Ferrari F1 star Felipe Massa took time off from his pre-British GP preparations today to open the latest ‘Atelier’, the Maranello company’s salon for UK and international VIP clients to order their bespoke Ferrari.

The new Atelier is on the ground floor of The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge and will be managed by London’s official Ferrari dealer, H.R. Owen Sports Cars, which has a longstanding dealership in nearby Brompton Road.

Andy Duncan, CEO of H.R. Owen, joined the popular Brazilian F1 driver and Ferrari North Europe’s Regional Manager, Matteo Torre, for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The beautifully appointed salon replicates Ferrari’s latest corporate identity, and visitors will be able to discover the addictive world of Ferrari personalisation in exactly the same surroundings as in Maranello.

Variations of external colours - perhaps from the classic, ‘50s-60s’ palette, interior trim and stitching, together with carbonfibre or Alcantara highlights can all be discussed in comfort. There’s always the option of staying overnight at The Berkeley, as well as using its facilities (and nearby Harvey Nicholls, Selfridges and more) over a short stay in London.

The three bright, racing red Ferraris (512S sports-racer from the 70s, 458 Italia and California) brightened up an otherwise drizzly London day. Inside, Massa was on good form (unsurprisingly), optimistic for the weekend and opening up on his personal experience of Ferrari ownership.

At the moment, he drives a black California (“for the family, I can carry my 18-month-old son in the back…” and a white 599 GTO with grey roof for fun. As a family man, shouldn’t he be looking at the four-seater FF for the winter? we asked. “Why not?” came the answer, with the promise of a good look at the Atelier service while he orders it.

I think they’ll look after him.

You can view H.R. Owen Sports Cars' stock of pre-owned Ferraris in its London and St Albans, Hertfordshire locations in the Classic Driver car database.

Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: Classic Driver