Williams FW12

1989 Williams-Renault FW12C

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | St. Moritz, Switzerland | September 9, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

For 1988, Williams returned to naturally aspirated power for their FW12. The car transformed into the FW12C for 12 of 1989’s 16 races. During the ’89 season, Williams employed drivers Riccardo Patrese and Thierry Boutsen.

The engine was a 3.5-liter Renault V10 that made about 650 horsepower. This car, chassis #10, was initially used as a spare car before being used in competition. It’s race history includes:

  • 1989 French Grand Prix – 3rd (with Riccardo Patrese)
  • 1989 German Grand Prix – 4th (with Patrese)
  • 1989 Hungarian Grand Prix – 16th, DNF (with Patrese, from pole)
  • 1989 Belgian Grand Prix – 19th, DNF (with Patrese)

The car was later purchased directly from Williams. It has its engine still, though it is said to be incomplete. You can read more about it here.

Update: Not sold.

Four Former F1 Cars

Four Former F1 Cars

Offered by Artcurial | Le Mans, France | July 2, 2022


1983 Renault RE40

Photo – Artcurial

First up is Renault’s 1983 entrant, the RE40. It led them to second place in the constructor’s championship that season, with drivers Eddie Cheever and Alain Prost, the latter of whom drove this car. And won a race in it.

The powerplant is a turbocharged 1.5-liter Renault-Gordini V6 that made about 640 horsepower. The competition history for this chassis, #3, includes:

  • 1983 San Marino Grand Prix – 2nd (with Alain Prost)
  • 1983 Monaco Grand Prix – 3rd (with Prost)
  • 1983 Belgian Grand Prix – 1st (with Prost)
  • 1983 U.S. Grand Prix – 8th (with Prost)
  • 1983 Italian Grand Prix – 19th, DNF (with Prost)

It was also used as a test car for both drivers during the season. It was restored in 1995 and is now being offered directly from Renault’s collection. The estimate is $850,000-$1,250,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold/withdrawn


1986 Tyrrell-Renault 015

Photo – Artcurial

Tyrrell Racing was actually around for quite a while, debuting in 1971 and lasting through 1998. That puts this car sort of right in the middle of their existence. The 015 was designed by Maurice Philippe and featured power from Renault.

The Renault-Gordini engine is a turbocharged 1.5-liter V6, which this chassis, #3, retains. Its competition history is not described, but the teams driver’s were Martin Brundle and Philippe Streiff, the latter of whom kept this car at the end of the season. He traded it to Renault in 1994 for a 1984 Renault F1 car.

Renault is now selling it, with an estimate $160,000-$260,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold/withdrawn.


1993 Williams-Renault FW15

Photo – Artcurial

Williams‘ FW15 was the team’s car for 1993. It was designed by a who’s who of F1: Patrick Head, Adrian Newey, Paddy Lowe, and Eghbal Hamidy. A Renault 3.5-liter V10 was stuffed out back, and the combination proved super successful: Williams won the constructor’s championship, with driver Alain Prost taking the driver’s championship. The team’s other driver was Damon Hill.

Unfortunately, this is not a race chassis and has never had an engine in it. It’s purely a display car and has been retained by “the constructor” since new. Renault is selling other cars, so it’s unclear if this is coming from Renault or Williams, but I’d assume Renault. The estimate is $42,000-$84,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $54,696.


1997 Benetton B197

Photo – Artcurial

Benetton’s 1997 car was the B197, designed under technical director Pat Symonds. It featured power from a 3.0-liter Renault V10 capable of up to 755 horsepower. Unfortunately, this is a pure display car as well, so it’s never even had an engine mounted in it. That said, the body is a real ex-F1 car body, complete with Mild Seven livery.

Benetton utilized Jean Alesi for the entire season along with Gerhard Berger, who was replaced by Alexander Wurz for three races mid-season due to health issues. Berger won a race upon his return, proof that someone else in your seat makes you step up your game. The estimate here is $42,000-$84,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $39,779.

Williams FW21

1999 Williams-Supertec FW21

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 13, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Coming off of back-to-back CART championships, Alex Zanardi was on quite the hot streak going in to 1999. Williams, who won the constructor title in F1 in 1997, was also a hot commodity. But the pairing of the two never really led to anything. Zanardi drove just one season for Williams, 1999, finishing only six of 16 races.

It wasn’t all the car. Teammate Ralf Schumacher had three podiums and finished in the top five 11 times. The FW21 was powered by a year-old Renault 3.0-liter V10 that was branded “Supertec” after Renault pulled out of F1 at the end of 1998. The competition history for this chassis (#05) consists of (all with Zanardi):

  • 1999 San Marino Grand Prix – 11th
  • 1999 Monaco Grand Prix – 8th
  • 1999 Spanish Grand Prix – 19th, DNF
  • 1999 Canadian Grand Prix – 12th, DNF
  • 1999 French Grand Prix – 14th, DNF
  • 1999 British Grand Prix – 11th
  • 1999 Austrian Grand Prix – 19th, DNF
  • 1999 German Grand Prix – 14th, DNF
  • 1999 Hungarian Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF
  • 1999 Belgian Grand Prix – 8th
  • 1999 Italian Grand Prix – 7th
  • 1999 European Grand Prix – 19th, DNF
  • 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix – 10th
  • 1999 Japanese Grand Prix – 24th, DNF

It’s unclear the history of the car after that race in Japan, but it’s being offered as “last raced.” The pre-sale estimate is $110,000-$165,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $443,352.

