Monte Carlo, Monaco – Bonhams|Cars will present Mika Häkkinen’s 2013 McLaren P1 Coupé Validation Prototype 3 (VP3) offered directly from the two-time Formula 1 World Champion and McLaren Brand Ambassador at The Monaco Sale ‘Les Grandes Marques à Monaco’. One of only seven ‘VP’ (Validation Prototype) cars built, this example, VP3, was the lead car in the project’s durability testing programme, and is the only VP to ever be offered at auction. McLaren created a special booklet for each prototype car, outlining their importance in the project and giving owners more background on the testing that they were involved with. Its accompanying booklet, including the test notes, is a fundamental part of this prototype’s history. This piece of hypercar history will be offered at The Monaco Sale ‘Les Grandes Marques à Monaco’ on 10 May at an estimate of €1,500,000 – 2,000,000.
estimated at €1,500,000 – 2,000,000.
Ultimately achieving back-to-back Formula 1 World Championship wins for McLaren in 1998 and 1999, Häkkinen raced through the 2000 and 2001 F1 World Championships, finishing 2nd in the former and 5th in the latter. In 2017 McLaren announced that Häkkinen would be rejoining the company as a brand ambassador. McLaren had unveiled the production version of the P1 at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, announcing that only 375 of these exclusive hypercars would be built, and by the end of the year, the entire production run had sold out.
Offered here is the first McLaren ever owned by Häkkinen and has been tailored by McLaren Special Operations in accordance with his specifications. More than a decade after its initial conception, the P1 remains a formidable proposition and an engineering tour de force of the highest order. Its next custodian will also receive an exclusive one-day driving/racing instruction by Häkkinen at a location of the buyer’s choice.
Born in Finland in 1968, Mika Häkkinen began his career racing karts, winning several local and national championships. One of his former karts, a 1982 Finnkart 85cc SF A1, estimate €3,000 – 5,000, will also be offered at The Monaco Sale. In 1982 Mika contested the Ronnie Peterson Memorial Championship, placing first, and the Finnish Karting Championship (Formula Mini Series), placing second, behind the wheel of this Finnkart.