McLaren offers five historic F1 cars for sale, with prices estimated at up to €12 million
In an exceptional move, McLaren is offering five of its historic Formula 1 cars for sale, driven by Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Lando Norris. Hollywood star Brad Pitt also tested one of them. These are not museum exhibits or replicas but genuine racing cars, with estimated prices of €6–12 million each.
The sale of the cars from McLaren Racing’s collection is being handled by British luxury car broker Tom Hartley Jnr. According to the company, the collection spans 32 years of Formula 1 history, and all five cars have remained in McLaren’s possession since the end of their racing careers.
From Senna’s V12 to a modern hybrid F1 car
The oldest cars in the collection are two 1991 McLaren MP4/6As, raced by Gerhard Berger and tested by Ayrton Senna. They are powered by a 3.5-litre Honda V12 that developed approximately 540 kW. The same model helped Senna win his third world championship.
The third car is a 2012 MP4/27A, raced by Jenson Button and tested by Lewis Hamilton. Its 2.4-litre naturally aspirated Mercedes-Benz V8 represents an era when Formula 1 engines revved to up to 18,000 rpm.
The remaining two cars come from Lando Norris’s career. The 2021 MCL35M took a podium finish in Monaco and was part of McLaren’s one-two finish at Monza. The 2023 MCL37A, meanwhile, is among the most recent F1 cars with a racing history to be offered to private collectors.
Brad Pitt reached 317 km/h in an F1 car
The 2023 MCL37A has the most unusual backstory: Brad Pitt tested it at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin while preparing for the film “F1”. The actor reportedly reached 317 km/h in the car.
Owning a modern F1 car with a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 and hybrid system, however, presents a considerably greater challenge than keeping an old V12 racing car in a garage. Complex electronics, specialist starting equipment and hybrid powertrain maintenance require professional technical support.
McLaren is in no hurry to sell
According to McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, historic racing cars deserve more than years in storage. The company wants to find owners who will also drive them.
No official asking prices have been disclosed, but Reuters estimates that each F1 car could cost £5–10 million, or approximately €6–12 million. The cars will be sold individually, and McLaren will prepare them for their new owners.
For European collectors, what makes the offering exceptional is the cars’ unbroken factory provenance. While most historic F1 cars require careful checks of previous ownership and the authenticity of restoration work, these five come directly from their manufacturer.
McLaren is effectively selling five chapters of its racing history. Their value is no longer determined by lap times, but by provenance, rarity and the chance to sit in the same cockpit where some of the world’s best racing drivers once competed.
