Lewis Hamilton F1 car auctioned
The car in which Lewis Hamilton achieved his first win for Mercedes-AMG after making the switch from McLaren has sold for a new record amount at auction.
Offered as part of a special auction conducted by RM Sothebys ahead of the Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix in November, chassis #W04-04 was campaigned by Hamilton throughout the 2013 F1 season – his first with Mercedes-AMG Petronas after six years with McLaren.
The move to Mercedes was considered a gamble and seemed to be borne out when Hamilton won just one race in the W04 in 2013 – his worst result since joining F1 in 2007. Season 2014 was a totally different story, when Hamilton won the Drivers’ World Championship in a canter. He’d repeat the feat with Mercedes-AMG in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
For the 2013 season, the last year of naturally-aspirated V8 engines in Formula 1, Mercedes-AMG presented new signing Hamilton and incumbent driver Nico Rosberg with the W04. Powered by a 2.4-litre V8 with 750hp (559kW), the W04 also featured a seven-speed semi-automatic transmission, the Kinetic Energy Recovery System and interconnected suspension. Mercedes themselves described the W04 as the single biggest advance they’d made since rejoining F1 as a constructor in 2010.
Hamilton drove #W04-04 in 14 of 19 races across the 2013 season, achieving podiums in the car at the Malaysian, Chinese and Belgian Grands Prix. His sole race win for 2013, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, also came in this car. Additionally, Hamilton achieved five pole positions in W04-04 during the 2013 season, including at Hungary.
The only Mercedes F1 car not to be offered by Mercedes themselves, W04-04 was consigned anonymously for the Las Vegas F1 auction, with an estimate of US$10-15 million. The car ultimately sold for US$18.81 million (AU$29.06 million approx.), eclipsing the previous record for a modern F1 car - Michael Schumacher’s 2003 Ferrari F2003-GA – which sold for US$14.9 million (AU$23.1 million approx.) in 2022.
Photos: Courtesy of RM Sothebys
