Formula 1 world champ Jenson Button has come up with a new sideline: By buying a sports car, seemingly at any price, he can drive it for a year or so and sell it at auction at a profit. His latest is a real cracker, a 1978 Ferrari 512BB he bought last April at H&H for £82,500 ($127,050, with premium), which will be at Bonhams RAF Museum sale in Hendon on April 11.
Since then, he’s enjoyed all of 55 miles of driving, almost far enough to take the car from Buxton to, say, Scunthorpe. According to Bonhams:
Due to a busy schedule as Britain’s number one Formula One point-scorer, Button has decided to part with the car. He says: “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.”
Bonhams details an extensive service history, and the car is reportedly in excellent condition. Yes, it was Jenson’s actual, personal car, but it’s not as though he had a special bond with it. We’ll see if the name alone makes the same sort of spectacular result his Honda did last year.
