Lewis Hamilton sold his entire car collection, only to find his dream Ferrari F40 after 30 years in a dusty garage: here’s the incredible story

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has revealed his “very own F40,” and the Ferrari isn't just another addition to a celebrity garage. Hamilton says it is the car of his dreams, something he has wanted since he was a kid. And somehow, the story of how he found it makes the whole thing even better.Lewis Hamilton had sold his entire car collection, then a dusty Ferrari F40 changed everythingHamilton shared a series of photos on Instagram showing the iconic Ferrari F40 in various stages of restoration, from its dusty, neglected state to its time inside Ferrari's facilities at Maranello. The car had reportedly been sitting in a garage for more than 30 years, according to Hamilton himself.“My very own F40. This is the car of my dreams and has been for as long as I can remember.”That line pretty much tells you everything.Hamilton said he dreamed of owning an F40 as a kid. So when he joined Ferrari in 2025, he made sure one was waiting for him on his first day at Maranello because, as he put it, “that’s how much it means to me.”And this is where the story gets interesting.The Ferrari Hamilton eventually found wasn't sitting pretty in a showroom. It had been left in a garage for over three decades, covered in dust. Hamilton said that once he found it, he knew he had to bring it home.Then came Maranello.Hamilton sent the F40 to Ferrari's factory, where the company's engineers and mechanics spent weeks working on the car and bringing it back to life. His photos show the Ferrari stripped down during the restoration process, with the mechanical work clearly underway before the finished car emerged looking like the machine Hamilton had dreamed about for years.And there's an even bigger twist to this story.Just last year, Hamilton revealed that he had sold his entire car collection.At the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, he said he no longer owned any of his road cars and had shifted his attention toward art. His former collection included some seriously rare machinery, including a Pagani Zonda 760LH, Ferrari LaFerrari and Mercedes-AMG Project One. But when he was asked whether there was one car that could tempt him back into ownership, Hamilton didn't hesitate.The legendary Ferrari F40“If I was going to get a car, it would be the F40,” he said at the time, describing it more like a piece of art than just another car.Fast-forward less than a year, and Hamilton has done exactly that.The timing makes the reveal feel almost scripted. He went from “I don't have any cars anymore” to owning the one Ferrari he had openly admitted he still dreamed about.And for Hamilton, the F40 isn't difficult to understand.The legendary Ferrari was introduced in 1987 as the company's 40th-anniversary supercar and has become one of the most coveted cars ever to wear the Prancing Horse badge. But for Hamilton, its value seems to go beyond the price tag or rarity.This was the car he wanted before he became a seven-time world champion, before Ferrari, before the millions and before the massive garage full of supercars.Now, after more than 30 years sitting under dust, his childhood dream is finally back where it belongs, in his hands.And Hamilton isn't finished teasing the story. “I can’t wait to share more with you all. Stay tuned…” he wrote.So, yes, there may be more to this F40 story coming. And considering where this one started, abandoned in a garage for three decades, we're definitely paying attentionGet the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.