McLaren’s F1 2026 car has already made history

How much did McLaren’s F1 2026 season car sold for at an auction

The MCL40A joined an elite list of the most expensive Formula 1 cars ever auctioned. The sale is a reminder of how far McLaren’s resurgence has gone, both on and off the circuit.

After a dominant 2025 season that delivered a constructors’ and drivers’ double, the team is now setting records in the collectors’ market too.

It also shows how Formula 1’s modern engineering has become as desirable as its heritage machines.

McLaren’s 2026 F1 car sold for £8.5 million at auction

According to Planet F1, the McLaren MCL40A fetched £8.5 million in a world-first auction earlier this month. The sale made it the sixth most expensive Formula 1 car ever sold publicly.

The buyer will take delivery in early 2028 with a full 2026 spec Mercedes power unit, finished in its new livery.

The auction also came with exclusive experiences, including hospitality at two Grand Prix weekends, one of them the Monaco Grand Prix, and access to meet Zak Brown, Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri at the McLaren Technology Centre.

McLaren’s 2025 success helped build that momentum. The team won 14 of 24 races, with Norris taking the drivers’ title and delivering McLaren’s first championship double since 1998.

With sweeping rule changes arriving in 2026, including new engine regulations and sustainable fuels, the MCL40A represents both nostalgia and the future.

The auction’s popularity also reflects how collectors are chasing more recent championship machinery. Formula 1’s blend of technology and history has made cars like this modern McLaren as prized as vintage icons.

The five most expensive F1 cars ever sold

McLaren’s £8.5 million sale joins an elite group of machines that define Formula 1’s most valuable history. Verified auction data from Classic Car Auctions confirms the all-time leaderboard is now led by a legendary Mercedes.

At the top sits the 1955 Mercedes Benz W196R Streamliner, sold for around £43 million at RM Sotheby’s in 2025. Driven by Juan Manuel Fangio, it remains the most expensive Grand Prix car ever sold publicly.

Next on the list is Lewis Hamilton’s 2013 Mercedes AMG W04, sold for about £15 million in 2023. Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F2001 follows closely, fetching around £14.5 million in 2025. His 2003 Ferrari F2003 GA ranks fourth at about £12 million, while McLaren’s new MCL40A now rounds out the top five.

The figures highlight how Formula 1’s most prized cars blend history, performance, and emotional value. Each sale reinforces how much collectors are willing to pay to own a piece of racing history.

The McLaren auction proves that modern F1 craftsmanship now commands prices once reserved for mid century icons. For a car yet to turn a wheel, the MCL40A’s sale shows just how powerful McLaren’s comeback story has become.

In a sport where innovation never stops, the brand’s value now extends far beyond the grid. The 2026 McLaren has already won something no team can challenge: the auction spotlight.