Developed specifically to defeat the legendary McLaren F1 GTR in the BPR Global GT Series, the F50 GT was a spectacular machine. Unfortunately, it never got to complete its mission because of FIA rule changes, but three units were eventually built. Despite never participating in an official competition, these ultra-rare cars are considered some most capable to ever come out of Maranello.
In the mid-nineties, the newly established BPR Global GT Series was becoming increasingly popular, and many important carmakers were becoming involved. Ferrari joined the competition with the F40 GTE, but the aging racer was no match for the BMW-powered McLaren F1 GTR who dominated the premier GT1 class in both the 1994 and 1995 seasons.
By this time, everyone was talking about the British sports car, hailing it as the best ever built. This was unacceptable for Ferrari who decided to build a completely new racer based on the F50, the company’s most recent flagship model.
Dallara and Michelotto were commissioned to turn the road-going supercar into a full-blown GT1 contender, and the joint team worked feverishly on the initial prototype.
The 4.7-liter Tipo F130B naturally aspirated V12 which was derived from the Tipo 036 unit of the 1990 Ferrari 641 Formula 1 race car was already spitting out 512 hp in stock form. However, the engineers extensively tuned it and by the time they were done, it was generating a monstrous 739 hp and revving up to 11,000 rpm. It was mated to a heavily modified version of the factory six-speed manual that was beefed up to handle the power increase and converted to sequential shifting.
Photo: Ferrari N.V.
Next in line was the chassis that received several suspension modifications and bigger, racing-oriented brakes. The rear end of the monocoque was vastly redesigned and now incorporated two carbon fiber pillars that supported the massive rear wing.
The bodywork was also extensively upgraded. A lightweight fixed roof with an integrated scoop that redirected fresh air to the engine replaced the standard removable hardtop. Furthermore, the front fascia gained a modified bumper and hood with enlarged inlets while a new diffuser was fitted at the rear.
Inside, the already spartan cockpit of the series F50 was stripped of anything that was deemed unnecessary like air conditioning, door handles, carpeting, or any form of insulation. The driver’s seat was now an FIA-homologated Momo version while the other one was removed. Other modifications included a fully digital screen mounted behind the steering wheel, in place of the analog gauge cluster.
Photo: Ferrari N.V.
Once completed, the first F50 GT was driven around the Fiorano circuit by works driver Nicola Larini who reportedly recorded faster lap times than those achieved with the lighter and more aggressive 333SP prototype racer.
According to Ferrari, the plan was to deliver the first six cars to Scandia Racing and Ferrari Club Italia, and Momo Corsa factory-backed racing teams. Everyone was eager to get their hands on the brilliant car but unfortunately, they didn’t.
In the 1996 offseason, while the F50 GT was in the final stages of development, FIA announced that it will be taking over the BPR Global GT Series. They believed that in order to make the competition more exciting and attract new manufacturers, it had to be overhauled. The governing body started with a name change, rebranding the series to the FIA GT Championship but more importantly, they also changed the rules, allowing carmakers that competed in the GT1 class to build quasi-prototypes based on 25-unit homologation models.
Photo: Ferrari N.V.
These moves lead to the birth of the Porsche 911 GT1 and Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR but also suddenly made the Prancing Horse’s new car obsolete. Enraged by the changes and unwilling to spend more money on further development, Ferrari eventually dropped out of the competition and pulled the plug on the F50 GT program.
Out of the six units, only three were completed and subsequently sold to carefully selected customers. Ferrari also had three uncompleted chassis left but little is known about their fate. Some speculate they were destroyed while others state that they were disassembled, and the components sold off or repurposed.
Even though it never entered an official race, the F50 GT remains one of the most insane race cars ever built in Maranello. It’s also one of the rarest Ferraris out there and on the rare occasions when it makes a public appearance, it leaves enthusiasts with their jaws dropped. You can get a glimpse of this epic machine in the video below courtesy of Fastest Cars where it's properly driven on the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi.
Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times. Full profile
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