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The Most Expensive F1 Cars Ever Sold at Auction

A photo of Michael Schumacher in his 2003 Ferrari f1 car.
A photo of Michael Schumacher in his 2003 Ferrari f1 car.


You won’t get much change from $15m for that.

Formula 1 is a bonkers sport filled with mind-bending numbers when it comes to speed and spending. But even after an F1 car has finished its life on the track, these formidable machines can still set records — this time in the auction house.

This week, German racer Michael Schumacher’s 2003 championship-winning Ferrari went under the hammer at a sale hosted by auctioneer Sotheby’s. The car is regarded as one of the most successful Ferrari F1 cars ever built, as it was one of just four Schumacher-era Ferrari Formula 1 chassis with five wins or more in a World Championship-winning season.

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It’s an impressive machine and was sold race-ready with the glorious 930 hp Ferrari V10 engine fully overhauled at Ferrari’s Maranello factory. Understandably, then, it fetched a hefty price when it went on sale.

But it isn’t the most expensive Formula 1 car to have been sold at auction. And that got us thinking: what is? So we did some digging and unearthed the top-selling Formula 1 cars in history.

That means it’s time to sit back, relax and take a walk past some of the most expensive F1 cars to have ever been sold at auction.

1991 Jordan 191

A photo of Michael Schumacher driving the Jordan 191 in Belgium.
A photo of Michael Schumacher driving the Jordan 191 in Belgium.

Price: $1,436,756

Driven by: Michael Schumacher, Alex Zanardi and Andrea De Cesaris

Let’s start our rundown with the glorious Jordan 191, which raced in the 1991 Formula 1 season. Driven by Michael Schumacher in his first race at the Belgian Grand Prix, this car was one of just two Jordan 191s to be piloted by Schumacher that year.

1982 Ferrari 126 C2

A photo of a Ferrari 126 C2 racing in the Netherlands.
A photo of a Ferrari 126 C2 racing in the Netherlands.

Price: $2,143,750

Driven by: Patrick Tambay and Mario Andretti

If you prefer your F1 cars with a turbo-charged V6 at the heart, you might be interested in the 1982 Ferrari 126 C2, which sold in 2019 for a cool $2.1 million. One of just seven C2 cars produced, this one is the last surviving example, and was driven to victory in the 1982 German Grand Prix by Patrick Tambay.

1992 Williams-Renault FW14B

A photo of the blue, yellow and white Williams-Renault FW14B F1 car.
A photo of the blue, yellow and white Williams-Renault FW14B F1 car.

Price: $3,106,301

Driven by: Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese

The Williams FW14B from 1992 won more than 60 percent of the races it entered. With Nigel Mansell at the wheel, this car scored five consecutive victories at the start of the 1992 season and went on to claim both the driver’s and constructor’s championships for Williams.

2004 Ferrari F2004

A photo of Michael Schumacher driving a red Ferrari F2004 F1 car.
A photo of Michael Schumacher driving a red Ferrari F2004 F1 car.

Price: $3,198,500

Driven by: Michael Schumacher

Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher picked up his seventh and final world title behind the wheel of the F2004. At the time, its sale price of $3.2m set a new auction record for modern F1 cars, but it wouldn’t last long.

1993 McLaren MP4/8A

A white and orange McLaren MP4/8A racing in Monaco.
A white and orange McLaren MP4/8A racing in Monaco.

Price: $4,194,561

Driven by: Ayrton Senna

Not only was this car driven by one of the sport’s most iconic drivers, it also triumphed at one of its most famous races. The McLaren MP4/8A that topped $4 million in 2018 was driven by none other than Brazilian racer Ayrton Senna when he took his record-breaking sixth and final Monaco Grand Prix win.