I shot past the sheriff ... Eric Clapton’s Ferrari goes under hammer for £66,500

Music legend Eric Clapton, ironically nicknamed Slowhand but known for his love of fast cars and who was once caught speeding by French police, and BBC Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans have both previously owned the car, with auctioneers suggesting its history may have helped it exceed their guide price.

The rare 2003 Ferrari 575 Maranello, which has only covered 10,000 miles, was snapped up by a private buyer at a sale at Silverstone, Northamptonshire.

Described by Silverstone Auctions as a desirable car in its own right, the yellow Maranello was bought new by Clapton, who signed its service book. It was more recently owned by Evans, who is famous for his love of classic cars and wooed his ex-wife Billy Piper by buying her a silver Ferrari and filling it with roses before she was old enought to hold a licence.

Auction manager Guy Loveridge said the vehicle, which went for more than its guide price, was in lovely condition. “It’s a great car and we are not surprised that it fetched such a large amount of money,” the auctioneer said.