s/n 4153 · Le Mans 1963

The Ferrari 250 GTO is the most coveted racing car ever built. Designed under the direction of Giotto Bizzarrini and refined by Mauro Forghieri with bodywork by Carrozzeria Scaglietti, it was conceived for one purpose: to win the FIA International Championship for GT Manufacturers. Between 1962 and 1964, only 36 were produced. Each buyer was personally approved by Enzo Ferrari.

Chassis 4153GT was the 24th to leave Maranello. It was delivered to Pierre Dumay on 28 December 1962, finished in silver metallic with a central French tricolore stripe running the length of the car — blue, white, and red from nose to tail. The livery declared its allegiance before the engine started.

On 15 June 1963, Dumay and co-driver Léon Dernier entered 4153GT at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They finished fourth overall and second in class — a result that placed this chassis among the most successful GTOs of the 1963 season. Later that year, the car passed to Ecurie Francorchamps, the legendary Belgian racing team, who repainted it in silver with a yellow stripe and campaigned it across Europe. In 1964, Lucien Bianchi and Georges Berger drove it to outright victory at the Tour de France Automobile — a gruelling ten-day race-rally that remains one of the most demanding events in motorsport history.

4153GT raced for seven seasons, longer than any other GTO. It competed in endurance racing, hill climbs, rallying, and even travelled to Africa for the Angolan Grand Prix. Its competition life spanned two liveries, three countries, and more than a dozen drivers.

In June 2018, chassis 4153GT changed hands in a private sale for 70 million dollars — the highest price ever recorded for a Ferrari. The tricolore it wore at Le Mans in 1963 is the livery preserved in this piece.