John Barnard designed Ferrari 640, Mansell was high on Ferrari’s list after his first Formula One stints with Lotus and Williams.

Mansell was the last driver Enzo Ferrari had signed to Scuderia Ferrari before the Commendatore passed away in August of 1988. Mansell took over the #27 Ferrari for the 1989 and 1990 seasons, the number being significant as the association to the late Gilles Villeneuve was still strong in the hearts of the TIFOSI and anyone stepping into the car had to embody Villeneuve’s fearless competitive spirit and, more importantly, win races, World Championships and make the church bells ring in Maranello.

Nigel Mansell Career.
Nigel Mansell (CBE) should need no introduction to anyone who’s been even remotely watching racing for the last forty years. Second only to Lewis Hamilton as the most successful British driver in Formula One history and seventh overall with 31 wins and one World Championship (1992).

Mansell came up the hard way, having sold off his home, most of his possessions and leaving his job as an aerospace engineer to commit fully to a season in Formula Ford where he won six of the nine races he entered but also suffered tremendous neck trauma in a terrifying shunt which nearly left him quadriplegic; Mansell was undeterred and rose through the ranks of European open wheeled junior formulas.

From 1978 to 1980, Mansell raced in Formula Three starting with a pole position and a second place in an uncompetitive car as a commercial deal saw to it that his team used Triumph Dolomite engines which were much slower than the Toyota engined cars of the top teams in the category. He left the team after some disappointing results returning the next year with David Price Racing, scoring a win at Silverstone and finishing eighth in the championship. Mansell’s season low-light was a collision with Andrea de Cesaris causing a huge, cart-wheeling shunt which he was lucky to survive, coming away with broken vertebrae.

Through the glimmers of success and very public, hair-raising struggles, Mansell’s pace caught the eye of Lotus owner Colin Chapman and shortly after the F-3 incident, Chapman invited him to take part in a driver “shoot-out” audition test at Paul Ricard to find a teammate for 1978 World Champion Mario Andretti.

Mansell, despite masking his near incapacitating injuries with pain killers, performed well in the test but the ride went to the faster and more experienced Italian, Elio de Angelis. Chapman then made a deal with Mansell to be the team’s test and development driver which in those days was a big deal as development of the cars was virtually limitless as it was not unusual to have two or three engine and unlimited aero upgrades per season. These were the days when wind tunnel testing was just becoming a thing and, of course, pre-simulator which are used so extensively these days so test drivers were kept very busy. The real world testing was also a good way to gain experience in F-1 cars away from the public and media glare.

Nigel Mansell: Formula One Grand Prix World Championship Record
Years Active: 1980-1992 & 1995
Entries: 191 (187 starts)
Wins: 31
Podiums 59
Pole Positions: 32
Fastest Laps: 30
World Championship: 1 (1992)
First entry: 1980 Austrian Grand Prix
First win: 1985 European Grand Prix (Brands Hatch)

Teams
John Player Team Lotus/Team Essex Lotus. 1980-1984
1980: Chassis/Engine: Lotus 81B/3.0 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 Test and development driver
Teammates: Elio de Angelis and Mario Andretti Championship points/rank: Three appearances, 0 points
1981: Chassis/Engine: Lotus 87, 88, 88B/3.0 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 Teammate: Elio de Angelis
Podiums: 1
Championship points/rank: 8/14th
1982: Chassis/Engine: Lotus 87B, 91/3.0 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 Teammate: Elio de Angelis
Podiums: 1
Championship points/rank: 7/14th
1983: Chassis/Engine: Lotus 92/3.0 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 Teammate: Elio de Angelis
Pole Position: 1 (United States) Podiums: 1
Championship points/rank: 10/13th
1984: Chassis/Engine: Lotus 95T/Renault EF4B 1.5 V6 Turbo Teammate: Elio de Angelis
Podiums: 2
Championship points/rank: 13 (Tied with Senna for 9th)

