McLaren MP4/21

2006 McLaren-Mercedes MP4/21

Offered by Bonhams | Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. | November 25, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

The 2006 Formula One season was a classic Fernando Alonso/Michael Schumacher dogfight, with Alonso coming out on top. Behind Ferrari and Renault was McLaren, and this was their car for that year. Kimi Raikkonen was in one car, while Pedro de la Rosa replaced Juan Pablo Montoya in the other car midway through the season.

It was an Adrian Newey design and was powered by a Mercedes-Benz 2.4-liter V8 good for 750 horsepower. The competition history for this chassis, MP4/21-2, includes:

  • 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix – 3rd (with Kimi Raikkonen)
  • 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 Australian Grand Prix – 2nd (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 San Marino Grand Prix – 5th (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 European Grand Prix at Nurburgring – 4th (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 Spanish Grand Prix – 5th (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 Monaco Grand Prix – 20th, DNF (with Raikkonen)
  • 2006 French Grand Prix – 5th (with Raikkonen)

McLaren restored the car before selling it off, and it hasn’t been used since. The pre-sale estimate is $2,500,000-$3,500,000. Click here for more info.

John Player Special

1978 Lotus-Cosworth Type 79

Offered by Bonhams | Abu Dhabi, UAE | November 25, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

Well, F1 cars don’t come much more famous or significant than this. Bonhams has littered their listing with superlatives and a lot of words, so let’s try to distill it down a bit. The Type 79 was developed in late 1977 and would debut midway through 1978, dominating and being carried over for the 1979 season as well.

The car was advanced for its time, with the aerodynamics taking advantage of “ground effects”, sucking the car to the road in the corners. It’s powered by a 3.0-liter Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 that made about 475 horsepower. The competition history for this chassis, 79/4, includes:

  • 1978 Dutch Grand Prix – 1st (with Mario Andretti)
  • 1978 Italian Grand Prix – 6th (with Andretti)
  • 1978 Canadian Grand Prix – 8th (with Andretti)
  • 1979 Argentine Grand Prix – 5th (with Andretti)
  • 1979 Brazilian Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF (with Andretti)
  • 1979 French Grand Prix – 13th (with Carlos Reutemann)
  • 1979 British Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF (with Andretti)
  • 1979 Austrian Grand Prix – 18th, DNF (with Reutemann)
  • 1979 Dutch Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF (with Reutemann)
  • 1979 Italian Grand Prix – 7th (with Reutemann)

A few other notes. For 1978, the team ran the cars in the John Player Special livery, but the 1979 paint scheme was Martini. This car was also used in Mario Andretti’s 1978 championship season (in which he won the driver’s championship and Lotus the constructor’s).

Lotus kept the car until selling it in 1983. It suffered a big crash in a vintage event in 1989. Later rebuilt, the car changed hands next in 1999, when the current owner bought it. This car has an estimate of $6,500,000-$9,500,000 – the high end of which is short of RM’s low estimate on their modern Mercedes F1 car. Which seems backwards. Click here for more info.

Mercedes W04 F1

2013 Mercedes-AMG W04

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Las Vegas, Nevada | November 17, 2023

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Mercedes-Benz took quite the hiatus from Formula One, departing in 1955 after murdering a bunch of spectators. They returned as an engine supplier in the 1990s, but didn’t come back with a full team effort until the 2010 season, a year after purchasing reigning champions Brawn GP.

After three somewhat disappointing seasons, they showed up in 2013 with this, the W04 that was to be fielded by drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. It would take them to second in the constructors championship, bettering the fifth they achieved the year prior. It was clear they were onto something, as the following year they would win the championship… and then keep doing so year after year after that.

The W04 is powered by a 2.4-liter V8 with a KERS system that can produce 750 horsepower (or 830 with the KERS enabled). All while revving to a cool 18,000 rpm. This was the last season of F1 to feature V8 engines. The race history for this chassis, #F1W04-04 includes:

  • 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix – 3rd (with Lewis Hamilton)
  • 2013 Chinese Grand Prix – 3rd (with Hamilton)
  • 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix – 1st (with Hamilton)
  • 2013 Belgian Grand Prix – 3rd (with Hamilton)

This chassis was actually used in 14 races that year. It has somehow escaped Mercedes’ hands and has a pre-sale estimate of $10,000,000-$15,000,000. Click here for more info.

Ferrari F2001B

2002 Ferrari F2001B

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 16-19, 2023

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Ferrari’s F2001 was a dominant car in Formula One. Michael Schumacher won eight races in an F2001, securing the driver’s and constructor’s titles. For the start of the 2002 season, Ferrari tweaked the prior year’s chassis and dubbed it the F2001B. This car was used by Schumacher for the first two races of the 2002 season and the first three for teammate Rubens Barichello.

This chassis, #215, was a success right out of the gate. It’s competition history consists of:

  • 2002 Australian Grand Prix – 1st (with Schumacher)
  • 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix – 3rd (with Schumacher, from pole)

Schumacher won the title again in 2002, using the F2002 for the rest of the season. They used 3.0-liter screaming V10s during this era. This car is one of likely two built, and it’s a race winner to boot. You can read more about it here.

