RM Sotheby's Inaugural Auction At The Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Races To Success
December 1, 2019 by RM Sothebys
• SALE LED BY RECORD-BREAKING PAGANI ZONDA AETHER AT $6.8 MILLION
• MICHAEL SCHUMACHER'S CHAMPIONSHIP-WINNING FERRARI F2002 REACHES $6.6 MILLION
ABU DHABI (1 December 2019) - Last night at the season-ending FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2019, RM Sotheby's made history with the first-ever international collector car auction to be hosted in the Emirate.
Collectors, enthusiasts and F1® fans alike filled what was perhaps the most exciting collector car auction room to date—the Formula 1® starting grid at Yas Marina Circuit. In collaboration with F1, RM Sotheby's presented an exceptional lineup of 40 blue-chip collector cars, ranging from victorious Grand Prix racing machines to iconic sports cars and the most-sought after low-mileage modern hypercars. The offering reflected the diverse collecting interests of the region and resulted in record-setting benchmark results across all categories. Bidders represented a wide range of 28 countries, with 40 percent representing first-time RM Sotheby's bidders.
The night was led by the devilish 2017 Pagani Zonda Aether, a rare one-off hypercar fitted with an ultra-desirable six-speed manual transmission and a host of unique features. The Zonda Aether achieved a final $6,812,000, smashing the current record for the model at auction.
Next up was Michael Schumacher's much-buzzed-about championship-winning 2002 Ferrari F2002. Victorious in three Grand Prix™ events in the 2002 season, the car also secured Schumacher his fifth Drivers' World Championship title. Drawing plenty of attention ahead of the sale and during the preview, the legendary racer sold for a final $6,643,750, making it the second most valuable Formula 1 car ever sold at auction, second only to the Schumacher Ferrari F2001 which RM Sotheby's sold for $7,500,000 in 2017.
It was two more Ferraris that stole the show on Saturday night, with a 2015 Ferrari FXX K, Maranello's most potent track-only, limited production model and the first of its kind ever offered at auction, selling for $4,281,250 to set a new benchmark for the model. Another Scuderia Ferrari F1 racer, a pivotal 1982 Ferrari 126 C2 raced to victory by Patrick Tambay at the 1982 German Grand Prix and driven to pole position and 3rd place by Mario Andretti at the Italian Grand Prix, was the talk of the Paddock before it crossed the auction block on Saturday. Presented as the sole surviving example of the model, the 126 C2 brought a final $2,143,750 to applause from the packed crowd on the grid.
Two memorabilia lots complemented the motor car offering, led by a Formula 1 Slot Car Racetrack, which was signed by all of the current Formula 1 drivers in the Yas Marina Circuit Paddock on Friday night ahead of the sale. Sold for a final $48,000, proceeds from the slot track will benefit the Reaching the Last Mike Fund, inspired by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
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Complete results from RM Sotheby's Abu Dhabi auction will be released on Monday, 2 December. The Abu Dhabi auction concludes RM Sotheby's live auction events for 2019. The auction house will continue to offer Online Only sales on both rmsothebys.com and sothebys.com through the end of the year, beginning with its Online Only: Formula 1® Memorabilia auction, which is open for bidding through 1:00pm ET on Monday, 2 December. The sale features 103 lots of collectibles, ranging from large-scale handmade models to racing helmets and suits, with an emphasis on the late 1980s, and early 1990s and 2000s, as well as the legendary achievements of FIA Formula One World Championship drivers, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Results are listed in USD and include buyer's premium. The previous auction record for a Pagani Zonda was $5,500,000
posted on conceptcarz.com
| Sale Date | Result | Pre-Auction Estimates | Auction House | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2015 | $2,400,000 - $3,000,000 | RM Sothebys | ||
| August 2017 | $1,320,000 | $1,800,000 - $2,500,000 | RM Sothebys | |
| November 2019 | $1,300,000 - $1,600,000 | RM Sothebys |
Engine Number: 62P85571
| Sale Date | Result | Pre-Auction Estimates | Auction House | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2019 | $782,500 | $700,000 - $850,000 | RM Sothebys | |
| May 2021 | $750,000 | $750,000 - $850,000 | RM Sothebys |
