A defining chapter of Formula 1 history is set to resurface this December as RM Sotheby’s announces the sale of Ayrton Senna’s 1991 McLaren MP4/6, chassis number MP4/6/1 — the car that delivered Senna’s first home victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix and helped secure his third and final World Championship. Offered exclusively through RM Sotheby’s Sealed platform, the bidding will open on December 8 and close on December 11, 2025, with an estimated value between $12 million and $15 million USD.
Constructed as the prototype MP4/6 and powered by Honda’s V-12 engine, this chassis remains one of only a few Formula 1 cars in existence with a 100% Grand Prix win record. Beyond its technical brilliance, MP4/6/1 symbolizes a moment of unfiltered human triumph — Senna’s victory in São Paulo, where he crossed the finish line locked in sixth gear, his body and car pushed to their absolute limits. It was, in Senna’s own words, “the hardest-fought race of my life.”
“Few figures in motorsport have captured the world’s imagination like Ayrton Senna,” said Nick Wiles, Car Specialist at RM Sotheby’s. “Even among his many legendary machines, this car stands apart. It isn’t just a race winner; it’s the embodiment of Senna’s spirit — fierce, emotional, and unrelenting.”
Originally built as the prototype for McLaren’s 1991 campaign, MP4/6/1 marked Senna’s first encounter with the Honda-powered chassis that would dominate the season. It served as both a development and testing platform, driven by Senna, Gerhard Berger, and McLaren’s test team. After its brief but storied career, the car was retired in late 1991 and retained by McLaren for nearly three decades before being recommissioned by McLaren Heritage for its current, and only, private owner in 2020.
The 1991 season represented a golden era for McLaren and for Formula 1. The MP4/6 was the last manually shifted car to win a World Championship, an engineering marvel that bridged the past and future of racing. With its six-speed gearbox, aerodynamic bodywork, and sheer mechanical purity, the car embodied a period when the driver’s skill mattered as much as the technology beneath him.
Senna’s victory in Brazil — where exhaustion, rain, and mechanical failure conspired to test his willpower — remains one of the sport’s most emotional moments. As he took the chequered flag and collapsed in the cockpit, the world witnessed not just a race won, but a defining display of human endurance. The MP4/6/1 became an instant legend — a symbol of determination and artistry in motion.
In the years since, the car has evolved into a cultural relic, celebrated by collectors, museums, and enthusiasts as one of the most significant Grand Prix machines ever built. With its impeccable provenance and direct connection to one of the sport’s most revered figures, its appearance on the market marks a once-in-a-generation opportunity for collectors.
This December, as MP4/6/1 goes under the hammer, RM Sotheby’s invites bidders to own a piece of history — not just a Formula 1 car, but a monument to Senna’s genius and McLaren’s engineering mastery. The car will be on display ahead of the sale at RM Sotheby’s upcoming auctions in London and Abu Dhabi, where enthusiasts can witness firsthand the machine that redefined motorsport’s emotional and technical limits.
For more information and photography, visit RM Sotheby’s online.
