One of the rarest road cars ever produced has reset expectations at auction. A McLaren F1 originally built for the Sultan of Brunei sold for $25,317,500 over the weekend in Abu Dhabi, establishing a new benchmark for the iconic supercar and reinforcing its standing at the top of the collector market.
The car is chassis number 14, one of just 64 road-legal McLaren F1s ever produced. When it left the factory, it was finished in Titanium Yellow and paired with a black leather and Alcantara interior. Unlike many vehicles from the Sultan’s extensive collection that remained largely unused, this example avoided long-term storage and instead began a more dynamic life beyond its original ownership.
After leaving Brunei, the F1 was exported to the United Kingdom, where it eventually became part of the private collection of a former director of McLaren Cars. From there, the car crossed the Atlantic, spending time in both New York and California before changing hands again in 2007. That ownership period marked a pivotal moment in the car’s history.
The F1 was returned to McLaren headquarters for a comprehensive rebuild and reconfiguration. The original yellow finish was replaced with Ibis White, and the car received the rare High Downforce Kit. That package added a fixed rear wing and aerodynamic components inspired by the McLaren F1 GTR and F1 LM. Inside, the cabin was updated to LM specification, including a revised driver’s seat and increased use of exposed carbon fiber.
The factory-led transformation reportedly exceeded $500,000 in cost and significantly elevated the car’s desirability. The rebuild did not erase the F1’s early history, however. One of the side sills still carries the signature of Michael Schumacher, applied during the period when the car remained under the Sultan’s ownership, further strengthening its provenance.
The sale took place as part of a larger auction event in Abu Dhabi that delivered several notable results. The McLaren Formula 1 team sold its 2026 F1 car, known as the MCL40A, for $11.48 million, with delivery scheduled for early 2028. A future example of the team’s 2027 WEC Hypercar also sold, bringing $7.59 million and to be delivered after its retirement from competition.
Together, the results underscored continued demand for McLaren machinery tied closely to the brand’s road and racing history, with the Sultan’s former F1 standing as the event’s defining sale.
