McLaren’s F1 star Jenson Button is selling his old-school Ferrari at auction after admitting he can’t “enjoy the car to its fullest.”
The Frome flyer bought the Ferrari 512 BB Berlinetta Boxer last year while the reigning world champion but has already decided it’s time to part ways with the 1978 sports car.
He said: “I’ve had a great time driving the Boxer, however my F1 commitments will not enable me to enjoy the car to its fullest.
“It has had a thorough service that has addressed all the usual issues of an older Ferrari.”
The Ferrari 512 BB is fitted with 4.9-litre flat 12-cylinder engine which developed an impressive 360bhp when it went on sale.
This gives the Italian car a 0-62mph time of 5.4 seconds and a claimed top speed of 188mph.
When it was launched in the ’70s it was one of the world’s fastest cars although motoring mag Road & Track couldn’t reach the top speed, hitting 175mph.
According to receipts, it’s undergone a staggering £94,000 of work over the past 33 years, which includes a bodywork refurbishment and an all-new interior.
The Ferrari is expected to fetch between £90,000 – 110,000 when it is auctioned off as part of Bonhams’ Collectors’ Motor Cars at the RAF Museum, Hendon, on 11 April 2011.
It’s the latest sports car the motorsport ace has decided to get rid of.
He recently sold his matt black Nissan GT-R with just 1,600 miles on the clock and also sold his Bugatti Veyron less than 18 months ago.
Button currently drives a McLaren MP4-12C – a perk of driving for the McLaren F1 team.
He is currently in the final stages of preparation for the new F1 season which kicks off this weekend in Australia with the Melbourne Grand Prix.
But he still had time to make history this week by being the first person to drive an F1 car round the legendary Bathurst circuit in Australia – clocking a time 20 seconds quicker than anyone else has ever been achieved.
The 2011 season start was postponed by two weeks owing to the troubles in Bahrain.
Celebrity cars for sale:
Richard Hammond’s Morgan Aeromax