A McLaren F1 race car once piloted by ex-Formula One driver J.J. Lehto was sold at auction over the weekend for a staggering $5,280,000. The price paid is certainly an incredible sum, but you have to consider that only around 100 F1s were ever built, including racing versions like the one featured here.
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This particular example is a 1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail, bearing chassis number 021R. The car was campaigned by the Works BMW Motorsport Team and is the automaker’s most successful race car in private hands.
It was recently restored to original factory condition and decked out in the iconic FINA livery that it wore during much of its racing career. That career included four podium finishes in five FIA GT Championship races.
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Under the hood is a 6.0-liter V-12 tuned to deliver 604 horsepower and 6,500 rpm. The engine is paired with a six-speed sequential gearbox from Xtrac and spins the rear wheels only. The suspension consists of double wishbones and light alloy dampers, and the brakes are carbon ceramic discs from Brembo.
Estimates for the car ranged from $5 million up to $7 million. Incredibly, the McLaren wasn’t the top seller at the auction, which was organized by Gooding & Company and took place in Scottsdale, Arizona. A 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider went for $8,250,000 and a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet went for $6,160,000.
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