McLaren to Auction 2026 F1 Car at Abu Dhabi GP — Before It Races

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2 days ago

In a motorsport first, McLaren will auction its yet-to-be-raced 2026 Formula 1 car during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend on December 5, alongside its upcoming IndyCar entry and 2027 WEC hypercar. The winning bidder will not only get their car — but also they will get VIP paddock access, behind-the-scenes involvement in development, and a leased 2025 display car to show off until the real thing arrives in 2028.
McLaren is approaching this event as if it were its own personal Monterey Car Week — a stage for prestige, spectacle, and the kind of high-profile moments that cement a brand's legacy. It recalls the time a McLaren F1, once owned by tech titan Larry Ellison, dominated headlines. That was a celebration of the past, a moment steeped in nostalgia and reverence for an icon. This, however, is something different.
A Radical Play in a Year of Radical Changes
The 2026 McLaren — likely to be badged MCL40 — will be the team's first chassis built to the FIA's sweeping new regulations, bringing active aerodynamics, revised hybrid power units, and tighter energy deployment rules.
In other words, it's an entirely different beast from today's car. While collectors usually wait decades for such machines to hit auction, McLaren is making its future hardware available now. It's part marketing move, part funding strategy — the same kind of brand-savvy play that sees McLaren Special Operations eyeing wild ideas like the possible comeback of the McLaren 12C to re-engage loyalists.
Source: RM Sotheby's
The Company McLaren Keeps at Auction
This won't be a lone star under the gavel. RM Sotheby's will also showcase McLaren's 2026 IndyCar, its Le Mans-bound hypercar, and several road-going unicorns. It's the sort of ultra-exclusive catalogue where you'd also find things like the McLaren Speedtail with $250K in bespoke upgrades that stunned bidders earlier this month.
Some might think McLaren's racing program and its exclusive road cars are separate worlds, but they're anything but. The link is intentional — every victory on the track fuels the mystique in the showroom. McLaren are selling an identity, a chance to wear the same badge as the cars that chase glory at 200 miles an hour.
Why It Matters for Fans and Collectors
For well-heeled collectors, this is the equivalent of buying the Mona Lisa while da Vinci's still mixing the paint. The winning bidder becomes part of the car's story from day one, gaining insights into how the team works, how the car evolves, and potentially watching it win — or lose — in real time. It's a shrewd way to bind a collector's ego to McLaren's competitive fortunes, and it might set a precedent.
If the sale smashes estimates, expect other teams to follow. Just don't expect Ferrari to sell you next year's SF-26 before Charles Leclerc's even put his helmet on.
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