Owning a road going Ferrari is enormously good fortune – but to own a Ferrari F1 car can only be the highest of privileges, bestowed upon a chosen few.
This 1983 Ferrari 126 C3-068 is a particularly rare example. Decoded, that incongruous line of numbers and letters means: Chassis #68 (of four that took part in the ’83 season), C3 standing for the third version of the car that first debuted in ’81 with turbocharging – making it enormously fast, but with challenging handling to say the least. C3 also boasts another honour – the first racing Ferrari ever to sport an fully carbon fibre shell.
Performance is staggering. From 1.4-litre turbocharged mid-engined V6, this race car churned out upwards of 600bhp. Driven by legendary hard-charging French racer René Arnoux, Chassis #068 roared to 2nd place at the 1983 Austrian Grand Prix.
As ex-racing cars go, Chassis #068 has had a charmed life. After the ’83 season, it became part of French Ferrari importer Charles Pozzi’s extensive collection where its engine was occasionally exercised, without taking to the track. In January 2001, it was sold to Auto Hebdo publisher Michel Hommell for display in his museum in Lohéac, Brittany until February 2020.
Even amongst historic race cars, Chassis #068 is exceptionally blessed, with racing history, and outstanding preservation since its final race.