KIMI Raikkonen holds a special place in the hearts of many Formula 1 fans – after all, how could you not love a driver who traded in his failed race car for some drinks a superyacht in the harbour at Monaco, rather than a walk back to the pits?
The 2007 Formula 1 World Champion retired from Grand Prix racing at the end of the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi and, two years on at the same venue, the McLaren-Mercedes MP4/21 that so famously failed on him in Monaco in 2006 is going under the hammer.
It will be part of Bonhams’ On The Grid sale staged at the Yas Marina Circuit during the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 25.
It’s estimated the car will be sold for between US$2.5 and US$3.5 million.
Raikkonen’s former car, chassis 02, made eight starts in the 2006 F1 World Championship and debuted in Bahrain with a podium finish despite starting last on the grid due to crashing in qualifying.
The Finn finished second in that year’s Australian Grand Prix in the car, though it’s probably best known for its non-finish in Monaco.
Raikkonen had climbed to second in the race behind leader Fernando Alonso before he was forced to retire during a safety car period when a wiring loom caught fire.
Instead of walking back to the pits, Raikkonen instead headed off to spend the rest of the race aboard a superyacht in the harbour, the future World Champion captured by television cameras relaxing in true ‘Iceman’ style!
He drove this McLaren in his final season with the team before moving to Ferrari and winning the World Championship in 2007.
Chassis 02 made its last race appearance at the 2006 French Grand Prix and has been extensively restored by McLaren and remained within the company’s heritage collection until being sold to its current owner in 2021.
Also to be auctioned in the same sale is Mario Andretti’s JPS Lotus Cosworth Type 79 that he used to clinch the 1978 World Championship at Monza that year.
It’s expected to fetch a whopping US$6.5 to US$9.5 million.
For more on the Raikkonen McLaren, visit Bonhams website here for further details.
