F1 News: Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes W04 Sells At Las Vegas Auction For Staggering $18.8 Million
Lewis Hamilton's first race-winning Mercedes W04 sold at the Las Vegas GP Official Auction for a staggering $18.8 million, exceeding the estimate of $10-15 million.
The auction saw the first public sale of a Lewis Hamilton-driven Mercedes amongst other items including some Michael Schumacher racing memorabilia, which sold for $102,000.
RM Sotheby's Auction
On top of that, the auction in the Wynn's Awakening Theatre and hosted by James Corden, saw the successful sale of a Lando Norris replica for $10,800 which raised money for St. Jude Children's Hospital.
Shelby Myers, RM Sotheby’s global head of private sales commented ahead of the auction:
"In the world of automotive greatness, few marques match the allure of the Mercedes Silver Arrows.
"The Mercedes W196, which sold for $29.6million, remains the most valuable Formula 1 car ever sold. However, it's the Mercedes-Benz Uhlenhaut Coupe that fetched $ 142 million, cementing the Silver Arrows' place in history books as one of the world's most valuable and recognisable brands.
"Now, adding to the legacy of the Silver Arrows, we introduce the W04 – a car whose significance cannot be overstated.
"Driven by Formula 1's most successful driver and sporting icon, Lewis Hamilton, this car delivered his very first win in a Mercedes F1 car, signalling the beginning of the marque's most dominant period: the Hamilton-Mercedes dynasty.
"This pairing can only be compared to Jordan and the Bulls, Brady and the Patriots, or Messi and Argentina.
"Given the unparalleled lineage and being the sole example outside of Mercedes' origination publicly available, the pairing of Lewis and the W04 elevates it beyond just a Formula 1 car.
"This undeniable piece could emerge as one of the most coveted collectibles in the foreseeable future."