McLaren F1 history is about to change hands, and none of it is a road car. The team is selling five genuine Grand Prix chassis, each handled directly by the squad that built and raced them. According to a report by MOTOR1.COM, the collection covers 32 years of the team’s modern past.
Why This McLaren F1 Sale Matters
Chassis #04 finished second at the 1991 San Marino Grand Prix behind Ayrton Senna, and both McLaren drivers lapped the entire field. Its naturally aspirated Honda RA121E V12 helped deliver the fourth straight Constructors’ Championship. Sister chassis #07 finished second at Silverstone and was never crashed during its racing career.
Meanwhile, the 2012 MP4/27A carries Jenson Button’s fingerprints from a tense title fight. The 2021 MCL35M delivered podiums for Norris at Imola, Monaco, and Monza. Anyone chasing modern lightness should study the McLaren 765LT Carbon Edition, which shares this obsession with purity.
| ⚙️Engine / Powertrain | 3.5L Honda RA121E V12 (MP4/6A) / 1.6L Turbo V6 Hybrid (MCL37A) |
| 🐎Power Output | 700+ HP (est.) / 1,000+ HP (est.) |
| ⚡Peak Torque | Not disclosed |
| ⏱️0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) | 0-60 mph in 2.6s (est.) |
| 🚀Top Speed | 220 mph (354 km/h) (est.) |
| 🔄Drivetrain / Gearbox | 8-Speed Semi-Automatic / RWD |
| 💰Starting Price / Est. | Undisclosed by McLaren |
Norris’s MCL37A Is The Centerpiece
Still, the 2023 MCL37A is the car that matters most. Norris drove it to back-to-back second-place finishes at Singapore and Japan. Chassis #03 then joined McLaren’s testing program, where Oscar Piastri, Valtteri Bottas, and Martin Brundle put laps on it. Brad Pitt reportedly reached 197 mph in it at Circuit of the Americas, and that is a serious chassis to hand over to a collector. This is the most modern McLaren F1 car ever offered privately, and the implications for collectors are enormous.
Storage Is A Disservice To Speed
Zak Brown, chief executive of McLaren Racing, made his position clear. “We have decided to part with these iconic McLaren Formula One cars because we feel that having them simply sitting in storage is a disservice to what they represent,” he said. Brown also praised Hartley’s handling of the Ecclestone Grand Prix Collection. Brand historians will tell you that McLaren has rarely parted with works machinery this recent.
Expect these cars to climb in value once a buyer finally fires one up at a club circuit. Ultimately, the best owners will be those who understand that a carbon tub is meant to be pushed to its limits. For more motorsport and performance coverage, visit Auto News Magazine.
Marcus Vance
Senior Track & Performance Editor at Auto News Magazine. Veteran automotive journalist specializing in chassis dynamics, apex telemetry, track-day specials, and high-revving mechanical purity.
View all articles by Marcus Vance →
