McLaren-Mercedes MP4-21 Formula 1

$2,800,000 – $3,500,000 USD
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One of the very first Formula One cars tested by then 21-year-old Lewis Hamilton upon his signing with McLaren-Mercedes in fall of 2006
Among the few F1 cars outside of a factory collection that is documented to haven been driven by Lewis Hamilton
Driven by Juan Pablo Montoya in the first three races of the 2006 Formula One season
Designed under the technical directorship of the great Adrian Newey; this was Newey’s final season with the McLaren-Mercedes team
The first McLaren model powered by a Mercedes-Benz FO108S 2.4-liter naturally aspirated V-8, originally rated to produce 750 hp at a spine-tingling 19,000 rpm
Fully restored in 2019 by McLaren Racing Heritage and accompanied by McLaren Certificate of Authenticity

Designed by Adrian Newey, Tim Goss, Peter Prodromou, Paddy Lowe, and Mike Caughlan, the MP4-21 featured new aero with a familiar “needle-nose” front reminiscent of the 2004 MP4-19; the switch to a V-8 power unit for the 2006 season also permitted a more compact rear end treatment. In total, Mercedes-McLaren claimed that 90% of the car had been redesigned or refined compared to the previous season’s MP4-20. This new model made its on-track debut in January 2006 during testing at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

With the global popularity of Formula One growing substantially of late, race-used chassis with known provenance have become quite sought-after among collectors. This factory-restored example, with running gear and known history—and having been one of the very first Formula One cars ever driven by Lewis Hamilton—is no exception. With Hamilton winning his first World Championship only one year after his debut in 2007, his early testing experience in the Adrian Newey-designed MP4-21 certainly played a part in his F1 development.

A rare offering by any measure, extremely few documented Lewis Hamilton Formula One cars exist for collectors outside of Factory collections. Chassis no. 21A-03 represents a wonderful opportunity to purchase a restored, usable McLaren-Mercedes team car—from the final year of Adrian Newey’s technical directorship and driven in period testing by Lewis Hamilton in his first and Juan Pablo Montoya in his final year of Formula 1 competition—with boundless potential, and unlimited thrills, in store for its next caretaker.

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