McLaren to auction its 2026 Formula 1 car before it even makes its track debut

McLaren to auction its 2026 Formula 1 car before it even makes its track debut

LONDON, Aug 15 — McLaren made history on Thursday by announcing that it will auction one of its 2026 Formula One cars before it ever turns a wheel in competition.‍

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LONDON, Aug 15 — McLaren made history on Thursday by announcing that it will auction one of its 2026 Formula One cars before it ever turns a wheel in competition.

The car, set to be driven by either Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris, is one of three future McLaren chassis that will go under the hammer in an RM Sotheby’s sale on December 5, ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Also up for auction are a 2026 Arrow McLaren Indycar — to be raced by Pato O’Ward at next year’s Indianapolis 500 — and McLaren’s first-ever 2027 World Endurance Hypercar, due to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown said it marks the first time a future Formula One car has been sold before its public unveiling.

The as-yet-unnamed 2026 machine — expected to be called the MCL40 — will be McLaren’s first under the sport’s next major technical and engine regulations. The winning bidder will not receive the car until 2028, but will be offered a 2025 show car on lease in the meantime, along with exclusive access to the team and its events.

The other two cars will be delivered after their respective racing campaigns conclude.

McLaren, the only team to have achieved motorsport’s “Triple Crown” — winning the Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans — aims to build on its legacy when it returns to endurance racing in 2027. — Reuters

The F1 car, which will be driven by Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris, is one of a trio of future chassis offered by McLaren in the December 5 sale organised by RM Sotheby’s ahead of this year’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. — Picture from X/The F1 Journal

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