McLaren to auction five race-used Formula 1 cars
McLaren CEO Zak Brown is auctioning five iconic Formula 1 cars through Tom Hartley Jr. to keep the team's heritage active. The collection features machinery driven by Ayrton Senna and Lewis Hamilton, with total values potentially reaching between five and 10 million pounds.
McLaren will auction five race-used Formula 1 cars through Tom Hartley Jr. The collection includes racing machinery that was driven by Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, and Lando Norris. Zak Brown, the McLaren CEO, decided to sell the vehicles to prevent them from sitting in storage. "We have decided to part with these iconic McLaren Formula 1 cars because we feel that having them simply sitting in storage is a disservice to what they represent," Brown said. He added that the team wants the cars to be used and enjoyed to keep the heritage business active. Tom Hartley Jr., who recently managed the sale of the Bernie Ecclestone grand prix collection, will oversee the auction of these five vehicles that come directly from the McLaren Heritage Collection after their time on the track. Although no official prices exist, the cars may fetch between five and 10 million pounds. This estimate follows the 2021 sale of Lewis Hamilton’s 2010 Turkish Grand Prix-winning MP4-25, which sold for £4.8m.
Specific cars and drivers
The five cars span over three decades of competition. The oldest entries are two 1991 MP4/6A models, specifically Chassis No.4 and Chassis No.7. Ayrton Senna tested both of these chassis, though Gerhard Berger raced them during the season. These cars used a naturally aspirated Honda V12 engine. One of the cars is the 1991 model that Senna drove to his third championship title.
| Model | Year | Drivers | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| MP4/6A | 1991 | Gerhard Berger | Senna tested both Chassis 4 and 7 |
| MP4/27A | 2012 | Jenson Button | Hamilton tested this car |
| MCL35M | 2021 | Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo | Won the Italian Grand Prix |
| MCL37/MCL60 | 2023 | Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri | Achieved nine podium finishes |
The 2012 MP4/27A, Chassis No.1, was tested by Lewis Hamilton but raced by Jenson Button. Because the MP4/27 design was one of the few on the grid that did not use the ‘platypus’ style of nosecone under the regulations of that year, it looked different from its competitors. Button won the opening round in Australia with this car, while Hamilton finished third. Hamilton also won in Canada, Hungary, Italy, and the United States during his final year at McLaren, while Button later won in Belgium and Brazil to finish his season. The 2021 MCL35M was driven by Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo and carried the Gulf colours used in the Monaco Grand Prix. This car returned the team to Mercedes power after three seasons with Honda engines. Ricciardo drove the MCL35M to a win at the Italian Grand Prix, which was the team’s first win since Jenson Button’s Brazil victory in 2012. The final offering is the 2023 MCL37, which the team later renamed the MCL60. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri drove this car, which achieved nine podium finishes but did not win a race. Brad Pitt also tested this 2023 vehicle.
