This is probably the craziest blind buy in racing history! An unknown bidder dropped an incredible $11.4 million. For what? For the McLaren car of the 2026 season. The catch: the Formula 1 car doesn’t even exist yet!
While collectors usually pay millions for legendary winning cars from Michael Schumacher or Ayrton Senna, this super-rich person buys the “pig in a poke”. From 2026, completely new regulations with new hybrid engines (50 percent electric power) will apply in the premier class. Will the McLaren MCL40A even be fast? Nobody knows that yet!
But that’s not all. The buyer also has to exercise extreme patience. The car will not be delivered until 2028! As a small consolation for the long wait, McLaren is at least delivering a 2025 show car in advance for the living room at home.
However, the high purchase price does not only include the car. The package includes an extensive adventure program. The buyer is allowed to visit the McLaren factory with five guests of their choice. A meeting with the two drivers and McLaren CEO Zak Brown is planned there.
Additionally, the deal includes access to the MCL40 launch event as well as VIP hospitality at a number of Formula 1 races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500.
McLaren used the auction to sell other future racing vehicles. A 2026-spec McLaren IndyCar fetched $848,750. A WEC hypercar, which also does not yet exist and is currently being developed for the 2027 season, changed hands for a remarkable $7,598,750.
In view of the impending rule changes, which represent one of the biggest upheavals in recent years, McLaren has already achieved success, at least in financial terms, before the first start of the season.