How do you make your car stand out from the crowd to ensure maximum exposure while it’s up for auction? Sotheby’s Motorsport not only took a car to Velocity Invitational, the three-day motorsports and lifestyle event at Sonoma Raceway, but commissioned renowned motorsport artist Samantha Zimmermann to create a bespoke illustration, painted live at the racetrack.
The painting of the bright green 1997 Ferrari 550 GTS Race Car, which is now live on Sotheby’s Motorsport, will be included in the sale and can be found here.
Zimmermann says the surroundings of the famed Californian racetrack, situated in the heart of wine country, inspired her creation with some of the most amazing historic and vintage racing cars together for a three-day race meeting that carried fierce action on the circuit but a uniquely laid-back and enjoyable festival-like vibe off the track.
“Velocity had such an electric atmosphere,” she said. “The Sotheby’s Motorsport booth was right at track entry, and you’re really able to be immersed in the movement of each car which is such a special experience! Most of these types of cars live in a museum, it’s a real honor to see them continue to inspire future generations.
“This particular 550 GTS spoke volumes and really fit into the theme of the event well. The goal was to capture the spirit of the car in action on the track, and I think I was able to accomplish that. In a way, this piece now has its own history to go along with the 550 as it was brought to life at Sonoma Raceway.
“I was doing my own race alongside all of these amazing teams trying to get this painting 90-95% completed over the course of 3 days. Velocity was fast and fun, and the 550 certainly keeps to its namesake of the Prancing Horse.”
Eligible for IMSA Historic Sportscar Racing, this Ferrari 550 GTS/GT1 features a 5.5-liter, 48-valve V12 engine producing 478hp and 419lb-ft of torque, and arrives ready for Historic Sebring, Daytona, American Le Mans (ALMS) Classic Series, and more. This example, chassis number 107301, was built by ENRO Competition of Italy in 2016, and the current bid at the time of writing was $111,000.
