McLaren auctions unraced 2026 F1 car for $12m
The genuine MCL40A will be delivered in early 2028
In an unprecedented move, McLaren is auctioning a Formula 1 car that has not yet been built or raced.
RM Sotheby’s has listed the 2026 McLaren MCL40A, to be driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri next season, with a guide price of US $10-12 million. The auction will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 5.
According to Sotheby’s, the sale represents "a world-first opportunity to acquire a future Formula 1 car ahead of its unveiling," with the winning bidder to receive either Norris’ or Piastri’s chassis - delivered long after the 2026 campaign concludes.
The buyer will not immediately take possession of the car. McLaren will deliver a non-running 2025 show car for display until the genuine MCL40A arrives in early 2028, a two-year delay designed to protect technical secrets under the incoming 2026 F1 regulations.
RM Sotheby’s will also feature a piece of F1 history at the same sale - the 1991 McLaren MP4-6, famously driven by Ayrton Senna to victory in that year’s Brazilian GP, with an estimated price of $12-15 million.