You could own Kimi Räikkönen’s McLaren MP4/21
Is an Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro a bit tame for you when it comes to options for a track day car for £2-£3million? Best get yourself down to the 2023 F1 season-closer in Abu Dhabi on 25 November for Bonhams’ On The Grid Sale, where for the same money, you could become the owner of Kimi Räikkönen’s 2006 McLaren MP4/21 Formula 1 car.
Indeed, when the Aston is hitting its rev limiter at 12,000rpm, the McLaren’s 2.4-litre Mercedes V8 is lugging, on the way up to a 19,000rpm redline. The Aston is also really rather heavy by comparison, coming in at over 400kg more than the 600kg McLaren.
Of course, the McLaren is an actual F1 car too, so it has the hearts and minds of millions of F1 fans all over the world. That iconic and instantly-recognisable chrome and red livery is one McLaren spent the 2023 British Grand Prix emulating, while the car itself in terms of design comes from an innovative and exploratory era in terms of aerodynamics. Those horns could only be the product of pre-2009 F1…
Of course, pedigree that’s as inimitable as its place in the history of the sport is a plus, too. This example – chassis 02 – is a double podium-finisher for Räikkönen (third in Bahrain and second in Australia), having contested eight races throughout the 2006 season scoring solid points in all that it finished.
Indeed, the final McLaren Räikkönen raced is probably most famous for its Monaco DNF. Kimi and the MP4/21 were on for second place behind Fernando Alonso on pace before a fire during a safety car period put it and its famously stern driver firmly out of the running. On exiting the crisped McLaren, the nonchalant Finn made his way out of the paddocks to spend the rest of the race relaxing on a yacht in the harbour. Kimi ‘The Iceman’ Räikkönen, ever the chad.
The car has since been in the ownership of McLaren itself. The team sold the car in 2021 following an extensive restoration and its from that buyer that the McLaren is being sold in November. Estimated to make between £1.96 and £2.76million.
Ahead of the sale, it’ll go on display in California for Monterey Car Week, at Bonhams’ Quail Auction on 18 August, after an appearance at The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca on 12-13 August.
Race images courtesy of Motorsport Images, auction images courtesy of Bonhams/Cars
McLaren
MP4/21
Kimi Raikkonen
Bonhams
F1 2006
Formula 1
