If You Have Some Spare Millions, You Could Buy A Legendary McLaren Formula 1 Car
Some very famous butts have sat in these seats
McLaren has built and raced some of the most successful Formula 1 cars ever and stores many of them at its famed UK headquarters. Now, British car retailer Tom Hartley Jnr has pulled five of these iconic cars from storage and display, and is putting them up for sale. If your storage safe is overloaded with cash, or you're the type of person who has to call a bank ahead of time to withdraw large sums, now's your chance to get behind the wheel of one, or all of them.
Two highlights of the collection are a pair of McLaren MP4/6A models from the 1991 championship. The first, chassis number 04, was raced by Gerhard Berger and finished second at the 1991 San Marino Grand Prix. It was also tested extensively by Ayrton Senna and retains its original naturally aspirated Honda V12.
The second MP4/6A is chassis number 07 and was raced by Berger at four events, including the British Grand Prix and German Grand Prix. Senna also tested it, and it has remained in McLaren's collection since it was retired from racing.
Two cars driven by Lando Norris are also being sold
The collection includes three more modern F1 cars. One is a 2012 MP4/27A, driven by Jenson Button at several events, including the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton also drove it, and McLaren has committed to fully restoring the car before the next owner takes delivery.
A pair of McLarens raced by 2025 World Driver's Champion Lando Norris should also excite collectors. The first is a 2021 MCL35M, chassis number 01. It helped Norris secure podium results during races in Imola, Monaco, and Monza, and represents a rare opportunity to buy a modern F1 car with the current hybridized V6 powertrain. The second ex-Norris car is a 2023 MCL37A, chassis number 03.
This car was used by Norris to secure second-place finishes at the Singapore Grand Prix and Japanese Grand Prix. At the end of the 2023 season, McLaren used it for testing, and it was driven by Oscar Piastri, Mick Schumacher, IndyCar ace Pato O'Ward, ex-Mercedes and current Cadillac F1 driver Valtteri Bottas, and even Brad Pitt in preparation for the release of the F1 movie.
According to McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown, the British brand is selling the cars as it feels "that having them simply sitting in storage is a disservice to what they represent." While that may be true, McLaren isn't in a great financial position and could probably do with the extra funds.
Tom Hartley Jnr