If you build it, they will come, according to one Hollywood cliché. The “they” in this case doesn’t refer to buyers, who failed to show up for what could be described as a very surprising barn find, an awesome replica car, and quite the labor of love.
A very convincing 1992 Ferrari F92A Formula 1 car popped up for sale earlier this month with Collecting Cars in The Netherlands, where seller “JamesBond” listed it. It was convincing because it was not a real F1 car, but a replica – and a hand- and home-built one, at it.
As the story goes, Gianni Pascal was a huge Ferrari enthusiast, and he was also a huge fan of Jean Alesi, one of the three drivers behind the wheel of the Jean-Claude Migeot-designed Ferrari F92A, which competed in the 1992 Formula 1 season. At some point in 1992, Pascal decided to build his own Ferrari Formula 1 car, and he clearly had the skill and the connections to see it through.
His son has confirmed the story, including how word of Pascal’s little project got out, eventually reaching a bunch of Ferrari factory employees, some of whom had been directly involved in the construction of the original. Once the original’s spare collection was returned to Maranello, they salvaged some parts that were then sent over to Pascal – specifically, the front and rear wings.
Despite the amount of work and expense that went into the replica, it’s not powered by a Ferrari heart, let alone an F1 one. Power comes from a four-cylinder Alfa Romeo twin-cam 2.0-liter engine from the Alfa Giulietta, coupled to a five-speed manual transmission. The tubular steel chassis is custom, as are the wheels and the detailed and functional cockpit.
Pascal completed the project in four years and then took the replica car to various auto events and track drive demonstrations. He didn’t get to enjoy it much longer because he fell ill, and it was soon rolled into storage and forgotten there. As per the listing, it was discovered in the summer of 2021, restored and fixed, and offered for sale for the first time. The Rosso Corsa paintwork is still original, but some parts had to be replaced to make it functional again.
As noted above, despite the 37 bids on it, the 1992 Ferrari F92A Formula 1 replica failed to sell.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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