Senna’s first Brazilian Grand Prix winner goes to auction | RACER

The chassis that took Ayrton Senna to his first victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix will be auctioned in December.

Among his many legendary rides, Senna’s Formula 1 victory with the McLaren MP4/6-Honda in 1991 was the most celebrated for the son of Sao Paulo.

For all his thrilling rides, Senna’s victory at the Interlagos circuit – achieved after ten frustratingly failed attempts to reach the top step of the podium in front of his adoring fans – with chassis MP4/6-1 and his naturally aspirated Honda V12 engine was the most personal.

Already a two-time F1 world champion, Senna was the world’s biggest motorsport star – one of the most popular athletes in any sport – and achieved his crowning achievement under enormous physical pressure. With rain in the final stages of the race and a six-speed manual gearbox failing, Senna finished the 71-lap race in a state of exhaustion as Riccardo Patrese, at the wheel of the advanced Williams FW14-Renault, chased the McLaren using only top gear.

With the long sixth gear as the last remaining cog behind him, Senna had no choice but to slip the clutch to coax acceleration from the No. 1 MP4/6 chassis into the slowest corners and achieve exceptional speed everywhere else with the car’s brakes. The only way to slow the ailing machine, as downshifting and using the effects of engine braking were no longer at his disposal.

The arduous and improvisational nature of the task led to extreme cramps, but Senna’s attempts to parry Patrese’s advancing Williams were successful as he crossed the finish line 2.9 seconds in hand on the Italian. Senna would win more races in newer MP4/6s on his way to capturing his third and final world championship, and after the season chassis No. 1 went to what is today known as the McLaren Heritage Collection, where it remained until it was made available for a private sale in 2020.

Chassis No. 1 was “returned in working order as a condition of its purchase by the current owner”, had not been displayed or driven since its purchase, and was recently serviced and started prior to auction by McLaren specialist Paul Lanzante Ltd in Great Britain.

RM Sotheby’s estimates the car could sell for $12 million to $15 million by the end of the bidding, which lasts three days from December 8 to 11.