Formula One fans and collectors are gearing up for what promises to be a well-contended auction lot when a very famous Lewis Hamilton racecar crosses the block. The vehicle in question was the first one piloted by Hamilton in victorious fashion after he switched to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team. That’s enough to make the car one to watch at RM Sotheby’s Las Vegas event in November.
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For those who were dutifully tracking the 2013 F1 season, this is the car Lewis used to snag first palce at the Hungarian Grand Prix. He piloted this ride in 14 out of 19 events during the season, making it a mainstay many will recognize, livery and all.
As pointed out in the RM Sotheby’s lot listing, this racecar was also critical in Mercedes-AMG Petronas grabbing the second place finish for the 2013 Constructor’s Championship. That might seem like not such a big deal these days, but the team wasn’t the established powerhouse we all know now. Hamilton took a real gamble leaving McLaren to join up, one that panned out quite well indeed.
What’s more, no other car from Lewis’ career with Mercedes-AMG Petronas is going to be hitting the market anytime soon, so this is it for now. So all eyes will be on chassis W04 as it has the potential to draw big bucks. In fact, the auction house has posted an estimate of $10,000,000 to $15,000,000.
Tucked into this F1 car is a relic of the past, a naturally-aspirated 2.4-liter V8. It’s one of the last eight-cylinder engines used before all teams were forced to switch to turbocharged V6s. No matter how much anyone wants to kid themselves, F1 racing just hasn’t sounded as good ever since.
If you want to track what happens to this Lewis Hamilton Mercedes-AMG Petronas car, tune in to the RM Sotheby’s Las Vegas event on the afternoon of Friday, November 17. Bidding is expected to be quite lively.
Images via RM Sotheby’s