Canon Williams Grand Prix Engineering/Honda 1985-1987
1985: Chassis/Engine: Williams FW10/Honda RA165E 1.5 V6 Turbo Teammate: Keke Rosberg
Wins: 2 (European, South Africa) Podiums: 3
Championship points/rank: 31/6th
1986: Chassis/Engine: Williams FW11/Honda RA166E 1.5 V6 Turbo Teammate: Nelson Piquet
Wins: 5 (Belgium, Canada, France, Great Britain, Italy) Podiums: 9
Championship points/rank: 70/2nd
1987: Chassis/Engine: Williams FW11B/Honda RA167E 1.5 V6 Turbo Teammate: Nelson Piquet
Wins: 6 (San Marino, France, Great Britain, Austria, Spain, Mexico) Podiums: 7
Championship points/rank: 61/2nd
1989: Chassis/Engine: Williams FW12/Judd CV 3.5 V8
Teammates: Riccardo Patrese, Martin Brundle, Jean-Louis Schlesser Podiums: 2
Championship points/rank: 12/9th

Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 1988-1989
1989: Chassis/Engine: Ferrari 640/Ferrari 035/5 3.5 V12 Teammate: Gerhard Berger
Wins: 2 (Brazil, Hungary) Podiums: 6
Championship points/rank: 38/4th
1990: Chassis/Engine: Ferrari 641/Ferrari 036 3.5 V12 Teammate: Alain Prost
Wins: 1 Portugal
Podiums: 5
Championship points/rank: 37/5th

Canon Williams Grand Prix Engineering/Renault 1991-1992
1991: Chassis/Engine: Williams FW14/Renault RS3 3.5 V10 Teammate: Riccardo Patrese
Wins: 5 (France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain) Podiums: 9
Championship points/rank: 72/2nd
1992: Chassis/Engine: Williams FW14B/Renault RS3C & RS4 3.5 V10 Teammate: Riccardo Patrese
Wins: 9 (South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, San Marino, France, Great Britain, Germany, Portugal)
Podiums: 12
Championship points/rank. 108/World Champion

Team Marlboro McLaren Mercedes-Benz 1995 
1995: Chassis/Engine: McLaren MP4/10B, MP4/10C/Mercedes-Benz F0 110 3.0 V10 Teammates: Mika Hakkinen, Jan Magnussen, Mark Blundell
Appearances: 2
Podiums: 0
Championship points/rank: 0/NA

Nigel Mansell Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART Indy Car World Series) Record
Newman Haas Racing 1993-1994
Starts 31
Wins: 5
Podiums: 13
Poles: 10
Fastest laps: 4
Championship: 1 (1993)
1993: Engine/Chassis: Lola T93/Ford Cosworth XB V8 Turbo Teammate: Mario Andretti
Wins: 5 (Surfers Paradise, Milwaukee, Michigan, New Hampshire, Nazareth) Podiums: 10
Championship points/rank: 191/CART Champion
1994 Engine/Chassis: Lola T94/Ford Cosworth XB V8 Turbo Teammate: Mario Andretti
Podiums: 3
Championship points/rank: 88/8th

Maranello Calling.
Enzo Ferrari personally picked Mansell to replace the congenial Italian Michele Alboreto in the team in August of 1988. Mansell, humbled by the opportunity, stated it was one of the greatest honors of his career. Despite speaking little to no Italian, Mansell’s selection in the team was enthusiatically accepted by the TIFOSI who nicknamed him “Il Leone” (“The Lion”) for his tenacious driving, bravery and deserving of the #27 ride.

Ferrari gifted Mansell with a Ferrari F40 (#80022), which was Ferrari’s new flagship supercar. Mansell registered the F40 on the Isle of Man where he was residing at the time with the number “MAN 40N”.

Enzo Ferrari would pass away mere days after signing Mansell to the Scuderia which was one of his last official acts. Nearing the end of the 1998 F-1 season, Scuderia Ferrari would scoop up a 1-2 victory in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza with Gerhard Berger taking the win and Michele Alboreto in second after Senna collided with Williams’ substitute driver Jean-Louis Schlesser, who was sitting in for the injured Mansell, while leading in the first chicane in front of the frenzied TIFOSI.

