F40 LM and Competizione: when the road car returned to the track

If the F40 was born as a road car derived from a Group B project, it was practically inevitable that it would return to the track. The racing program was entrusted to Michelotto Automobili of Padua, the Ferrari specialist par excellence for customer racing programs, which between 1989 and 1994 created a series of variants intended for the IMSA championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the BPR Global GT Series.

The F40 LM, presented in 1989 and initially intended for the IMSA GTO championship, was fitted with a revised version of the twin-turbo V8 capable of producing around 720 hp at 7,500 rpm thanks to larger turbochargers — IHI units with an increased A/R ratio — 365 cc/min injectors, and boost pressure raised to 2.2 bar. The chassis was stiffened with additional tubing, the suspension adopted adjustable Koni and Bilstein dampers, and weight dropped below 1,050 kg.

The LM bodywork, modified by Michelotto, featured an adjustable rear wing, a more aggressive front splitter, and widened wheel arches to accommodate 18-inch OZ Racing slick tyres. The brakes became Brembo carbon-ceramic units derived from Formula 1. Inside, all trim was removed: only an FIA-homologated roll bar, a Sparco seat, and six-point harnesses remained.

After the IMSA experience, where the car raced with the Pilot Aldix Racing team, came the F40 GT in 1992 for the Italian Supercar Championship, and finally the F40 GTE from 1994 to 1996 for the BPR Global GT Series, the predecessor of the FIA GT Championship. The GTE is probably the most extreme version: with dedicated aerodynamic kits and power of up to 760 hp, it achieved multiple class victories against the McLaren F1 GTR and Porsche 911 GT2.

In total, Michelotto produced 19 official examples across the LM, GT, and GTE versions, today considered among the rarest and most sought-after collector cars on the market. Their commercial value regularly exceeds €5 million at auction, with peaks of more than €8 million for examples with documented racing history.

The history of the competition F40 is described in detail in the Michelotto archives and in numerous Ferrari Classiche publications, and today it is also studied by technicians involved in the historically accurate restoration of these cars.