MICHAEL Schumacher’s iconic Formula 1 car is set to sell for an eye-watering price at auction.
The racing legend drove the incredible Ferrari F2001b when he won the 2002 Australian Grand Prix.
The 220mph 3.0-litre V10 cherry-red Ferrari is being sold by RM Sotheby’s with a jaw-dropping price tag of £6million.
An RM Sotheby’s spokesperson said: “Amongst the most desirable of any modern-era grand prix cars in existence, chassis 215 played a significant role in the early days of the 2002 Formula 1 World Championship.
“Campaigned by Michael Schumacher in his historic fifth Championship-winning season, it boasts a first place finish at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix and 3rd at the 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix, after qualifying on pole.
“Having pitted on the first lap in Malaysia, Schumacher fought back from 21 st place to finish third, a truly exceptional effort from a fantastic driver”.
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A similar car driven by Schumacher in the same season sold in 2017 for a whopping £5.9million.
“The previous season, the factory had been developing the F2002, but it proved to be hindered by issues, which led the team to choose to continue with the use of the previous season’s highly reliable F2001 car, incorporating various upgrades from the 2002,” the spokesperson added.
They also told how following the vehicle’s success on the track, it passed through the hands of a Swiss collector before entering the collection of the consignor.
“Chassis 215 is one of very few machines to never finish outside the podium positions during its competition career, and this presents an unrepeatable opportunity to acquire an iconic machine of the modern formula one era,” they said.
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The auction takes place between August 16 and August 19.
It comes after the German racing icon was involved in a devastating ski crash accident in 2013 while on the slopes above Méribel in the French Alps.
He fell and hit his head on a rock while crossing an off-piste area – suffering a serious head injury despite wearing a ski helmet.
Doctors said he would most likely have died had he not been wearing the safety gear, and the world champ was airlifted to Grenoble Hospital.
He was put into a medically induced coma after suffering what was described as a “traumatic brain injury”.
The former Ferrari and Mercedes driver was brought out of the coma in June 2014 and was released to go and rehabilitate at his home in Gland, Switzerland.
The 53-year-old now lives a private life with his family with the tragic ski accident coming just over a year after he retired from F1 in 2012.
He mounted a brief comeback for three seasons with the new Mercedes team after initially hanging up his helmet in 2006.
In 2021, his family broke their eight-year silence on the seven-time world champion’s condition in a Netflix documentary examining his illustrious career.
His wife Corinna explained in the Netflix interview: “We’re together. We live together at home. We do therapy.
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“We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he’s comfortable.
“And to make him feel our family, our bond, And no matter, I will do everything I can. We all will.”
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
