Schumacher’s 2001 Ferrari sells for $18.17 million, setting new auction record

MONACO: Michael Schumacher’s iconic Ferrari F2001 Formula One car, which powered him to victory in the Monaco and Hungarian Grands Prix during his 2001 championship-winning season, has sold for a staggering $18.17 million, according to RM Sotheby’s.

The sale took place ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday, and the car became the most expensive Schumacher-driven F1 vehicle ever sold at auction. It surpassed the previous record of $13.2 million paid for his 2003 Ferrari F2003 in 2022.

This F2001 chassis was not only crucial to Schumacher’s fifth and final Monaco triumph but also secured his win in Hungary — a race that clinched his fourth world title. At 56, Schumacher remains a revered figure in motorsport, and the car’s sale reflects his enduring legacy.

The F2001 now stands as the fourth-most expensive Formula One car sold at auction. The record remains with the $52.52 million fetched earlier this year for a Mercedes W196 streamliner driven by Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss in the 1950s.(Reuters)