Hammer time: Lewis Hamilton’s first mighty Merc is up for auction
A Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 driven by Sir Lewis Hamilton in the 2013 Formula 1 Championship is the headliner at RM Sotheby’s Las Vegas Grand Prix auction on November 17.
The car powered Hamilton to his first victory for Mercedes-AMG at that year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, while its stablemate, driven by Nico Rosberg took wins in Monaco and Great Britain. It was enough to put the team in second place at the end of the season, but, more importantly, set a course for Hamilton’s run of World Championships. The British racing knight won the world title in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and narrowly missed another trophy in 2021 thanks to the controversial season finish in Abu Dhabi. Those six drivers’ championships were added to his 2008 title won with McLaren.
The F1 W04 that’s up for auction was driven by Hamilton in 14 out of 19 rounds of the 2013 championship and marked the end of Formula 1’s last V-8 era. Powered by a naturally-aspirated 2.4-liter motor which produced 750 horsepower, it revved to a screaming 18,000 rpm. An extra 80 hp was added by the car’s KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System). Weighing in at just 642 kg (1415 lbs) it’s over 300 lbs lighter than today’s F1 racers.
Other lots announced include a 2021 McLaren Elva and a Tom Brady 2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers game jersey, which are both anticipated to sell for more than $2 million. The FW04 is the only Mercedes-AMG that’s actually been raced by Hamilton to be sold, so it’s no surprise that it’s estimated to fetch $10-$15 million when it comes to hammer time at the auction.
