Lewis Hamilton’s first Mercedes single-seater is going to be auctioned off
The car with which Lewis Hamilton won his first victory with Mercedes is going to be auctioned on the occasion of the first Grand Prix of Las Vegas, the weekend of November 19th.
After 7 years spent at McLaren, Lewis Hamilton arrives at the Silver Arrows in 2013. He won his first Grand Prix with his new team in Hungary, behind the wheel of the W04. This will be his only victory of the season.
Hamilton at Mercedes is 82 victories and 72 pole positions. The era of turbo-hybrid engines, which begins in 2014, marks the start of a crushing domination by the British driver, who thus claims six world titles with the German team.
A sale estimated at over ten million dollars
This car, the Mercedes W04, chassis 4, V-8 engine, will soon be auctioned off by the company RM Sotheby’s who will make it the star of its Las Vegas sale on November 17th, during the inaugural F1 Grand Prix. It is estimated between 10 and 15 million dollars. This is the first time that a F1 Mercedes car, driven by Hamilton, is offered for sale.
« In the world of automobiles, few brands can compete with the appeal of the Silver Arrows from Mercedes. The Mercedes W196, sold for $29.6 million, remains the most valuable Formula 1 car ever sold. However, it is the Mercedes-Benz Uhlenhaut coupe that reached $142 million, consolidating the Silver Arrows’ place in the history books as one of the most valuable and recognizable brands in the world, » explains Shelby Myers, global head of private sales at RM Sotheby’s.
« Today, we are adding to the legacy of the Silver Arrows by presenting the W04. Driven by the greatest Formula 1 drivers, the W04 is a car whose importance cannot be underestimated. »
« Driven by the most decorated Formula 1 driver and sport icon, Lewis Hamilton, this car allowed him to secure his very first victory at the wheel of a Mercedes F1, thus marking the beginning of the brand’s most dominant period: the Hamilton-Mercedes dynasty. »
