McLaren to put five F1 cars, including a Senna icon, up for sale

McLaren has revealed five of its race-used Formula 1 cars, including an icon from Ayrton Senna’s career, will go up for sale.

The Woking-based outfit is one of F1’s most prestigious teams and holds a significant place in the championship’s history.

Five cars spanning over three decades of McLaren F1 history will now be put on sale by the team through Tom Hartley Jr., who recently sold Bernie Ecclestone’s grand prix collection.

A 1991 McLaren MP4/6A, which was the last car Ayrton Senna drove to a championship title, his third in F1, is among the collection.

There are two MP4/6As going up for sale: Chassis No.4 and Chassis No.7.

McLaren fielded Senna and Gerhard Berger that season. Senna tested both chassis, but they were raced by Berger.

The McLaren MP4/27A, Chassis No.1, is also included in the collection going up for sale.

The team won seven grands prix that year with the MP4/27, which took on two iterations during the campaign.

The first design was one of the few on the grid not to opt for the ‘platypus’ style of nosecone under that year’s regulations. It would later adopt a revised nose shape later in the year.

Jenson Button won the opening round of the season in Australia, while Lewis Hamilton was third.

Hamilton would win in Canada, Hungary, Italy and the United States in his last year with McLaren before moving to Mercedes.

Button won three times, following up his Australia victory with one in Belgium and a third at the finale in Brazil.

Two more recent McLaren challengers will be available, with the 2021 MCL35M and the MCL37A being sold.

The MCL35M marked the team’s return to Mercedes power, having run with Renault engines between 2017 and 2020 following a fruitless three seasons with Honda power before that.

The car, driven by Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo that year, won the Italian Grand Prix with the latter.

That marked the team’s first win since Button’s Brazil victory in 2012.

The 2023 car, originally called the MCL37 but later renamed to the MCL60, driven by Norris and Oscar Piastri, didn’t prove to be a winner.

However, it did achieve nine podium finishes. The car was also tested by Hollywood star Brad Pitt.

“We have decided to part with these iconic McLaren Formula 1 cars because we feel that having them simply sitting in storage is a disservice to what they represent,” Zak Brown, McLaren CEO, said.

“These cars were built to be driven and raced, and we want to see them being used and enjoyed.

“We believe that is the best way to keep our history alive and our heritage business active.

“Tom Hartley Jnr is the person we have entrusted to handle the sale.

“Few people understand the Formula One car market as well as Tom does, and nobody is more active within it today.

“We were also very impressed by the way he handled the sale of the Ecclestone Grand Prix Collection, and McLaren has worked with him successfully for many years.”

No prices have been listed yet for these cars.