Lewis Hamilton’s 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas W04 F1 car, a pivotal piece of racing history, shattered auction records during a recent event.
This particular car marked Hamilton’s inaugural F1 victory for Mercedes and was sold for an astonishing $18,8 million (R343 million) at an RM Sotheby’s auction in Las Vegas on the 17th of November. This remarkable sale established a new pinnacle in the world of F1 car auctions, surpassing all prior records for cars of the modern era. Notably, this car holds significance as the final V8 engine model before the advent of the turbo hybrid era.
Hamilton steered this iconic W04 throughout 14 of the 19 races in the 2013 Formula 1 season. Its crowning moment came at the Hungarian Grand Prix that year, where Hamilton secured a triumphant win. Initially projected to fetch between $10 million and $15 million, its final sale price exceeded expectations significantly.
This auction was especially notable because of how rare it was. The only Mercedes F1 vehicle from the current era that isn’t owned by Mercedes, Toto Wolff, or Hamilton is this W04. Because of its scarcity, it is worth more because it is a rare chance that won’t come along again with any of Hamilton’s cars during his dominating reign of the hybrid era from 2014 to 2020. After forming a partnership with Mercedes in 2013, Hamilton went on to become the most successful Formula One driver in history, having won an astounding 103 races to date.
His accomplishments easily surpass the 91 victories of Michael Schumacher and the 53 of Sebastian Vettel. Schumacher is behind Hamilton by 36 poles, as Hamilton holds the record for the most pole positions at an unprecedented 104. Hamilton leads all drivers in Formula One history with 197 podium finishes, having finished on the podium in almost 60% of the races.
The W04’s 2,4-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine produces 559 kW at a maximum rev limit of 18,000 rpm. The KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) adds an extra 60 kW to this power. Its power connects to a semi-automatic transmission with seven speeds that was created in association with Xtrac.
Being the last car with a high nose and the first with front-to-rear interconnected suspension (FRIC), the F1W04-04 is a historical figure. Hamilton drove this car to a fourth-place finish in the 2013 season. He finished the season with five pole positions and five podium finishes, four of which came from this exact car. Interestingly, it finished third in the Chinese, Belgian, and Malaysian Grand Prix competitions.
The success of this car at auction represents a major turning point in the history of Formula One and represents a crucial period in Hamilton’s remarkable career.
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