Update: Withdrawn.

Lotus 107C

1993 Lotus 107C

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | July 14, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

Lotus has a long history in F1. From the days of Colin Chapman and Jim Clark to dominance in the ’70s and Mario Andretti’s only F1 championship. Lotus survived into the ’90s, selling out to what would become Pacific Racing, a team that disappeared after one season. The name then returned in the 2010s for a few years, which basically a holding place after Renault left and before they returned again.

Anyway, the Type 107 was designed by Chris Murphy (and team) and debuted for the 1992 season. The car was updated to “B” spec for 1993 and then to “C” specification for the first half of 1994 before it was replaced by the 109. Power in period was from a Ford-Cosworth V8 in ’92 and ’93 and a Mugen-Honda 3.5-liter V10 in 1994. Output was 725 horsepower for the Honda.

The history for this chassis, 107C-01 includes:

  • 1994 Pacific Grand Prix at Aida, Japan – 8th (with Pedro Lamy)
  • 1994 San Marino Grand Prix – 10th (with Johnny Herbert)
  • 1994 Monaco Grand Prix – 11th (with Lamy)

Lamy then used this car in testing at Silverstone when it suffered a catastrophic failure and was essentially destroyed. After Team Lotus failed in 1995, the remnants of this chassis were purchased by the current owner in 1997 along with some spares and rebuilt to show-car status. The Mugen-Honda V10 is long gone, but a mocked-up Judd V10 without internals is in there. The estimate is still $90,000-$125,000. Read more about it here.

Update: Sold $124,208.

Tyrrell 014

1985 Tyrrell 014

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | July 14, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

Tyrrell was an innovative F1 team, especially in the 1970s. Ken Tyrrell started campaigning cars in other Formula in the late 1950s, arriving on the F1 scene in 1966. The team’s peak occurred in the late 1960s and early ’70s. Their final win came in 1983, and the mid-1980s were not kind. Their last season was 1998 before being bought by BAR, which became the Honda F1 team.

The 014 was the replacement for the 012 (which was a car that got Tyrrell disqualified from the 1982 championship season). The 014 was used for the latter half of the 1985 season and the first few races of 1986. The team’s drivers during that span consisted of Martin Brundle, Stefan Bellof, Ivan Capelli, and Philippe Streiff.

This car was raced with power from a Renault-Gordini turbocharged 1.5-liter V6. Only four 014 chassis were made, and the history for this one, 014/3, includes:

  • 1985 Italian Grand Prix – 8th (with Martin Brundle)
  • 1985 Belgian Grand Prix – 13th (with Brundle)
  • 1985 European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch – 18th, DNF (with Brundle)
  • 1985 South African Grand Prix – 7th (with Brundle)
  • 1985 Australian Grand Prix – 13th (with Brundle)
  • 1986 Spanish Grand Prix – 10th, DNF (with Brundle)

This car is described as being “in as-last-raced condition” and does not have an engine. But the gearbox is there! So you can sit in it and pull through the gears making revving noises. The estimate here is $63,000-$100,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $73,933.

Tyrrell 020B

1991 Tyrrell 020B

Offered by Bonhams | Brussels, Belgium | May 13, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

Ken Tyrrell’s Formula One racing team had been around since the 1960s and entered the 1990s already struggling. The 1971 constructor’s champion was a far cry from the peak. Their 020 chassis was designed by Harvey Postlethwaite and George Ryton and debuted for the 1991 season.

For that year, the car had a Honda V10 powerplant. For 1992, they upgraded the 020 (including this chassis, 020-6), to 020B spec, which meant that it now used 3.5-liter Ilmor V10 that made 680 horsepower. The competition history for this car includes:

  • 1991 Canadian Grand Prix – 10th (with Satoru Nakajima)
  • 1991 Mexican Grand Prix – 12th (with Nakajima)
  • 1991 French Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF (with Nakajima)
  • 1991 British Grand Prix – 8th (with Nakajima)
  • 1991 German Grand Prix – 18th, DNF (with Nakajima)
  • 1991 Hungarian Grand Prix – 15th (with Nakajima)
  • 1991 Belgian Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF (with Nakajima)
  • 1991 Italian Grand Prix – 19th, DNF (with Stefano Modena)
  • 1991 Portuguese Grand Prix – 18th, DNF (with Modena)
  • 1991 Spanish Grand Prix – 16th (with Modena)
  • 1991 Japanese Grand Prix – 16th, DNF (with Nakajima)
  • 1991 Australian Grand Prix – 26th, DNF (with Nakajima)

For 1992, it was used as a spare car for seven races. It later entered private ownership – sans V10 – and is offered as a roller out its current collection, where it’s been since 2003. The estimate is $55,000-$77,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $67,054.

