The Ferrari F40 wasn’t the first supercar I ever drove. It was in fact the third. But before you shed a tear for me, you should know the F40 was the worst supercar I’ve ever driven.
Back in June 2007 we celebrated Ferrari’s 60th birthday, gathering together the company’s ten best cars. It was a stunning selection, my first chance to drive a Ferrari and my first chance to get near an F40. I don’t know about you but the F40 was the pin-up car of my era. Even seeing one is a rare thing, but getting a chance to drive it? Very special indeed.
On the day not even the Enzo was whetting my appetite. The F40 was the halo. Throughout the course of the day I watched as the others, the journalists, dipped in and out of the F40. I ran around like a headless chicken, making sure all the cars were getting photographed, making sure we had the shots.
But time was running out and I didn’t know if I’d get a chance. 6pm: not even a look in, ‘we need it for this shot,’ they said. Hang on, aren’t I calling the shots? 7pm: starting to panic now…not even a touch. 8pm: we’re wrapping up the shoot, and my dream is fading…
Then the call came. ‘Andy, we need someone to drive the F40 back to base. Can you take it?’
The chance had finally arrived. After 28 years of lusting I was going to fulfil the dream. See, feel and hear an F40. See how she handled, press the accelerator myself and feel the turbos hurl me forward.
I squeezed myself into the seat – which is rare for a man the width of a pencil – and fired her up. ‘Andy, Andy, Andy!’. All around the journalists were running towards me, arms waving. What was wrong? What was wrong with the car? Was I going to be stripped of my chance to drive it? My heart was sinking.
It was so much worse. ‘Andy, the owner is going to follow you back.’ Follow me back!!! I screamed in my head!
I drove home like a baby, not even getting the chance to open her up, constantly knowing the owner of this rare supercar was behind me.
So I’ve driven an F40, and I can’t tell you what she was like. I was too scared.
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