Young driver 'humbled' after spotting ultra-rare McLaren F1 driving down Highway 47 in California
Published on Apr 20, 2026 at 5:20 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Apr 20, 2026 at 5:20 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
This young driver was left stunned when he spotted an ultra-rare McLaren F1 driving down Highway 47 in California, winning him a lot of kudos online.
When you’re out driving on the highway, you can expect to see a lot of cars pass you by.
But not everyone can say they’ve seen a car as elusive as this one.
Not only is this McLaren beautiful – but it belongs to an owner you’ll definitely have heard of.
Who was driving this McLaren F1 and why are people on Reddit so excited by it?
We don’t know what it is about McLaren, but its cars have a knack for turning up in the most unexpected of places.
Remember the time this F1 GT was spotted being loaded into a Boeing 787?
Well, this sighting was a little more lowkey than that.
A young driver was cruising down Highway 47 in California when a red McLaren 41 drove up alongside.
As it pulled ahead, it allowed him the perfect view – and allowed him to snap a picture.
Crazy legendary finding of [Mclaren F1] on Highway 47 California.
by u/Handle-Time in spotted
It went on Reddit, where he described the experience.
“As a young driver, I am humbled to have witnessed this iconic automobile with my own two [eyes],” user Handle-Time wrote.
His fellow Redditors were impressed, with many complimenting his spot.
“Legendary spot,” one wrote.
“Spot and a half, damn dude,” another remarked.
But that wasn’t all – these Redditors were quick to figure out that this red beauty belonged to none other than Sam Altman.
If you had Sam Altman’s money, you’d probably buy this car too
As the CEO of OpenAI, Altman is believed to be worth something north of $2 billion.
He’s done very well for himself, and, like many rich people, he’s invested some of his money in flashy cars.
One such car is this $20 million McLaren F1, which was previously spotted at a gas station in 2023.
And it seems the McLaren F1 isn’t the only impressive automobile in Sam Altman’s car collection.
With not one but two McLaren F1s, he also boasts a Lexus LFA and a few Teslas in his impressive fleet.
Not that he and Tesla haven’t had their differences – Altman famously asked for a refund on his Roadster last year after waiting for seven years.
Timeline of McLaren F1 Chassis #042
1995: The car is completed at the McLaren factory in the UK. It is originally finished in Magnesium Silver with a black/grey interior.
1997: It is imported to the U.S. by Ameritech. Due to strict 1990s federalization laws, it was one of only seven cars officially converted for U.S. road use at the time (often requiring temporary modifications like single-seat conversions to pass safety tests).
Late 1990s – Early 2000s: The car is owned by Larry Ellison, the billionaire co-founder of Oracle, who gives it the license plate ‘ORACLE8’.
2005: The car is sold to a private collector in Odessa, Texas, where the new owner gives it a makeover to Ferrari Rosso Corsa to match his Ferrari Enzo.
2005 – 2021: The car returns to the San Francisco Bay Area under the ownership of a private collector.
2021: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman purchases the car through the automotive brokerage ISSIMI.
2023 – Present: Since Altman took ownership, the car has become a social media sensation, frequently being sighted around California.
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Following stints at LadBible, The Sun, The New York Post, and the Daily Mail, Ben joined the team full-time in February 2025. In his role as Senior Content Writer, his sparkling copy, the ability to sniff out a good story at 100 paces, and a GSOH quickly led to him becoming an integral and invaluable member of the writing staff.
