Social networking has struck again. In recent days, a video has been doing the rounds on Instagram and TikTok: Fernando Alonso driving a Ferrari F40 through the streets of Monaco. The image is delightfully paradoxical. Officially, the Spaniard is an Aston Martin F1 driver, but when it comes to road cars, his garage clearly leans towards Maranello. His collection has already included some very special pieces, such as a Ferrari Enzo sold at auction in Monaco for 5.4 million euros in 2023, proof that the two-time world champion doesn't exactly buy "everyday" cars. In Monaco, he was also recently seen in a Ferrari 512 TR, another classic from the brand's V12 era. But the F40 is something else again!
The F40, Enzo's last gift
The Ferrari F40 is often described as Enzo Ferrari's last great gesture before his death. Introduced in 1987 to celebrate the brand's 40th anniversary, it remains the archetypal analog supercar: a 478 hp 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8, a 0 to 100 km/h time of just over 4 seconds and a top speed announced at 324 km/h.
No electronic aids, no ABS, no traction control, no power steering: just a tubular chassis, carbon fiber, and a red body stretched like a Le Mans prototype. It's precisely this blend of brutality and purity that fascinates. So seeing Fernando Alonso at the wheel of an F40 in Monaco ticks all the postcard boxes: a two-time world champion, one of F1's most iconic tracks, and a Maranello icon with an inimitable soundtrack.
Lando Norris, the other F1 driver who owns an F40... and a crash that's making the rounds on the web
Fernando Alonso isn't the only active driver to own an F40. Lando Norris also fell for the red myth. Unfortunately, his F40 made the headlines in early 2025: a now-viral video shows the car on a winding road. The F40 driver brakes too hard, the car spins out of control and ends up against a rail. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Crucially, Norris was not at the wheel. He had lent his car to a friend, who remained anonymous, but that didn't stop the Internet from going wild over the accident.
When F1 drivers treat themselves (or others) to an F40
Behind Alonso and Norris, the F40 has been a common thread running through the history of F1. Since the late '80s, several drivers have succumbed to its charms, or received it directly from Ferrari. The first to come to mind is Nigel Mansell, who was given an F40 by Enzo Ferrari himself when he was driving for the Scuderia. The car then enjoyed a collector's career, changing hands at record prices.
In the same spirit, Alain Prost also had his own F40 at the end of 1989, when he joined Ferrari. Chassis 83249 was delivered to him new, registered in France, before being resold fairly quickly. This "ex-Prost" F40 regularly comes to the fore at auctions, where its link with the four-time world champion drives up estimates. It will be up for sale in a few days' time. auctioned for over 3 million $.
Jean Alesi also made a name for himself by selling his F40 to finance his son Giuliano's Formula 2 career, a sacrifice that speaks volumes about the sums this model can fetch today. Austrian Gerhard Berger, also a former Ferrari driver, owned an F40 at RM Sotheby's. Here again, the "ex-Ferrari driver" pedigree added a layer of legend to a car that was already full of it.
Among the more recent generation, Felipe Massa was spotted several times in his F40 in Monaco, as well as in a LaFerrari, confirming his pronounced taste for Maranello's V8 and V12. We can also mention Jenson Button, who owned an F40 during his "serial supercar" period, and Sebastian Vettel, whose personal collection included several Ferraris, including an F40 (no photo available). All in all, the F40 represents a kind of parallel F1 galaxy: a handful of drivers, of very different generations and styles, linked by the same automotive fantasy.
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