LEWIS HAMILTON’S old Mercedes has made history as the most expensive modern-day Formula One car ever.
The 2013 speedster sold for £15million at an RM Sotheby’s auction in Las Vegas over the weekend.
Jam Press/Alex Penfold/CourtesyLewis Hamilton’s 2013 Mercedes went to auction in Las Vegas[/caption]
Jam Press/Alex Penfold/CourtesyIt sold for £15million – making it the most expensive modern F1 car in history[/caption]
Jam Press/Alex Penfold/CourtesyHamilton won the 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix in the vehicle[/caption]
Jam Press/Alex Penfold/CourtesyIt was the first Mercedes a Brit won in since Stirling Moss in 1955[/caption]
That makes it pricier than the previous most expensive modern-day F1 car – Michael Schumacher’s 2003 Ferrari F2003.
However it is still not as costly as the most expensive F1 car of all time.
The 1954 Mercedes W196R, driven by Juan Manuel Fangio, was sold by Bonhams in 2013 for £19.6million.
Hamilton, 38, did not even win the F1 championship in the car – finishing fourth as Sebastian Vettel claimed the glory.
But he did race in the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 13 times and won the 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix in the car.
That meant he became the first Brit to win in a Mercedes since Sterling Moss’s victory at the 1955 British Grand Prix.
The 234mph F1 machine – Hamilton’s main car for the season – boasts a V8 engine and a 0-60mph of just 3.6 seconds.
It is the only one ever sold outside of Mercedes.
Jam Press/Alex Penfold/CourtesyHamilton finished fourth in the F1 championships driving the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04[/caption]
AFPMichael Schumacher’s 2003 Ferrari was previously the most expensive modern F1 car[/caption]
BonhamsThe 1954 Mercedes W196R is the most expensive F1 car ever at £19.6million[/caption]
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The historic auction in Vegas coincided with the first ever Grand Prix in Sin City – and Hamilton was a fan.
He said of the race: “I’m really, really happy to have had a positive race and I’m really grateful the race was so good.
“I really wasn’t expecting the track to be so great but the more and more laps you did I just really loved racing it.
“Lots of great overtaking opportunities and I think for all those who were so negative about the weekend, saying it was all about show blah blah blah, I think Vegas proved them wrong.”