Two exceptional Formula 1 cars for sale during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Bonhams Cars will hold an auction in partnership with the F1 Paddock Club, the day before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. For the occasion, a 1979 Lotus and a 2006 McLaren will be up for auction, along with other unique items.
On the eve of the closing Grand Prix of the 2023 F1 season, on Saturday, November 25th, over 30 legendary cars will be put up for auction during a sale organized by Bonhams in partnership with the Paddock Club. Among these cars, two Formula 1 cars and supercars that the Emirati audience is fond of.
A Lotus driven by Mario Andretti in 1978
Michael Andretti’s father, who is trying to make it to Formula 1 with his team, raced in Formula 1 in the 1970s (1968 – 1982), even becoming world champion in 1978 driving a Lotus-Cosworth with its iconic black and gold livery.
Winner 6 times in 1978, he will accumulate a total of 64 points, ahead of his teammate Ronnie Peterson by 13 points. Driven by Mario Andretti during the Dutch Grand Prix, which led him to victory, chassis number 4 of this season will have competed in 4 other races, including an additional victory in the Italian Grand Prix, where he will be penalized and eventually finish in 6th place. The Lotus will then be used 8 more times in 1979, without success however.
The McLaren MP4/21 driven by Kimi Räikkönen in 2006
In 2006, Kimi Räikkönen experienced his final season with McLaren, the team he has been with since 2002 and his second season in Formula 1. He drives that year alongside Juan-Pablo Montoya and they enable the team to finish third in the world championship behind Renault and Ferrari.
The McLaren MP/24 for sale here has finished on the podium with Räikkönen twice, at the Bahrain and Australian Grand Prix.
This single-seater will also be used by the Finnish driver during the Monaco Grand Prix in 2006, but he will have to abandon it due to overheating. This abandonment will lead to one of the most famous scenes involving the driver, known for his composure, as he will go directly from the harbor to his yacht to enjoy the remaining 20 laps of the race.
The auction will take place at the Yas Marina Circuit, directly on the starting grid, where the F1 drivers will line up the next day. The event will be broadcasted on F1TV and can also be followed on the Bonhams website to place your bids. The total value of the various lots in the auction is estimated to be over 24 million dollars by Bonhams, which is nearly 23 million euros.
