Character Analysis
John Osborne might have more in common with Bill Gates than Billy the Kid, but that doesn't mean this mild-mannered scientist wants to live a boring life. He wants adventure, fun, excitement, and speed—all of which he finds in his new Ferrari.
First, let's establish why John loves his Ferrari so much. As a scientist, John is "a man whose time was spent in theorizing in an office or, at best, in a laboratory" (5.68). Sounds cool, but not too thrilling, right? In the Ferrari, however, John operates on pure instinct—he doesn't even have time to think. Because of this, he feels an immense sense of relief and freedom when he steps behind the wheel.
Still, there's no way that John can fully escape his nebbish nature. We see small glimpses of his inner scientist when he races in the Australian Grand Prix: he drives slowly and carefully at first, waiting for his opponents to crash before high-tailing it to the finish line. That's an effective strategy, sure, but probably not one Jeff Gordon would employ in NASCAR.
Now, John would never have fulfilled this lifelong dream if it hadn't been for the apocalypse. Although he's been "keen on motor racing all [his] life," he's never had "any money" or time to invest into the hobby (4.405). That is, until the oncoming apocalypse gives him more of both than he knows what to do with. Unlike the other characters, whose hopes are squandered by the apocalypse, John uses a hopeless situation to actually fulfill a lifelong dream.