Five McLaren Formula 1 cars could fetch £50m after the team put chassis belonging to the likes of Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris up for sale.
The models range from 1991 through to 2023 – the most modern Formula 1 car ever offered for private ownership – and are expected to go for between £5m and £10m apiece when McLaren sell a small chunk of their vast collection.
“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,” the team’s chief Zak Brown said.
“These cars were built to be driven and raced, and we want to see them being used and enjoyed. We believe that is the best way to keep our history alive and our heritage business active.”
The organisation’s McLaren Racing Ltd accounts are expected to see the team to remain on track to surpass £550m in revenue this year, with Brown set for a payout of around £75m after Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat, and fellow investor CYVN Holdings bought out all minority shareholders – estimated to be 30 per cent of the organisation – at a valuation of more than £3.5bn.
McLaren sales
Auctioneer Tom Hartley Jnr will run the sales process of the five cars having previously sold the vast, £250m collection of vehicles owned by Bernie Ecclestone.
The roster of McLaren F1 cars on sale includes two 1991 models driven by Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger; a 2012 car belonging to Jenson Button; a 2021 edition of the papaya car owned by Norris; and a 2023 McLaren raced by the same Englishman, who became World Champion last season.
“We have a great relationship with McLaren and have worked closely with Zak and his team for many years, assisting them with a number of sales,” Hartley said. “However, to now be able to publicly offer these cars directly on McLaren’s behalf is very exciting.”