Source:
REUTERS/RULA ROUHANA
[Saba
Sports News] RM Sotheby’s Automobile Auction House recently held an auction at
the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. During the event, a Mercedes F1 W04 car, with the
chassis code 04, was sold for a staggering $18.8 million, making it the most
expensive modern Formula One car ever sold. The high price tag can be
attributed to the fact that this car was once driven by Lewis Hamilton. It
competed in the 2013 Formula One World Championship, participating in 14 out of
the 19 rounds and contributing to Hamilton’s first championship win with the
Mercedes-AMG Team. Aside from its symbolic value tied to Hamilton, the car
holds three significant features. Firstly, it retains its original powertrain, including
the Mercedes-Benz 2.4L V8 naturally aspirated engine model FO 108F and the
7-speed sequential gearbox developed jointly by Xtrac and Mercedes-AMG.
Secondly, it is the only F1 racing car from Mercedes that has been sold to an
external buyer. Lastly, this car represents Mercedes’ farewell to the era of
pure fuel V8 engines, as the 2014 season marked the full adoption of V6 hybrid
power in Formula One. Hopefully, the mysterious buyer who acquired it will
return the car to the track, allowing fans to witness the championship car’s
heroic presence once again.