As can be expected of a seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton’s dedication to life at speed is not confined to the cockpit of his Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team car—nor is it limited to driving on four wheels. The racing driver has expressed his admiration for motorbikes over the years, and in 2015 the first partnership was announced between Hamilton and the long-celebrated Italian bike manufacturer, MV Agusta. Hamilton began working with the company’s design team to collaborate on the custom Dragster RR LH, then towards the end of 2017 the pairing gave a first glimpse of the F4 LH44.

The Englishman was not the first Formula 1 driver to share a connection with MV Agusta, following previous special edition F4 models dedicated to Ayrton Senna. Limited to just 44 examples—paying homage to Hamilton’s race number, while also factoring that and the driver’s initials into the model name—the F4 LH44 is a customised version of MV Agusta’s acclaimed F4 RC platform. This in itself is a homologated adaptation of the finely tuned racing bike previously campaigned by MV Agusta’s factory team in the Superbike World Championship. The road-going version of the F4 RC is fitted with a 998cc, in-line four cylinder engine rated at 205 horsepower, and its attractive bodywork is designed around extensive use of carbon fibre materials.

The F4 LH44 shares these attributes while adding a further boost thanks to the single-pipe SL-Project exhaust kit for a claimed 212 horsepower. Further details exclusive to the F4 LH44 edition include the bike’s bright red paint finish, in addition to Hamilton’s name and race number integrated into the livery design. Its unique visual appeal extends to a custom heat shield, plaque, and seat cowl. This example was the 34th built out of 44 limited edition bikes, and shows a mere 5 km on its odometer at the time of cataloguing. Included in the sale is a paddock stand, and MV Agusta-design flight case containing official booklets and selected spare parts. Its next owner could easily enjoy this bike on road or track for the powerful Italian sports racer that it is, or continue to use it sparingly as a fitting tribute to Hamilton as a racing driver and MV Agusta as a manufacturer of stunning motorcycle designs.