An iconic £4.4m F1 car driven by a racing legend that was never meant to be sold is going under the hammer after 30 years.
This historic 1994 Williams FW16 was once driven by the legendary Ayrton Senna and is the same model he suffered his fatal crash in.
The Brazilian F1 icon drove the vehicle at the start of the 1994 World Championship season – the year he tragically died.
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It is one of just two surviving FW16 modes driven by Senna.
The 32-year-old vehicle is now heading under the hammer after being retained by his family for three decades.
Bidding will open on 16 Nov with the auction held in New York, as reported by What’s The Jam.
The car was always meant to be kept by Senna after he signed a special contract with Williams.
His family looked after the car from 1994 to 2024, with it now being offered publicly for the first time.
RM Sotheby’s are hosting the auction and have given the car an estimated value of £4.4m.
The Williams FW16 has a top speed of 199mph.
This model has been driven by three F1 champions – Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Damon Hill.
A spokesperson for RM Sotheby’s said: “Ayrton Senna lived an incredible life, and he will forever be remembered for both his motor racing successes and his unwavering support for the people of his native Brazil.
“Chassis FW16B-01 offers an incredible opportunity to write the next chapter in the story of a legend and is a worthy addition to any of the greatest automotive collections in the world.
“This offering presents a historically significant opportunity to acquire an inestimable artifact with peerless provenance that is just coming to light for the first time.
“A grand prix car driven by the best racing driver of his generation – a genius on the track and a giant off it is alone an extremely rare opportunity.
“The provenance of chassis FW16B-01 makes it a landmark piece of Senna history and encapsulates one of the greatest stories in Formula 1, a story which could become almost bigger than the car itself.
“Williams’ decision to honor their contract and gift one of the last cars ever driven by the Brazilian ace (a car also driven by two other Formula 1 World Champions) to the Senna family with whom it remained as a treasured centerpiece to his legacy for thirty years, truly sets it apart from any other example.
“It is without a doubt one of the most significant grand prix cars to be made available in recent years.”
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