The 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 was sold for $18.815.000 USD at an auction in Las Vegas last weekend. With this car, Lewis Hamilton achieved his first victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2013.

The F1 W04 was the last Mercedes F1 car to be powered by a naturally aspirated 2.4 liter V8 engine with 750 + 80 hp (559 + 60 kW) @ 18,000 rpm, which was later replaced by a Mercedes-Benz V6 engine. The engine is paired with an Xtrac 7-speed semi-automatic transmission.

The car has chassis number 4, the same one in which Hamilton took pole position and then won the Hungarian Grand Prix during a season dominated by Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull Racing. It was the second team in his Formula 1 career, and before moving to Mercedes, Hamilton was part of the McLaren team for six full seasons.

Although the estimated value of the car was $10,000,000 – $15,000,000 USD, it managed to fetch a higher price, becoming the most expensive modern F1 car in history. It even fetched a higher price than Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F2003, which was $14.8 million.

Lewis Hamilton achieved 103 victories and 7 championship titles in his career, as many as the legend of this sport, Michael Schumacher, making him one of the most successful drivers in the history of Formula 1.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

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