Source:REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki
[Saba Sports News] The McLaren team’s brand-new F1 car, the MCL40A, was sold to a private collector for $11.4 million before it could even make its track debut. This transaction took place shortly after McLaren wrapped up a spectacular season. In 2025, they won 14 out of 24 races, securing both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. Lando Norris was crowned champion in the finale in Abu Dhabi, becoming the eighth world champion in McLaren’s history and the first since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
Next season is set to see a major overhaul of both the chassis and power unit, marking a new era for F1 with 50% electrification, the use of fully sustainable fuels, and the integration of active aerodynamics. Against this backdrop, McLaren opted to take the new car to the auction market early. Ultimately, the MCL40A was sold for $11.4 million, making it one of the top ten most expensive F1 car sales in history, ranking sixth. The current auction record is still held by the 1954 Mercedes W196R, which sold for over €51 million in February 2025.