Adrian Newey-designed Lewis Hamilton-driven McLaren auctioned for massive price
Seven-figure price on this piece of Adrian Newey and Lewis Hamilton's legacy
A 2006 McLaren F1 car has been auctioned.
The MP-4 21 was driven by Lewis Hamilton and designed by Adrian Newey.
It was auctioned by Sotheby’s on Friday with a guide price of £2.2m-£2.7m, according to Top Gear.
The MP-4 21 was one of the first F1 cars to be tested by a then-21 year old Hamilton.
It was the creation of car designer extraordinaire Newey in his final year with McLaren.
It was then driven by Juan Pablo Montoya in the first three grands prix of the 2006 F1 season.
It was the first McLaren powered by a Mercedes-Benz FO108S 2.4-liter naturally aspirated V-8 engine.
This car, chassis 21A-03, has been restored to functional specification. It retains its engine, gearbox, onboard computer, and steering wheel.
The rarity of this auctioned car is that it isn’t often a Hamilton-driven F1 car exists outside of a factory collection.
A year later, in 2007, Hamilton would claim his first F1 championship. This MP-4 21 played a small part in his historic feat, as an early test car for the legendary driver.
The auction began days ago meaning somebody out there - someone with a spare seven-figure sum - will soon be the proud new owner of the McLaren MP-4 21.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
