Ultra-rare $25M McLaren F1 chassis #009 spotted boarding Emirates flight to Dubai
Published on Aug 25, 2025 at 4:11 AM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Aug 22, 2025 at 1:12 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
The ultra-rare $25 million supercar, McLaren F1 chassis #009, was recently spotted boarding an Emirates flight to Dubai.
The McLaren F1 is one of the most revered cars in the world, with a top speed of 240mph, a BMW V12 engine, and a value of up to $25 million and beyond.
This particular McLaren F1 has lived in Melbourne, Australia, for many years, but was recently seen boarding an Emirates flight to Dubai, with nobody sure if it would return.
Some wild theories are going around on social media as to why the car is leaving Australian shores.
DISCOVER OUR SUPERCAR AUCTION SITE – View live auctions on SBX Cars
What is in store for McLaren F1 chassis #009?
There are some pretty incredible theories floating around as to what’s going on with this McLaren.
The car recently made headlines for being listed for sale with no involvement from the owner.
However, that won’t, in itself, explain why the supercar is heading to Dubai.
Potentially, the car has been sold properly this time and is simply being transferred to a new owner.
The car could also be heading to Dubai for a McLaren MSO Refresh, where McLaren will clean the F1 and give it a sprucing up.
But that isn’t confirmed, and is only a theory.
Another theory is that the owner did want the car sold, but the ad was put up before this, and without his permission.
Why this supercar is still so highly regarded
With a potential value of up to $25 million, it’s easy to see why so many people want this car to return to Australia.
McLaren launched the F1 in 1992, with production finishing in 1998.
In total, the British manufacturer built just 106 F1s, and each had a 6.1-liter BMW S70/2 V12 under the hood.
That gave the F1 a top speed of 240mph.
Incredibly, it’s still the fastest naturally aspirated car in the world.
Every faster car uses supercharging or turbocharging to go quicker.
Unsurprisingly, this supercar has become the object of desire for many.
Rowan Atkinson, the Blackadder and Mr Bean actor, even crashed his twice, but paid to have it repaired.
It seems that nothing can stop the allure of the McLaren F1.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
