2008 Ferrari F430 GTC EVO

• One of only 14 F430 GTC' built. Ex-Allan Simonsen, Pierre Ehret, Jim Tafel and Alex Figge
• Exclusive Ferrari 4-digit chassis number, as always allocated to the factory competition cars
• Impressive period results: 4th at the 2008 Sebring 12 Hours, multiple ALMS top 10 finishes
• Runner up team in 2008 ALMS GT2 Championship-the highest placed Ferrari team; 195 points to Porsche RSR's 211
• Most recently prepared by Bob Houghton and ran perfectly at Ascari in 2019
• Eligible for a variety of high-quality championships and events including 'Peter Auto Endurance Racing Legends', 'Masters Endurance Legends' and Ferrari's own exclusive 'Clienti' events
• Extensive spares package included, with full details listed
• Accompanied by an impressive history file and excitingly offered at No Reserve

With the arrival of Ferrari's new F430 GT2 in 2006 came, not only Frank Stephenson's stunning and fresh design, but a whole raft of improvements over the outgoing 360 GTC. With research carried out by Ferrari's Gestione Sportiva F1 Racing Division and the build and development entrusted to the Scuderia's long-term partner, Michelotto, the F430 GT2 was a genuine leap forwards rather than just a mere evolution. A total of 25 'Series 1' GT2 cars were built for 2006. In 2007, the launch of the second series saw a further 16 examples built for worldwide GT2 competition use. For 2008, the updated and new 430 EVO GTC was introduced, with 14 examples produced in total.

Built to the FIA's GT2 specifications, the F430 was tantalisingly eligible for a number of series around the world and would go on to regularly dominate its class. An F430 GT2 won its inaugural American Le Mans Series Championship in 2006 and achieved the 'Holy Trinity' in 2007, winning the GT2 Championship in the FIA GT, Le Mans Series and the ALMS for the second time.

For 2008, Pierre Ehret, a German-born businessman and gentleman driver, did not want to miss out and ordered two F430 GTCs. On 16th January 2008, Ferrari invoiced Ehret for the car you see here, Chassis #F131EVOGTC 2610, and he left nothing to chance when specifying his new race car. On top of the Ç435,000 base price, over Ç30,000 was spent on options, including a data acquisition system, water and engine oil quick refilling equipment, air conditioning, 24-hour race lights, a carbon clutch and an uprated front brake cooling system.

Prepared and run by Tafel Racing, the pair of F430 GTCs arrived at Sebring in March for the season opener, which also happened to be the most important race of the year: the legendary 12-Hours. The car's owner, Pierre Ehret, shared the driving of No.73 with team owner Jim Tafel and the late, great Allan Simonsen, a Danish driver who would go on to become a 'Works' driver for Aston Martin, compete at Le Mans seven times and win the Asian Le Mans GT2 Championship in 2009. After the infamously gruelling round-the-clock race was run, No.73 came home 4th in class; a sterling effort which saw it finish ahead of its sister Ferrari and just 3 laps shy of that final podium position.

From Sebring, No.73 would see out the remainder of its ALMS championship with great consistency and style. Of the nine races it contested, at some of North America's most prestigious circuits like Road Atlanta and Laguna Seca, No.73 finished in the top 10 an amazing eight times - just one retirement in an otherwise outstanding season.

As a result of No.73's points scoring regularity, Tafel Racing finished 2nd overall in the GT2 class of the 2008 American Le Mans Series Championship; agonisingly just 16 points behind the Flying Lizard team's 911 RSR, but a whopping 36 points clear of the works-backed Risi Competizione F430 GTC.

#F131EVOGTC 2610 was retired and sold after that initial season in the ALMS, preserving it carefully for the future, and it was the car's history and incredible original condition that caught the eye of the previous owner. It was during this ownership that the Ferrari returned to the track to compete in a select few rounds of the 2012 Pirelli World Challenge series. With David Welch at the helm, the then four-year-old Ferrari achieved three further top 10 finishes against some much more advanced machinery.

Recently returned to its 2008 Sebring 12 Hours livery and prepared in 2019 by Bob Houghton and run at Ascari for a private track day last year, #F131EVOGTC 2610 remains highly original throughout and is now available for sale, accompanied by a large number of spares. It's scarcely believable that this Ferrari debuted some 12 years ago, but in that time it has become eligible for some of the most exciting events where entries are highly sought after - specifically both the Peter Auto Endurance Legends Series, where it is the latest and therefore 'ultimate' GT2 Ferrari eligible and also the Masters Endurance Legends series, together with the exclusive Ferrari Challenge and GT Days.

One of only 14 and with fantastic provenance, this successful 430GTC remains in excellent original condition. It's a genuine modern-classic Ferrari sports racing car and in the right hands could be very competitive. With a large spares package and knowledgeable engineers still around, this is a remarkable opportunity.