As if owning one of the most iconic Ferraris of the modern era isn’t enough of a reason to open up your Bitcoin wallet and head to RM Sotheby’s on Tuesday, February 4th, because now you have a chance to own a 1996 Ferrari F355 owned by one of the greatest Formula One drivers in history – Michael Schumacher.
The mid-1990s proved to be a banner time for Maranello automaker. Having watched newcomer Michael Schumacher win his first two Formula One championships for rival Benetton, Ferrari lured the talented young driver to join their legendary team.
Just a year prior to this recruitment, Ferrari had just introduced its newest model, the F355. Replacing the aging 348, the F355 represented a paradigm shift for the Italian automaker. Having spent more than 1,300 hours in the wind tunnel, the latest Ferrari of the day was outfitted with a steel monocoque, fully independent suspension, and tubular steel subframe.
Its new 3.5-liter naturally-aspirated V-8 featured a five-valves-per-cylinder configuration, dry-sump oiling, and a sky-high 11:1 compression ratio that allowed the F355 to produce an incredible 375 hp and 268 lb-ft of torque. Along with a spine-tingling 8,500 rpm redline, the F355 was the most potent naturally-aspirated car on a horsepower-per-liter basis in the world.
With its latest showroom showstopper already enthralling the automotive world at large, Ferrari opted to gift its newest superstar Scuderia driver with a beautiful Blu Le Mans over Pella Crema leather interior, which offered an exceptionally contrasting aesthetic from the Rosso Corsa racecars Schumacher drove for his day job.
Configured by Schumacher himself, the most interesting choice he made was to opt for the F355’s traditional gated six-speed manual transmission as opposed to the (then) new F1-style semi-automated padel shifted transmission. RM Sotheby’s postulates that this choice was made to deliberately give Schumacher a “change of pace from his day job.”
This F355 comes with all the proper provenance proving that it appears to have been used by Schumacher at his residence in Monaco in 1996. Since Schumacher, this Ferrari has changed hands thrice, the last being in 2004. In 2020, this car was granted Ferrari Classiche certification, which confirms that the chassis, gearbox, bodywork, and color combination are all original. Curiously, the certification proves that the engine in this Ferrari is not the original one from the factory. RM Sotheby’s says, “Rumor has it that the car was equipped with an up-rated engine when delivered new to Michael Schumacher, but this has yet to be proven conclusively.”
This car has been featured in several publications over the course of its lifetime, including Forza, Ferrari World, and Auto Trends. It is also accompanied by its original owner’s manuals and service book, which shows delivery to Weber Management (the company owned by Schumacher’s manager, Willi Weber). There is documentation in the form of a letter from Cavallari Monaco Motors which confirms Schumacher’s ownership, along with several photos of the famous driver behind the wheel of this blue beauty.
The auction is set to begin bidding on February 4th, 2025, and while RM Sotheby’s does not offer an estimate on what this F355 may sell for, it does mention that it will be offered without reserve, so check your balances and get ready for a race to the finish, unlike anything even Schumacher has ever experienced.
