Michael Schumacher's first personal Ferrari up for auction
01/25/2025 03:59 AM
On Tuesday, February 4, in Paris, RM Sotheby’s auction house will put a very special Ferrari up for auction: Michael Schumacher’s F355 GTS, presumably the first Ferrari the Formula 1 driver used as a personal sports car when he joined the Scuderia Ferrari team. It was the beginning of 1996, and the F355 GTS, presented shortly before, was the newest model in Maranello’s lineup.
What makes this supercar even more special, having changed owners several times over the years, is the German driver’s autograph on its seat and the many photos published in newspapers showing them together. The price? It will be interesting to find out once the auction concludes.
Personally configured by Michael Schumacher
Built at the beginning of 1996, Schumacher’s F355 GTS is finished in Blu Le Mans with cream leather interiors, a combination reportedly chosen by Schumacher himself. The maintenance logbook shows that it was delivered to Weber Management GmbH (Michael Schumacher’s manager Willi Weber’s company) on April 30, 1996, just two days after the European Grand Prix at Nürburgring, where Schumacher finished second.
Michael Schumacher reportedly drove it mostly at his residence in Monaco, where the car had its first service on May 5, 1996, after already covering 1,639 km.
A letter shows that Ferrari’s official service center in Monaco maintained it for him until September 1997. Afterward, although it is unclear how long Weber Management owned the F355 GTS or how long Michael Schumacher used it, in May 2002, the car came into the possession of Pierre Valentin from Mougins, France, and later Christopher Allen from Vallauris.
A well-preserved F355 GTS
The F355 GTS was purchased by its current owner in 2004 and received Ferrari Classiche certification in 2020. This document confirms that the car no longer has its original engine, though it is said to have been delivered to Michael Schumacher with an upgraded engine from new (a fact that has yet to be verified).
During its current ownership, the F355 GTS has always been serviced by authorized Ferrari service centers and regularly maintained. Its most recent major service was carried out by FMA Ferrari in September 2024, including the installation of a new windshield, new rear brake pads, timing belts, spark plugs, a new battery, and dashboard restoration.
Photo Gallery: Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F355 GTS
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