Most of those were sold by RM Sotheby’s and Gooding & Company, who specialize in selling classic cars.
The history of Formula 1 racing goes back to 1950 when a group of British car manufacturers wanted to find out who had the fastest car in Europe. That was how the first ever F1 race was held at Silverstone circuit in England. Today, F1 races take place all over the world and attract millions of fans every year.
Auctions can be a great place to pick up a bargain, but not when it comes to F1 cars. This list compiles the seven most expensive F1 cars ever sold at auction, each with a unique history that tells the story of F1 through the ages. These cars are the embodiment of the accomplishments of drivers and engineers, racing in the pinnacle of motorsport, but there’s a tragedy as well.
It is quite rare for F1 cars to be openly sold to private buyers, but when they do come along the sales attract a lot of attention. Going by these prices, you will need deep pockets if you want to own an F1 car, but for the lucky few here is what you can expect to pay if you are in the market. Most of those were sold by RM Sotheby’s and Gooding & Company, who specialize in selling classic cars.
The following is a list of 10 most expensive F1 cars ever made:
PHOTO CREDIT: ultimatecarpage.com
Sold by Sotheby’s in Abu Dhabi in 2019, this is the last surviving 126 C2 of the seven that were built. This particular car was driven by both Patrick Tambay and Mario Andretti, with Tambay winning the German Grand Prix and Andretti finishing fourth in France and Austria. The 126C replaced the previous Ferrari which had been in use since 1975, that won three Drivers’ and four Constructors’ Championships.
This 1982 model was overhauled by engineer Harvey Postlethwaite for the 1982 season. Drivers Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi famously fell out at the Italian Grand Prix, and at the following race in Belgium Villeneuve was tragically killed. Pironi suffered career-ending injuries at the German Prix, which is why this particular car was driven by both drivers’ replacements.
RELATED: The 13 Most Successful F1 Teams of All Time, Ranked
PHOTO CREDIT: bonhams.com
Sold by Bonhams at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed, this car was designed by the legendry Adrian Newey during the 1991 and 1992 Formula One Championships. Powered with a Renault 3.5-litre V10, this car is considered one of the most technologically sophisticated F1 cars in history.
With anti-lock brakes, traction control, and active suspension, the car was so successful that it led to rule changes banning many of the technologies found in this Williams. Nigel Mansell would win his one and only F1 World Championship in this car, with Williams also clinching the Constructors’ Championship. This particular car has the engine that Mansell won the opening Grand Prix of the season in South Africa.
PHOTO CREDIT: wikipedia.org
Sold in 2018 by Bonhams in Monaco, this car was used by Ayrton Senna in eight of that year’s Grand Prix. It was in this very car that Senna won a record-breaking sixth Monaco Grand Prix, the last time he would win Monaco before being tragically killed the next year at Imola driving for Williams. This car is powered by a Ford V8, in a last-minute deal with Ford following the end of McLaren’s highly successful partnership with Honda.
Senna would come second in the season, being beaten by his long-time rival Alain Prost in a much faster Williams, powered by a V10 Renault engine. The fact that this underpowered McLaren could hold its own against the more powerful Williams is a testament to both McLaren and Senna, making this a truly iconic F1 car.
PHOTO CREDIT: formula1.com
Sold at Sotheby’s in 2021 at the Silverstone racetrack in the UK, this McLaren was designed by Paddy Lowe using a Mercedes engine. The MP4-25A was driven by the two previous seasons’ World Champions, namely Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. They went on to come second in the Constructors’ Championship with Hamilton and Button finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
The first of Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 cars to be sold to the public, this car was driven by Hamilton when he won the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix. It was also the car used at the Chinese Grand Prix, where a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle took place between Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, the first time the two statistically greatest F1 drivers of all time raced each other.
PHOTO CREDIT: salracing.com
Sold at Sotheby’s, Abu Dhabi in 2019, this car is considered to be one the greatest Formula 1 cars of all time, winning fifteen out of nineteen races in the 2002 and 2003 championships. This particular model was driven by Rubens Barrichello in pre-season testing, then raced at Imola, with Barichello qualifying second, then swapped with Schumacher for the race where he comfortably won.
It was in this car that Schumacher controversially won the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix, having qualified third, his teammate Barrichello led from the pole, only to be told to let Schumacher past on the last lap handing him victory. At the French Grand Prix, Schumacher secured his fifth world championship in this car, winning with six rounds still remaining. This was to date the most dominant car in F1 history, with Schumacher winning eleven races, ten of them in the F2002, with three of those wins in this particular car.
PHOTO CREDIT: pinterest.com
Sold at Sotheby’s, Manhattan in 2017, this car produced Michael Schumacher’s fourth title and second with Ferrari, during the period when both Ferrari and Schumacher dominated F1 for five consecutive seasons. This model was overseen by Ferrari’s then technical director Ross Brawn, the mastermind behind Ferrari and Schumacher’s dominance of F1.
In 2001, Schumacher won nine Grand Prix, beating Alain Prost’s record for most Grand Prix wins in a season and scoring a then-record of 123 points. This model won two Grand Prix, including Monaco, helping Schumacher and Ferrari win both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship.
Sold in 2013 by Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, this was Juan Manuel Fangio’s championship-winning car. This particular car was driven by Fangio when he won the Swiss and German Grand Prix. New regulations were introduced in 1954, and Mercedes would go on to dominate with Fangio winning the 1954 and 1955 Drivers’ Championship.
The W196R has a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine, producing 257 horsepower, with independent suspension and all-around drum brakes. Mercedes left F1 in 1955 following the Le Man's disaster. They would not win another championship until 2014 when they once again benefited from a change in regulations, Lewis Hamilton won the Drivers’ Championship, with Mercedes won eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships.
Related: The 10 Best Formula 1 Drivers Of All Time: The Definitive List
| Rank | Company | Country |
|---|---|---|
| #1 |  Volkswagen |
Germany |
| #2 |  Toyota |
Japan |
| #3 |  Stellantis |
Netherlands |
| #4 |  Mercedes-Benz Group |
Germany |
| #5 |  Ford Motor |
United States |
| Rank | Company | Country |
|---|---|---|
| #1 |  Michelin |
France |
| #2 |  Bridgestone |
Japan |
| #3 |  Continental |
Germany |
| #4 |  Goodyear |
United States |
| #5 |  Sumitomo |
Japan |