Williams FW14B

1992 Williams-Renault FW14B

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | July 5, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

Williams was a star in F1 in the early 1990s. Part of that had to do with the fact that Adrian Newey was designing their cars. The Williams FW14 was for 1991 season and was updated to FW14B-spec for 1992. And it was a beast.

Team drivers Riccardo Patrese and Nigel Mansell managed to win the constructors championship while utilizing the six “B” chassis built for the season. This was the first car designed by Newey and it rocked. It’s probably the best car Williams has ever fielded.

Power is from a 3.5-liter V10 capable of 760 horsepower – at 14,500 rpm! Usually publicly-owned F1 cars have replacement engines, but this one is the real deal, carrying the motor Mansell used to win the opening round of the championship. The competition history for this chassis includes:

  • 1992 South African Grand Prix – 1st (with Nigel Mansell)
  • 1992 Mexican Grand Prix – 1st (with Mansell)
  • 1992 Brazilian Grand Prix – 1st (with Mansell)
  • 1992 Spanish Grand Prix – 1st (with Mansell)
  • 1992 San Marino Grand Prix – 1st (with Mansell)
  • 1992 Monaco Grand Prix – 2nd (with Mansell)
  • 1992 Canadian Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF (with Mansell)
  • 1992 British Grand Prix – 2nd (with Riccardo Patrese)
  • 1992 German Grand Prix – 8th (with Patrese)
  • 1992 Hungarian Grand Prix – 13th, DNF (with Patrese)
  • 1992 Belgian Grand Prix – 3rd (with Patrese)
  • 1992 Italian Grand Prix – 5th (with Patrese)
  • 1992 Portuguese Grand Prix – 19th, DNF (with Patrese)

The car was then mostly destroyed in an airborne accident at Estoril when Patrese hit Gerhard Berger wheel-to-wheel at speed. Mansell went on to be World Champion later that year.

It’s obviously since been restored. Championship-winning F1 cars don’t trade hands publicly often, and Bonhams is mum on a reserve. Check back in a few weeks to see if it sold – and for how much. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $3,385,271

1990 Williams F1 Car

1990 Williams-Renault FW13B

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, England | June 26, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Can you believe the Williams F1 team has been around since 1978? Considering they do not have huge funding dollars from a road-car division and were founded by a travelling grocery salesman and an engineer, they’ve done pretty well.

The FW13 was used in the final four races of the 1989 season and for 1990 it was updated to the spec you see here, and dubbed FW13B. It is powered by a naturally-aspirated Renault 3.5-liter RS2 V-10 and the car was used for the entire 1990 season.

The racing resume for this car includes:

  • 1990 United States Grand Prix – 3rd (with Thierry Boutsen)
  • 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix – 5th (with Boutsen)
  • 1990 Japanese Grand Prix – 4th (with Boutsen)
  • 1990 Australian Grand Prix – 6th (with Boutsen)

This car may never have won a race, but its sister cars did in the hands of both Boutsen and teammate Riccardo Patrese. The Canon Williams livery is a great 1990s F1 paint scheme. If you want to take this to track days, you’ll need to put in a little work as the Renault V-10 is currently inoperable (although it is correct). It should sell for between $140,000-$180,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $160,748.

September 2014 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

Our next five auction results and highlights start with Bonhams Goodwood Revival sale, where the ex-Fox & Nicholl team car 1936 Lagonda LG45R Rapide race car broke a record for the marque, bringing $2,564,680.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our featured OM Superba wasn’t far behind at $2,038,669. The pre-war Maserati Grand Prix car brought $984,190. Of the two Abarths we featured, the 2000 Sport Spider brought more, selling for $302,415 while the 1000 Sport Tubolare “only” managed $198,786. Interesting sales were topped by this ex-Alex Zanardi 1999 Williams-Supertec Renault FW21 for $148,864.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our other feature car, the Chenard et Walcker, sold for $56,002. Check out full results here. Next up is Mecum’s Dallas sale, where this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible was the top sale at $680,000.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Our featured Vector disappeared from the auction catalog (and not for the first time). A previously featured Locomobile failed to sell (and not for the first time either). Interesting cars were topped by the strong money put up for this 1935 Reo Speedwagon Pickup: $93,000.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Our featured Maxwell sold for $13,500 – a steal for a 100+ year old car. Check out full results here. Our third auction this go-round was Silverstone’ Autumn sale. This 1985 Ferrari 308 GTS bagged top honors, selling for $144,330.

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Our feature cars both sold. The Lynx Eventer brought $46,863 and the Ginetta G15 $21,557. Check out full results here. We featured one car from Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas sale, the ’69 Mustang Boss 302. It sold for $88,000. The top sale was actually sold for charity, so the next top actual sale was this 2013 Lamborghini Aventador for $440,000. Click here for full results.

Photo - Barrett-Jackson

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

Finally, Coys’ Nurburgring sale, where our featured Shadow F1 car was the top sale for $582,900. Check out full results here.