Michael Schumacher’s race-winning Ferrari F2001 has sold for $18.17 million, setting a new record as the most expensive Formula 1 car driven by the seven-time World Champion ever auctioned.
The chassis, which carried Schumacher to victory in both the Monaco and Hungarian Grands Prix during his dominant 2001 campaign, went under the hammer with RM Sotheby’s on Saturday ahead of Qualifying for this year's Monaco Grand Prix.
The price eclipses the $13.2 million paid in 2022 for Schumacher’s 2003 Ferrari F2003-GA and now ranks as the fourth-most expensive Formula 1 car ever sold. The all-time record remains with the $52.52 million paid earlier this year for the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 Streamliner driven by Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss.
Schumacher, now 56, secured his fifth and final Monaco Grand Prix victory at the wheel of this very F2001 chassis before sealing his fourth Formula 1 World Championship with a win at the Hungaroring. That title triumph came with four races remaining, underlining the dominance of both the car and driver during a landmark season for Ferrari.
The F2001 is widely regarded as one of the most iconic cars from Schumacher’s golden era at Maranello.
Statistics show that Schumacher and the Ferrari F2001 formed one of the most dominant partnerships in Formula 1 history. The car, designed by Rory Byrne and powered by Ferrari’s 3.0-litre V10 engine, delivered Schumacher his fourth World Championship and second with Ferrari in a season of near-total control.
A total of six Ferrari F2001 chassis were built
The F2001 won its debut race in Australia and went on to secure nine victories that season - eight with Schumacher and one with teammate Rubens Barrichello. Schumacher clinched the 2001 title at the Hungarian Grand Prix with four races to spare, equalling Alain Prost’s record of 51 Grand Prix wins in the process.
The car was particularly effective at circuits requiring high aerodynamic efficiency, such as Monaco, where Schumacher claimed a masterful pole and win. One of the most poignant moments came at Spa-Francorchamps, where Schumacher sealed Ferrari’s constructors’ crown and celebrated his 52nd win, becoming the most successful driver in F1 history at the time.
The F2001 was so strong that it even started the 2002 season, with Schumacher winning the Australian Grand Prix in its updated form. Today, the car is revered not only for its speed but also for symbolising the height of the Schumacher-Ferrari era—precision, dominance, and relentless success.
A total of six Ferrari F2001 chassis were built, and Schumacher raced with five of them during the 2001 Formula 1 season. Each chassis was numbered, typically from 211 to 216:
- Chassis 211: Used in early testing.
- Chassis 212: Schumacher's race car for the first part of the season (won in Australia, Malaysia, Spain).
- Chassis 215: Became his primary car mid-season (won in Monaco, France, Hungary).
- Chassis 216: Used later in the season (Belgium, Italy, USA, Japan).
- Chassis 213 & 214: One served as a spare, the other was briefly raced by Rubens Barrichello or used in testing.
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