McLaren's F1 2026 racecar has already been sold for $11.4m before it defends its title
Published on Dec 31, 2025 at 5:02 AM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara
Last updated on Dec 30, 2025 at 7:04 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
McLaren’s F1 2026 racing machine has already been sold.
The news comes before the car has even had a chance to defend its title.
It comes after a special auction was held by McLaren earlier this year.
And it means that the 2026 race car will be delivered to its new owner in 2028.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
McLaren enjoys a 2025 to remember
2025 has been a truly amazing year for McLaren.
The Woking-based race team has just enjoyed a season for the history books in Formula 1.
That is because the Papaya-colored car managed to secure the double.
Not only did McLaren win the constructors’ championship, but Lando Norris secured the drivers’ championship as well.
Norris’ third-place finish secured McLaren’s first double since 1998.
The British driver also became the first Driver’s Champion for McLaren since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
Overall, McLaren managed to win 14 of the 24 races on the 2025 F1 calendar.
Attention will now shift to the defence of its newly won crown in 2026.
And some major rule changes are coming into play as well.
Next season will see chassis and engine regulations overhauled simultaneously.
The F1 grid will also switch to 50 percent electrification, as well as fully sustainable fuels and active aerodynamics.
McLaren’s 2026 F1 car has already been sold
Back in August, PlanetF1 reported something quite remarkable.
The outlet reported that McLaren was set to host a pre-sale of some of its cars.
Among the cars available in the auction would be the upcoming F1 car for 2026.
And the MCL40A did indeed sell earlier this month – and for a whopping sum.
The soon-to-be defending champion car sold for a total price of $11,480,000.
That makes it the sixth-most expensive F1 car ever to be sold at auction.
So when can the winning bidder pick up their new addition?
The car will be delivered to the winning bidder in the first quarter of 2028.
It will arrive with a complete 2026-spec Mercedes power unit and be presented in its 2026 livery.
Of course, the sale doesn’t just include the machine.
The auction includes the chance for the winner and five guests to meet Zak Brown, Oscar Piastri, and Lando Norris at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking.
Additionally, the package includes VIP access to two F1 races, including the Monaco Grand Prix.
The winner also gets access to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500.
Suddenly, the $11,480,000 price tag doesn’t seem so damaging now.
Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.
