Alain Prost’s stint as a Ferrari F1 driver did not reside as much as expectations, however a minimum of he acquired a Ferrari F40 out of the deal. Now that automobile is headed to public sale.

Delivered new to Prost throughout his first season with Ferrari, this 1990 F40 will likely be auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s on Might 10. It is a prime instance of an iconic supercar, one which’s additionally tied to certainly one of F1’s basic tales.

Prost got here to Ferrari for the 1990 season because the reigning driver’s champion, having defeated arch rival and McLaren teammate Ayrton Senna in controversial style on the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix. The French driver collided together with his Brazilian teammate, who went on to win the race, however was disqualified for utilizing an escape highway to rejoin the circuit after the collision.

Ferrari F40 given to Alain Prost (photograph through RM Sotheby’s)

Leaving the poisonous intra-team rivalry at McLaren behind, Prost decamped to Ferrari as a three-time champion. Symbolizing the adjustments underway at Ferrari on the flip of the last decade, Prost was the primary driver signed after the dying of Enzo Ferrari, and was gifted the F40—the final automobile developed whereas Ferrari was nonetheless alive—to be used as his private highway automobile.

Launched in 1987, the F40 instantly put different supercar builders on discover with a 200-mph prime pace—making it the quickest manufacturing automobile on the planet on the time. A 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 produced a then-impressive 471 hp, though catastrophic turbo lag meant a Buick GNX may beat it within the quarter-mile. As we speak, the F40 continues to be held in excessive regard for its analog nature and outrageous styling.

In response to the public sale itemizing, Prost took supply of the automobile however by no means used it. He did not final lengthy at Ferrari, both, famously getting fired from the group halfway by means of the 1991 season. This was after Senna repaid the favor on the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix, crashing into Prost within the first nook to safe the Drivers’ Championship for himself. The Frenchman returned to F1 in 1993 with Williams, successful a fourth championship and retiring on the finish of the season.

Ferrari F40 given to Alain Prost (photograph through RM Sotheby’s)

Prost’s F40, in the meantime, was offered to Ferrari collector Graham de Zille. Prost signed the roof previous to sending the automobile off to its new residence. The signature was clear-coated and continues to be faintly seen. The F40 has been pushed just below 2,900 miles since new, based on the itemizing. It was additionally constructed with out the catalytic converters and adjustable suspension added to later examples—which RM claims is a extra fascinating spec.

All of that explains the pre-auction estimate of $2.7 to $3.3 million—not stunning for a fantastic automobile as soon as owned (albeit briefly) by certainly one of F1’s biggest drivers.