• Chassis 27R was later made fully road legal by Lanzante staff.
  • RM Sothebys expects the McLaren F1 to sell for well over $20M.
  • The car won its debut race in the British GT Championship round.

In the rarefied world of blue chip supercars, few names carry the quiet authority of the McLaren F1. Just a couple of months after a road going example changed hands for a remarkable $25.3 million in Abu Dhabi, another special F1 is heading to auction.

This one is even rarer, one of just 28 GTR versions ever built, later converted for road use. It may not quite match the last car’s result, but expectations still stretch beyond $20 million.

Read: The Most Expensive New Car Ever Sold At Auction Wasn’t A Bugatti Or Ferrari, It Was This

This particular F1 GTR, chassis number 27R, was originally purchased by London financier David Morrison, who at the time also owned a McLaren F1 LM. The car competed in the FIA GT Championship with Gary Ayles and Chris Goodwin behind the wheel. Goodwin would later become a key development driver for both McLaren and Aston Martin.

This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock

Alex Penfold/RM Sotheby’s

The car claimed victory at its inaugural race during the first round of the British GT Championship on April 6, 1997, before heading to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. There, 27R was leased to the Japanese GT team ‘Team Lark’ and given a special livery for the event. While the F1 retired from the event, it would go on to race at the 4 Hours of Silverstone and the Nurburgring 4 Hours.

From Private Purchase To Criminal Case

Morrison sold his F1 GTR the following year to fellow Briton James Munroe. Not long after, suspicions started to grow about how Munroe built his wealth. As it turns out, he was the head of the accounts department at McGraw-Hill and he reportedly embezzled almost £3 million ($4.1 million).

Authorities arrested him and froze his assets, including the McLaren, which was ultimately sold at auction in 2000.

This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock

Alex Penfold/RM Sotheby’s

The supercar has since passed through the hands of several enthusiasts and was converted to road legal specification by Lanzante more than a decade ago. It has remained with its current owner since 2018 and stands as one of just three F1 GTRs to have claimed victory on their race debut, a detail that sets it apart even among elite company.

RM Sotheby’s is overseeing the sale and estimates the car will achieve between $18 million and $21 million. It retains its original numbers matching BMW V12 and is fully registered for road use in the UK.

So yes, it is a Le Mans veteran with a debut win and a slightly scandalous backstory, now wearing number plates. Curious? Check out the listing over here and see how close your spare $20 million gets you.

This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock
This Track Weapon Just Became A $20M Blue Chip Stock

Alex Penfold/RM Sotheby’s