For 1989, Mansell would be teamed with Austrian Gerhard Berger at Ferrari, an interesting driver combination, in the gorgeous new John Barnard designed 640 chassis with 3.5 liter V12 engines. New rules were brought into effect by the FIA which had outlawed turbo engines in favor of 3.5 liter normally aspirated power units which ushered in a great era of innovation as manufacturers responded with high-revving, screaming V12, V10 and V8 solutions to challenge for the World Championship.

Likewise, Ferrari was the first manufacturer to innovate the use of semi-automatic gearboxes with paddle shifters located behind the steering wheel. With the advent of more sophisticated electronics and computers in racing, the technology had gained traction as a way of keeping the revs at constant high levels with no clutch dropout or mis-shift mistakes, the engine would be kept at peak RPM with shifts coming electronically in milliseconds and the driver could maintain control with both hands on the steering wheel at all times.

Porsche A.G. had tried a similar set up called PDK in their factory 956 prototypes in World Sportscar Championship racing in the mid-80s but the German technology proved to be heavy and unreliable leaving the factory team to abandon the project in favor of conventional manual shift transmissions which served Porsche for the remainder of the Group C era.

Undeterred, Ferrari brought the semi-automatic gearbox technology to Formula One sorting out the electronics with Magneti-Marelli, the new innovation would debut in the 1989 season opening event at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mansell downplayed his chances for his debut season for the Scuderia as to date, testing the semi-automatic gearbox had not gone well with numerous glitches and failures. Mansell declared, “If the car had even half the horsepower it sounds like it has, we’ll win every race this year.”

Nonetheless, Mansell won for Ferrari in astounding fashion in his debut race for the Scuderia at Rio. The flat nature of the circuit suiting the 640s power and aerodynamics while Mansell dominated on his least favorite track. Likewise, Ferrari scored the first win for the semi-automatic gearbox in its trial-by-fire debut. Indeed, Mansell made the church bells ring in Maranello once again and was the first driver to win in his debut race for Ferrari since Mario Andretti won the South African Grand Prix in 1971.

Incidentally, on the Rio podium, Mansell was presented with the dramatic winner’s trophy by local dignitaries but cut his hands on the trophy’s razor sharp serrated posts. Mansell reacted with horror that his hands were bloodied on the podium but, true to form, carried through with the post-race ceremonies with blood literally dripping from his hands.

Mansell scored another win for Ferrari at the Hungaroring at Budapest, Hungary, the tight and twisting nature of the circuit proven to be an equalizer and where Mansell concentrated on race set-ups rather than qualifying. Mansell qualified 12th and methodically worked his way up through the field on the notoriously difficult to pass circuit, passed Senna in the McLaren/Honda on lap 58 to take the lead and win the race.

The rest of the 1989 season was punctuated by unreliability, gearbox failures, mis-steps such as a disqualification at Montreal, backing up in the pit lane at Estoril (which earned a two race ban). Berger also had a horrifying shunt at Imola where he inexplicably flew off the track and into the wall at Tamburello with the Ferrari 640 erupting in flames but fortunately emerging injured but considering the violence of the shunt, virtually unscathed. Through it all, the two victories providing enough points for Mansell finish fourth in the Championship.

More changes were in store for 1990 when it was announced that Alain Prost, the great French three time World Champion would be joining Mansell at Ferrari. Prost and Berger merely exchanged seats with the Austrian moving to McLaren joining Senna.

During the season, Mansell experienced more reliability issues retiring from seven races leaving Prost to once again duel Senna for the World Championship and the frustrations began to mount. Despite all this, Mansell once again provided some of the best fireworks of the 1990 season after being pushed to the grass by Berger, dramatically spinning and regaining control while attempting to pass the McLaren at Imola.

