- It’s officially the most valuable British car ever sold at a public auction.
- No other McLaren F1 has ever sold for more than $30 million.
- Flamboyant red-and-yellow livery makes this F1 GTR stand out.
The McLaren F1 GTR formerly owned by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason has been crashed twice, but that fact wasn’t enough to prevent it from selling for a record sum over the weekend. By the time the final gavel fell, the car sold for $34.655 million, including fees.
Not only is this now the most expensive McLaren F1 ever sold, but it is also the most expensive British car sold at auction. If there was any doubt about just how desirable the McLaren F1 is, this result shows just how legendary this car is and demonstrates the extraordinary amount of money that people are willing to pay for it.
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Alex Penfold/RM Sotheby’s
A standard F1 is rare, but Mason’s F1 GTR is even more exclusive. The car, chassis 10R, is one of just nine ever built in 1996 and was initially used by McLaren as a promotional tool. It hit the track during 12 hours of testing in April of 1996 in the lead-up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, ultimately participating in Pre-Qualifying for the world’s most famous endurance race. While it didn’t actually race, just hitting the circuit cemented its legacy.
Two Crashes? No Worries
Nick Mason purchased the car directly from McLaren after its racing career, joining a wide array of other classics in his collection, including a Bugatti Type 35, Jaguar D-Type, Porsche 962, and Ferrari 250 GTO. The car was then converted for road use by McLaren and later serviced and maintained by Lanzante.
Alex Penfold/RM Sotheby’s
The supercar’s first crash occurred in 2009, when a journalist inadvertently drove it into a wheat field. It was then rebuilt by Lanzante. In 2017, it was crashed by Mason himself during the Goodwood Members’ Meeting, forcing it to be repaired yet again.
Despite the GTR’s checkered past, it’s now the priciest F1 to ever change hands. As we’ve seen with other crashed examples, including one owned by Rowan Atkinson, not even being shunted into a wall can affect the value of these cars.
Alex Penfold/RM Sotheby’s
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