Fittipaldi F6

1979 Fittipaldi F6

Offered by Bonhams | Brussels, Belgium | May 13, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

Imagine Max Verstappen, or Sebastian Vettel, or Michael Schumacher, three years out from an F1 world championship arriving on the grid with a team of their own. It would be insane. But it’s exactly what Emerson (and brother Wilson) Fittipaldi did in 1975.

Emerson Fittipaldi won the F1 driver’s championship for Lotus in 1972, and Wilson drove for Brabham for ’72 and ’73. They started working on Fittipaldi Automotive in 1974. The team appeared on the grid in 1975 with Wilson driving the only car (and Arturo Merzario running in one race). Emerson would be the team’s main driver from 1976-1980, and the team’s final season was 1982.

The F6 was used for the latter part of the 1979 season (and, strangely, one race toward the beginning of the year). Two chassis were built, with Emerson driving one of them in seven races and Alex Ribeiro failing to qualify for three races in the other. The engine at the time was a Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0-liter V8.

This chassis is lacking all running gear and is set up as a static show car. Apparently it doesn’t even really roll, and the suspension is listed as “not correct.” Still, it’s an interesting part of F1’s small history of “owner/drivers.” It has an estimate of $55,000-$75,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $25,602.

Spyker/Force India

2007 Spyker F8-V11/Force India VJM01

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | April 16, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

Spyker F1 bought out the Midland F1 team late in the 2006 Formula One season. This was a big leap for what was already a struggling boutique road car manufacturer. 2007 would be the team’s only full year running under the Spyker name.

Late in the 2007 season, Vijay Mallya stepped in to buy the financially doomed team, and it would be renamed Force India for 2008. Spyker raced their Ferrari-powered F8-VII (and VIIB) for the season with drivers Adrian Sutil (who scored Spyker’s only championship point) and Christijan Albers. Albers was let go halfway through the year and was replaced by Markus Winkelhock (for one race) and Sakon Yamamoto for the rest.

Force India’s first F1 entry was the VJM01, which was just an updated version of the previous year’s Spyker chassis. So they literally just updated the existing cars and reused them for the season. This particular chassis, VJM01-04, was a Spyker in 2007 and a Force India in 2008. It’s competition history includes:

  • 2007 French Grand Prix – 17th (with Adrian Sutil)
  • 2007 British Grand Prix – 15th (with Christijan Albers)
  • 2007 European Grand Prix – 17th, DNF (with Markus Winkelhock)
  • 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF (with Sakon Yamamoto)
  • 2007 Italian Grand Prix – 20th (with Yamamoto)
  • 2007 Belgian Grand Prix – 17th (with Yamamoto)
  • 2007 Japanese Grand Prix – 12th (with Yamamoto)
  • 2007 Chinese Grand Prix – 17th (with Yamamoto)
  • 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix – 21st, DNF (with Yamamoto)
  • 2008 Monaco Grand Prix – 18th, DNF (with Giancarlo Fisichella)
  • 2008 Canadian Grand Prix – 14th, DNF (with Fisichella)

The highlight there is the 2007 European Grand Prix, one that featured a monsoon that saw a large number of the field end up in the gravel right after the start. Winkelhock pitted for wet tires at the end of the formation lap, a move that led to him leading the race when all hell broke loose. Then it was red-flagged and he lost his advantage, eventually retiring with electrical issues, probably because of the rain. It was Winkelhock’s only F1 start.

In period, this car would’ve had a 2.4-liter Ferrari V8 making about 750 horsepower (for both seasons). Now it’s just a roller with a $100,000-$125,000 estimate. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $70,379.

Footwork FA14

1993 Footwork-Mugen-Honda FA14

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | April 16, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

Footwork was the name the Arrows team competed under in Formula One from 1991 through 1996. The name is actually that of their largest investor/sponsor, Footwork Express, a Japanese logistics company.

1993 was the second of two seasons that the team sourced their 3.5-liter V10 engines from Honda, which were branded as Mugen-Honda. Output was likely around 720 horsepower. This chassis, FA14-04, retains its engine, but that engine is lacking internals. So it’s essentially a roller.

The competition history for this one includes:

  • 1993 Spanish Grand Prix – 10th (with Aguri Suzuki)
  • 1993 Canadian Grand Prix – 13th (with Suzuki)
  • 1993 French Grand Prix – 12th (with Suzuki)
  • 1993 British Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF (with Suzuki)
  • 1993 German Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF (with Suzuki)
  • 1993 Hungarian Grand Prix – 16th, DNF (with Suzuki)
  • 1993 Belgian Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF (with Suzuki)
  • 1993 Italian Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF (with Suzuki)
  • 1993 Portuguese Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF (with Suzuki)
  • 1993 Japanese Grand Prix – 17th, DNF (with Suzuki)
  • 1993 Australian Grand Prix – 7th (with Suzuki)

So, no points for this car, and quite a string of bad luck. I kind of love relatively livery-less F1 cars from this era. They look so plain as to be almost homebuilt. But even a mid-pack car like this was highly sophisticated in its day. The estimate now is $145,000-$190,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $140,759.