Bernie Ecclestone is selling a huge selection of 69 priceless Grand Prix and F1 cars from his private collection, comfortably the best group of single-seaters ever assembled. Among the racers being sold by the former F1 supremo are Ferraris raced by legendary drivers such as Mike Hawthorn, Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher, while Brabham, the marque that helped catapult Ecclestone to the top, is well represented, too. Many of the Brabhams have never previously been sold and for many the star car will be the one-off Gordon Murray designed Brabham-Alfa Romeo BT46B ‘fan car’, which raced only once, victoriously, to win the Swedish Grand Prix at Anderstorp in 1978 by more than half a minute.
Cars being offered include everything from Maserati 250F and ex-Chiron 4/CLT plus a brace of 6CMs to Lancia-Ferrari D50 replica and 1931 Bugatti Type 54 ‘Tiger Two’, one of only three survivors, plus two (!) Talbot Lago T26Cs, a significant Delahaye and Connaught. See below for some of the collection highlights.
Tycoon Ecclestone, 94, credited with turning F1 into a global powerhouse, said: ‘I have been collecting these cars for more than 50 years, and I have only ever bought the best of any example. Whilst many other collectors over the years have opted for sports cars, my passion has always been for Grand Prix and Formula 1 cars.
‘A Grand Prix and in particular a Formula 1 car is far more important than any road car or other form of race car, as it is the pinnacle of the sport, and all the cars I have bought over the years have fantastic race histories and are rare works of art.
‘I love all of my cars but the time has come for me to start thinking about what will happen to them should I no longer be here, and that is why I have decided to sell them. After collecting and owning them for so long, I would like to know where they have gone and not leave them for my wife to deal with should I not be around.
‘Having collected what are the best and most original Formula 1 cars dating back to the start of the sport, I have now decided to move them on to new homes that will treat them as I have and look after them as precious works of art.”
Ecclestone has engaged world-renowned specialist Tom Hartley Jnr, who is on target to sell over $350m of cars this year even without the Ecclestone cars, to dispose of the collection. He said: ‘Tom [Hartley Jnr] is handling the sale for me because he knows the cars better than anyone else, his business is best placed to sell them, and I am guaranteed transparency which is important to me.’
Tom Hartley Jnr added: ‘This is quite simply the most important race car collection in the world. There has never been and probably never will be a collection like it ever offered for sale again…I feel very privileged that Bernie has entrusted the sale of his cars to my Tom Hartley Jnr business. Formula 1 cars are cars that I know particularly well, they are not just cars that I have a great personal interest in, but we at Tom Hartley Jnr actively buy and sell them, too. However, there has never been a collection like this one offered for sale, and no one in the world has a race car collection that comes close to Bernie’s. This is a great opportunity for a discerning collector to acquire cars that have never before been offered for sale, and it would be great to see them back on the track again… This collection is the history of Formula 1.’
Ten of our highlights from the Bernie Ecclestone Grand Prix collection
1949 Ferrari Thin Wall Special
This ex-Donington Collection car was raced by Alberto Ascari and Luigi Chinetti before being sold to British industrialist Tony Vandervell who used it as the foundation upon which the Vanwall team was built. Raced in period by Reg Parnell and José Froilán González.
1951 Ferrari 375
Powered by a 4.5-litre V12, chassis 5 is the car that propelled Alberto Ascari to victory in the 1951 Italian GP at Monza and is one of only two original survivors of the type. It is fresh from a meticulous two-year restoration by Ferrari.
1957 Ferrari Dino 246
Mike Hawthorn’s 1958 championship-winning car, as well as being raced by Phil Hill and Taffy von Trips Tony Brooks and Richie Ginther. Ferrari Classiche certified and retains its original chassis, engine, body and gearbox.
1975 Brabham BT44B
The only survivor, driven to glory by Carlos Reutemann in the 1975 Brazilian GP and instrumental in guiding Brabham to second in that year’s constructors’ championship.
1978 Brabham BT45C
The model that introduced the delectable Alfa Romeo Flat 12, and introduced Niki Lauda to Brabham.
1978 Brabham BT46B ‘Fan car’
Started once, triumphed once – with Lauda at the 1978 Swedish GP – before being ‘withdrawn’. Never previously offered for sale and said to be in running condition.
1983 Brabham BT52B
Nelson Piquet clinched his second driver’s title in chassis 5, one of only two BT52Bs built and a multiple GP winner. Also has a Senna connection, the Brazilian tested in it at Paul Ricard at the end of the 1983 season.
1957 Vanwall F1
Driven to victory by Stirling Moss in Holland, Portugal and Morocco in 1958 and propelling Vanwall to its historic 1958 constructors’ title.
1954 BRM P30 V16
Chassis 2/02, the former mount of dashing Brit Peter Collins, the last BRM V16 built and one of only two MkIIs known to exist.
1949 Maserati 4CLT/48
A veteran of the very first F1 championship race – the 1950 British Grand Prix at Silverstone – delivered new to the great Louis Chiron.
