Automotive Icon Valued at Over $35 Million to Be Offered at RM Sotheby’s Auction

Few automobiles combine motorsport heritage, engineering innovation, collector significance, and cultural relevance as convincingly as the McLaren F1 GTR chassis 10R. This extraordinary car will be one of the highlights of RM Sotheby’s flagship auction in Monterey this August and is already among the most closely watched consignments of the 2026 auction season.

Built as a factory development prototype for the 1996 racing season, chassis 10R became the first of only nine McLaren F1 GTRs produced to the significantly revised GTR specification. It is also one of just two Short Tail development prototypes used by McLaren during the evolution of its racing programme. The car completed pre-race testing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans before being converted by the factory itself for road use.

Its significance, however, extends far beyond its engineering pedigree. The distinctive red-and-yellow factory livery, inspired by British pop culture of the 1990s, is entirely unique—no other McLaren F1 GTR has ever carried this design. It is this unmistakable appearance that earned the car its nickname, “The Pop-Art F1,” making it one of the most recognisable McLarens ever built.

Another remarkable chapter in the car’s history was written by Nick Mason, drummer of Pink Floyd and one of the world’s most respected collectors of historic automobiles. Mason acquired the car directly from McLaren in 1999 and preserved it in his private collection for more than a quarter of a century. Thanks to its meticulous care and exceptional provenance, chassis 10R remains one of the most authentic examples of the F1 GTR ever to be offered on the public market.

With an estimated value exceeding US$35 million, the car is expected to become the most valuable McLaren ever publicly offered at auction. Yet its importance extends well beyond its record-setting estimate. The McLaren F1 GTR chassis 10R represents a singular convergence of motorsport, design, British cultural history, and automotive collecting—qualities that firmly establish it as one of the most significant automotive artefacts of our time.