Lucky Horsham petrolhead wins a Ferrari supercar

Michael Mawbey won a Ferrari 488 GTB courtesy of online car competition firm BOTB, just a day after returning from holiday.

He had just dropped his daughter off at nursery when he spotted the BOTB team waiting at his house ready to surprise him with his new set of wheels, which was parked nearby.

“Oh my lord,” he said. “This is crazy – I can hear my heartbeat going. When you enter a raffle like this, you never think you’ll actually win. You see the other winners and think, how incredible is that. It just shows – if you’re not in it, you won’t win.”

Michael, who works for an investment firm which supports businesses in the creative sector, said the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

After a recent health scare and treatment for prostate cancer, the family decided to take a much-needed holiday. “It’s important people take the chance to enjoy life and really celebrate when you can,” he said. “This is a life-changing win for me. I’ve spoken to my wife and she said I won’t get another opportunity to own a car like this.

“This is really the icing on the cake after the positive outcome of my treatment.”

The Ferrari 488 GTB is one of the most desirable supercars in the world, featuring a 660bhp twin-turbo V8 engine capable of reaching 0-62mph in just three seconds.

Known for its sleek design and race-derived engineering, the car delivers both jaw-dropping speed and pinpoint precision.

Michael, a lifelong car enthusiast who got to sit behind the wheel and fire up the engine, said: “I’ve always loved cars. Years ago, I bought a Porsche Boxster and had some fun on the track with that – I even went to the Nürburgring.

“I’m a petrolhead, but on a budget. I’m going to have to empty the garage now to make space for this car.”

BOTB presenter Christian Williams said: “Michael’s reaction was amazing – you could see just how much this meant to him. He’s a true car lover who has been through tough times recently.”