At Mexico City, once again Mansell battled ex-team mate Berger this time heading into the ultra-high speed Peraltada corner as the two scrapped over second place behind Prost who had checked out, Mansell fainted to the right with Berger blocking but not before Mansell swung dramatically to the left while entering the banked right-hand flat- out turn, the Ferrari sweeping by the McLaren in one of the most spectacular overtaking maneuvers in Formula One history.

Mansell would score a single win for Ferrari in 1990 at Estoril and a thrilling second to Piquet at Australia, ultimately finishing fifth in the World Championship. Despite threatening retirement, Mansell was picked up once again by Frank Williams for the 1991 season with Williams promising Mansell number one status in the team and a £4.6M contract making Mansell the highest paid British sportsman of the time.

Ultimately, while Mansell’s two year stay at Ferrari did not pay off in the form of a World Championship, he once again proved his metal as had been his signature throughout his career and, to this day, he remains a favorite of the TIFOSI.

In the Autumn of 1989, Mansell contracted to sell the gifted F40 to David McKee for £680,000. At the same time, another buyer, John Collins of Talacrest, Ltd offered Mansell £1,000,000 and so the car was sold to Talacrest instead. This began a lengthy legal battle between Mansell and McKee which was resolved in the courts with Mansell having to pay McKee the £320,000 difference.

None of this went down very well in Maranello as the F40 was meant for Mansell to keep, not sell at a huge profit. There was some ugly wrangling between Ferrari and Mansell details of which are sketchy but a good indication as to one more reason why the Mansell-Ferrari relationship ended on a rather sour note.

After his Ferrari stint, Mansell went back to Williams-Renault in 1991 and finally scored his one and only World Championship with a dominating performance in the 1992 season where he started off by winning the first five races of the year in the all- conquering FW14 Renault.

With Frank Williams unwilling to give Mansell more concessions and a raise for 1993, Mansell decided against defending his World Championship and jumped over the the United States to race with the Newman-Haas Racing team in the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART Indy Car World Series). Mansell took up residence in Clearwater, Florida for the great weather and golf opportunities. Making an immediate impact in CART as a rookie, he scored five wins and the CART championship making him the first and only driver in history to hold both the prestigious F1 and CART championships simultaneously.

Nigel Mansell’s racing career is certainly the stuff of legend. But, he had also developed a reputation for devastating crashes, being hard on equipment and monetizing his position. Today, Mansell is fully retired from racing and lives in the Jersey Central Islands in the English Channel near France. He still pursues his passion for golf having developed a course near Devon, England.

Ferrari F40
The Ferrari F40, the name alone makes grown men weak in the knees. Second in the line of Ferrari Supercars, supplanting the 288 GTO, and built to compete against Porsche’s brilliant 959 as both companies were eager to demonstrate the technology they were gaining in racing at the time into their production lines.

Unlike, the 959 which Porsche raced only sparingly as the 961, Ferrari had success racing the F40 for several years (as the F40/LM) in sports car racing, mainly in Stephane Ratel’s BPR Global GT Series (rebranded FIA GT) and in the IMSA GTO category entered by Ferrari of France with top drivers such as Jean Alesi, Jacques Laffite and Hurley Haywood in selected events.

This car, 1988 Ferrari F40 (#80022) has extraordinary provenance, having been originally delivered to Nigel Mansell as a gift from Ferrari SpA. It shows 36,648KMs (22,772 miles) is fully documented with Classiche Certification, books, records, tools and accessories with a full detailed inspection report available.

Aside from the obvious collectibility of an F40 of such caliber, #80022 is also an early plexiglass window car with racing inspired sliding windows in the driver and passenger doors. Made to aide in aerodynamics and weight savings, 56 of the first 1,315 (total) F40s featured the plexiglass windows to keep the cars as close to racing spec as possible.

