In February, luxury car enthusiasts will have the opportunity to get their hands on a piece of automotive history: a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, famous for its victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965.
Extremely rare 1964 Ferrari 250 LM goes to auction
This legendary car, known by chassis number 5893, has spent 54 years in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum and could sell for over $26.5 million at RM Sotheby’s auction in Paris. The Ferrari 250 LM is a symbol of triumph and engineering. This example was the sixth ever produced and was initially sold to Luigi Chinetti Motors.
After a brief period in Connecticut, this 250 LM returned to Chinetti’s hands, who entered it in the North American Racing Team (NART), setting the stage for its historic participation at Le Mans. In 1965, it appeared on the track alongside other Ferraris, starting from eleventh place. With drivers Masten Gregory and Jochen Rindt at the wheel, the car began the race slowly but steadily. Despite a quiet start, thanks to mechanical problems with the competing Ford GT40s, the Ferrari managed to climb to second place and ultimately secured victory.
This triumph is particularly significant as it represents the only victory of a privately-owned Ferrari against factory cars. After that success, the 250 LM continued to race in other editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona until its retirement in 1970. Sold to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, it has been maintained in excellent condition and remains one of the most sought-after Ferraris among collectors.