Michael Schumacher’s 2003 Formula 1 World Championship-winning Ferrari car has sold for a record price at auction.
The car is now the most valuable F1 car in modern history after it was purchased for 13 million Swiss francs ($13.2m) at an auction in Geneva.
It almost doubles the previous record held in the modern F1 category, after Schumacher’s F2001 car sold for $7.5m in New York five years ago.
Auctioneers RM Sotheby’s placed an estimated value of CHF7.5m – CHF9.5m on the lot before it went for a total of CHF14.6 ($14.8m) after taxes and fees were applied.
The Ferrari car up for bidding this time around was specifically the F2003-GA, Chassis 229, which heavily aided Schumacher’s push towards his sixth F1 title.
With the chassis, he won races in Spain, Austria, Canada, Italy and USA, and took further top three finishes in Monaco and France.
It is also one of only four Schumacher-era Ferrari F1 chassis with five wins or more in a single season.
The 2003 title-winning season for Schumacher saw him become the only driver to win six titles, as he previously held the record with Juan Manuel Fangio, who won five championships during his stint in F1.
Ferrari also won its 13th Constructors’ Championship in 2003 following a season-long battle with Williams-BMW and McLaren.
Another of Ferrari’s legendary cars was sold earlier this year, with Schumacher’s 1998 race-winning challenger going to a successful bidder for over $6m.
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