Manufacturer: Ferrari Model: F40
Market Version: B-Europa LHD Model Year: 1989
VIN Known: 80022
Complete VIN Number: ZFFGJ34B000080022
Original exterior color: Rosso Corsa 300/9
Original interior color: Stoffa Vigogna
Chassis type F120 B (DGM 52501 OM) Engine type F120 B, internal #16148
Gearbox type F120 B, internal #88 Scaglietti Body internal #86 Engine Number: 16148
Original Country Of Delivery: Great-Britain Steering: LHD
Last Known Milage: 36,648 Milage Type: Kilometer
Date Milage Registered: Tue, 22/09/2020
Dealer: Maranello Concessionares Ltd (UK) Delivery Date: Thu, 23/03/1989
First Registration Date: Thu, 23/03/1989 Factory Warranty Start Date: Thu, 23/03/1989
Factory Warranty End Date: Sat, 23/03/1991 First Owner: Nigel Mansell (UK) Original Paint Color: Rosso Corsa (FER 300/9 (1988 until 1991)
Original Interior Color: Red fabrics Certification: Ferrari Classiche Certified Date of certification: Thu, 25/09/2008

Car history report courtesy of Marcel Massini (4/15/21):
January 16, 1989: Factory build start
March 23, 1989: Factory completion date
March 23, 1989: Official factory warranty booklet issued. Sale through the official English importer Maranello Concessionaires Ltd., Egham, Surrey, England.
March 30, 1989: Sold to the first owner Nigel Mansell, former British Scuderia Ferrari Formula One race driver, resident at the time at Port Erin, in Ballaman, Ballnahowe, on the Isle of Man
March 1989: Registered on Italian export and tourist license plates “EE 729 AK” (EE = Escursionisti Esteri or Foreign Hikers).
1989: Mansell had the car re-registered on Isle of Man license plates “MAN 40 N”
Fall 1989: Mansell had promised to sell the vehicle for £ 680,000 to David McKee. Another buyer, however, John Collins of Talacrest Ltd., in England, offered £1,000,000 and Mansell sold it to Collins/Talacrest instead of McKee. He appealed to the court and was successful: Mansell was condemned to pay the difference to McKee. Collins had the car re-registered on English plates “F 226 YRU”.
May 21, 1990: Collins consigned the car to the Sotheby’s auction in Monte Carlo where it sold for French Francs 6,000,000 plus buyer’s premium of 11% to the next owner
March 1991 1993: The car was still stored at Talacrest Ltd. 1990’s 1995: Car now owned by a Mr. G. Carroll in England 2003: Re-registered on English license plates “SPY 60”
2003: Original red Nomex seat material replaced with tan leather trim
February 2005: For sale by British dealer Paul Baber’s 250 SWB Limited in London, England, with an asking price of GB Pounds £169,950
2003: Sold to a Mr. Hamon in France 2003: Fuel tanks replaced
February 2005: For sale by Laurent Auxiètre’s FA Automobiles in Paris, with 21,500KMs, asking price €245,000
2005: Sold to Ferrari specialist dealer Dominique Verbaere, Verbaere Automobile Group in Seclin (Lille), in the North of France Re-registered on French license plates “301 BXT 59” (59 = French department Le Nord)
June 2005: Seen with Verbaere during the Ferrari Racing Days at Spa- Francorchamps, Belgium
September 2007: For sale again by Laurent Auxiètre’s FA Automobiles of Paris, France, with an asking price of Euro €225’000
2007: Clutch replaced by Verbaere at 32’419 kilometers 2008: Factory Certificate of Authenticity and Red Book issued
June 2009: Shown at the Sport et Collection event “500 Ferraris against Cancer” at circuit Le Vigeant in France
January 2012: Major service done including cam belts and water pump replacement at 35,800 kilometers
February 2012: Sold by Verbaere to the next owner
February 1-5, 2012: Displayed by Artcurial Auctioneers during Retromobile in Paris, France
October 10, 2014: For sale at the Bonhams auction in Zoute, Knokke-Heist, Belgium, odometer now reading 36’435 kilometers, Lot #19, sold for Euro € 690’000 including buyer’s premium
2021: Sold to Curated Investments, LLC in Miami, FL. USA