Fans of exceptional cars and Formula 1 enthusiasts couldn’t miss the recent footage of a crash involving a Ferrari F40 owned by Formula 1 driver Lando Norris.
This mechanical gem, valued at over $2.5 million, was damaged near Monaco. But what exactly happened?
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A Ferrari F40 in the wrong hands
Lando Norris, McLaren’s F1 driver, purchased this iconic Ferrari F40 after visiting a dealership last summer. Produced in only 1,311 units between 1987 and 1992, this model is a dream for sports car enthusiasts. Ironically, this exceptional vehicle was damaged while Norris was away from Monaco on vacation. The car was driven by a friend whose identity remains unknown. A video posted on social media captures the accident in detail. As the F40 navigates a winding road near Monte Carlo, the driver loses control exiting a turn. The rear wheels slide out, and the car, impossible to recover, ends up crashing into a barrier. Fortunately, the damage is limited to the rear bumper, but the rarity of parts for this model could make the repair bill hefty.
Imagine being abroad and someone crashes your car like this 😭
🎥: thanosofmonaco TikTok pic.twitter.com/O40MgoTF7S— Veronique (@f1vero) January 18, 2025
A legendary but challenging car to handle
The Ferrari F40 is essentially a race car barely adapted for the road. Its 3.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine delivers 471 horsepower and 426 lb-ft of torque, sent exclusively to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. This explosive combination is a blessing for experienced drivers but a nightmare for novices. Why is the F40 so hard to handle? The abrupt turbo boost can catch drivers off guard: a single overstep on the accelerator is enough to lose control, especially on narrow, winding roads like those around Monaco. The incident involving Norris’s F40 is not isolated. On January 17, 2025, another F40 was involved in a far more severe accident in the UK. This time, the car flipped over after hitting a curb during a test drive, causing significant damage estimated at nearly $1 million.
Repairing a Ferrari F40 comes at a cost
Repairing a Ferrari F40 is not for the faint of heart, even for an Formula 1 driver. Every part is rare, and labor costs for restoring such a model quickly add up. While Norris’s car seems drivable, repairs will be needed to replace the rear bumper and inspect for any structural damage. For Lando Norris, this incident could also affect his insurance premiums. As for the friend behind the wheel, they must not feel great about damaging a collector’s car—especially one owned by a public figure. Still, this episode serves as a reminder that even dream cars demand extreme caution, and every burst of speed can turn into an expensive mistake. Fortunately, the damage seems to be purely material!
This article delves into the circumstances surrounding the crash of Lando Norris’s Ferrari F40, the challenges of mastering this legendary model, and the hurdles of repairing such an icon. A story that highlights the risks associated with driving cars as powerful as they are legendary.
