By Alan Baldwin
LONDON (Reuters) – A Formula 1 McLaren driven by Lewis Hamilton in 2010 will be auctioned at the UK Grand Prix in July as it is doing laps on the Silverstone circuit.
The Mercedes-powered MP4-25A will have an estimate of $ 5 to $ 7 million.
The seven-time world champion Hamilton, now with Mercedes, is the most successful Formula 1 driver of all time with 100 pole positions and 98 victories.
The 36-year-old Briton can do even more this weekend in Monaco.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to have a part of your history,” said Felix Archer, auto auctioneer specialist and Formula 1 partner RM Sotheby’s, to Reuters on Tuesday during a tour of the property.
“It is the first time that a Lewis Hamilton race winner has been offered publicly.”
The car, sold by an unnamed private collector but not by Hamilton or McLaren, won the Turkish Grand Prix after the Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel collided and led the one-two.
Hamilton drove it in four races that year, 2009 world champion Jenson Button in five races, taking three podiums and one fastest lap.
“This is from a time when the engines were still screaming V8s and being driven angrily across the track,” said Archer.
“It will appeal to someone who either wants it as a collectible or literally wants to drive and sit where Lewis and Jenson were sitting and twirling it around on the track.
“If someone were willing to pay more than a million pounds for the Kanye West coaches, there might be someone for a Lewis Hamilton Formula One car. It is a true work of art, a piece of history. “
McLaren Heritage will drive the car for the buyer, with around eight employees and several days of preparation for operation. The original Bridgestone tires have been replaced with Avon rubber.
Archer said the rating put it in the realm of cars driven by seven-time German world champion Michael Schumacher and the late Brazilian Ayrton Senna.
A Ferrari F1 car driven by Schumacher in 2002 was sold in Abu Dhabi for $ 6.65 million in 2019.
“At this very special event, we’re actually going to be auctioning an F1 car while it is being driven on an F1 circuit,” said Kate Beavan, Director of Hospitality for Formula 1. “It’s an incredible stage to put this iconic car on can sell. “
The driver has yet to be named but due to the COVID-19 precautions that require him to work in a “bubble”, it will not be someone from the F1 paddock.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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