Michael Schumacher's iconic Ferrari F2001 has sold at auction for a staggering £13.43 million (€15.98 million) ahead of Monaco qualifying.
The sale, conducted by auction house RM Sotheby's earlier this week, has set a new record for the most expensive Schumacher Formula One car ever sold at auction.
The legendary vehicle, which the German racing icon drove during his fourth world championship campaign in 2001, commanded significant attention from collectors and motorsport enthusiasts alike.
The sale price comfortably surpassed the previous record for a Schumacher car, which stood at £9.75 million paid for his F2003 back in 2022.
Micheal Schumacher won his fourth world championship in the F2001
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The F2001 holds particular historical significance as the car Schumacher piloted to victory in both the 2001 Monaco and Hungarian Grands Prix during his championship-winning season.
These victories were part of Schumacher's dominant campaign that secured his fourth world title, further cementing his legacy in Formula One history.
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The car represents a golden era for Ferrari and Schumacher, who formed one of the most successful partnerships in motorsport history.
Despite the impressive sale price, the F2001 remains only the fourth most expensive Formula One car ever sold at auction.
The record for the most expensive Formula One car ever sold was set earlier this year when a silver Mercedes W196 R Stromlinienwagen fetched an astonishing £42.75 million at auction. This historic vehicle was driven by Argentine racing legend Juan Manuel Fangio at the 1955 Buenos Aires Grand Prix.
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Schumacher's Ferrari sold for £13.4 million
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While Schumacher's F2001 commanded an impressive sum, it falls significantly short of the record-breaking figure achieved by Fangio's Mercedes.
The Ferrari's sale price of £13.43 million nonetheless reflects the enduring value and significance of vehicles driven by one of Formula One's greatest champions.
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Schumacher would go on to capture a further three world championships before retiring from racing in 2012 following a brief return to the sport.
His record of seven Formula One world championship victories stood unmatched for more than a decade until Lewis Hamilton, now racing for Ferrari, equalled the achievement in 2020.
Micheal Schumacher and Ferrari were a legendary combination
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The year after his retirement, Schumacher suffered a serious brain injury whilst skiing and was placed into a medically induced coma. Since the incident, the 56-year-old has not appeared publicly and is cared for by a team of medical staff and his wife Corinna at their Lake Geneva home.
Schumacher's family remain very protective of his privacy.
