There are accidents, and then there’s crashing a Ferrari F40, one of the most sought-after supercars of all time. The owner of this example in Queensland, Australia, was apparently checking it out before putting it up for sale. The story goes it had not been driven for five years, and that’s a long time to leave a car standing.

Were old tyres the cause? It’s possible, but we also have to remember that the F40, a mighty car in every way, is not the easiest car to drive. Especially if you’re in it for the first time in five years. The glorious 2.9-litre twin turbo V8 may ‘only’ put out around 470hp, but it all comes on at once. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Considerable Damage

From what we can see – the pictures of the crash have spread rapidly across social media and news sites – the damage to the red F40 is extensive. It would appear that all the body panels have been damaged in some way, and the car seems to have made contact with a metal pole, a concrete block and perhaps even some trees.

We reckon it will be an insurance write off, but here’s the problem: some sources are saying that the driver had not insured the car at the time of the accident. What’s a Ferrari F40 worth? Upwards of £1,400,000 ($1,800,000) seems to be the going rate for a nice one, so that’s a lot of money – and a lot of car – to lose. What’s more, the driver is said to have been ticketed by the police for not being in control.

It’s a sad story to see a wrecked supercar, and as to whether this one can be salvaged, who knows? We’re only looking at photos, and underneath it may not be as bad as it appears. Here’s hoping it finds its way to an owner with the resources to have it restored.