A McLaren F1 GTR is heading to auction at Monterey Car Week next month with estimates suggesting bids could surpass $35 million, potentially making it the most expensive F1 ever sold. The F1 GTR represents one of the rarest McLaren variants ever produced, built specifically for racing homologation in the mid-1990s.
McLaren constructed only 28 F1 GTRs for competition, far fewer than the 64 road-legal F1s that left the factory. The GTR variant featured aggressive aerodynamics, upgraded suspension, and a tweaked 7.0-liter V12 engine producing roughly 680 horsepower. These cars dominated international motorsport, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995 and garnering multiple victories in the British Super Sports 2000 Championship.
The current record for an F1 stands at $20.5 million, set in 2021. An estimate exceeding $35 million would represent a dramatic jump, reflecting the astronomical prices ultra-rare hypercars command in the collector market. Only a handful of F1 GTRs remain in private hands, with most either parked in serious collections or preserved in museums.
Monterey Car Week auctions have consistently delivered headline prices for blue-chip automotive assets. The timing matters too. The global wealth expansion among ultra-high-net-worth collectors and record spending on rare cars have pushed values to unprecedented levels.
The F1 GTR's rarity combines with its racing pedigree and mechanical perfection to justify collector interest. These machines represent the final generation of naturally aspirated, driver-focused supercars before the turbo era dominance. Owning an F1 GTR signals automotive mastery and serious financial horsepower. Whether this particular car reaches the $35