As the 1996 Formula 1 season dawned, Scuderia Ferrari was going through a period of transition. The famous old team hadn’t seen one of its drivers win the World Drivers’ Championship since 1979, when Jody Scheckter secured the title aboard his Ferrari 312T, while the World Constructors’ Championship had last been secured in 1983. However, a change of fortunes was on the horizon. After winning back-to-back World Drivers’ Championships with Benetton in 1994 and 1995, the talented German, Michael Schumacher, was lured into the fold, to team up with the charismatic Northern Irishman, Eddie Irvine. At the same time, the V-10-powered F310 had been introduced for 1996.

In their first season together, Schumacher and Irvine’s efforts behind the wheel resulted in Ferrari achieving an impressive 2nd-place finish in the World Constructors’ Championship. Schumacher took race victories in France, Portugal, and Spain, while Irvine finished 3rd in his first race in the United States, although his season unfolded with mixed success. The F310 proved to be a capable machine, but without the outright pace or outstanding reliability that led to the Williams FW18 dominating throughout 1996. The F310 was also notable as being the first Ferrari F1 car to use the then-more conventional V-10 engine format, as a V-10 engine offered the best compromise between power and fuel efficiency. The V-12 was powerful but thirsty, while the V-8 lacked straight line speed.

This static replica of the F310—which does not include an engine or running gear—faithfully recreates the appearance of the machine driven by Schumacher, as he began the journey that eventually resulted in his unparalleled success with the team. The show car was—according to a declaration by the former racing driver-turned-Ferrari dealer, Pierre Landereau—originally supplied by Ferrari, before going on display at the Automobile Museum of Mougins prior to its closing. It became part of The Petitjean Collection, the prominent Ferrari collection in France, until it was acquired by its consigning owner in 2022.