The Schumacher name needs no introduction even to those that don’t obsess over Formula 1 and its rich history. However, those that would describe themselves as F1 fanatics will be intrigued to discover that Michael Schumacher’s race-winning Ferrari F1-2000 car is set to go under the RM Sotheby’s hammer.
This particular prancing horse, chassis number 198, was a critical contributor to Scuderia Ferrari’s first F1 Drivers’ World Championship in 21 years and the start of the Scuderia dynasty’s run of five consecutive Driver’s World Championships from 2000 to 2004.
Designed by Ross Brawn and his team, the F1-2000 boasted revolutionary aerodynamics and a deservedly memorable high revving V10 engine that screamed around the circuit. With Schumacher behind the wheel it was a winning union of driver and machine.
Schumacher drove chassis 198 to victory at the 2000 Brazilian Grand Prix, before the German achieved his only pole position in the Principality ahead of the Monaco GP that year. Such was his pace, the Ferrari ace had amassed a buffer of some 35 seconds over the course of the race, before the car was forced to retire with a broken pushrod while tantalisingly close to crossing the finish line.
In March of 2001, the car was displayed at the Geneva Motor Show on Ferrari’s stand and subsequently sold to Ferrari collector Kevin Crowder of Texas, who had the car Ferrari Classiche certified in 2005 and prepared for use in F1 Corse Clienti events. The consignor purchased chassis 198 in 2016, and today it offers its next owner the vanishingly rare opportunity to experience the unique thrill of a race-winning V-10 grand prix car from one of the golden periods of Formula One.
Chassis 198 is expected to reach up to nine and a half million euros at auction, a sum which could easily be surpassed, such is the pedigree of this particular machine and its former driver.
