Former F1 Boss Bernie Ecclestone’s ‘Priceless’ F1 Car Collection to Be Sold

• Ecclestone is selling 69 historic Grand Prix and Formula 1 cars, accumulated over 50 years
• The collection includes the Vanwall VW10 driven by Stirling Moss, Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F2002, and the Brabham BT46B ‘fan car’ raced by Niki Lauda.
• The sale is being managed by Tom Hartley Jnr, a leading dealer in exotic cars.
• At 94, Ecclestone aims to ensure the cars are properly cared for in the future and to relieve his wife of the responsibility.
• This decision follows Ecclestone’s recent legal issues, including a suspended prison sentence for fraud and a substantial fine for undeclared overseas assets.

The Godfather of F1, Bernie Ecclestone, 94, is parting ways with a large portion (69 cars) of his vintage F1 car collection, said to be the greatest ever assembled. He’s spent the last 50 years curating, collecting, and keeping the memories of these cars alive, but says now is the time to part ways to relieve his wife of the responsibility: “After collecting and owning them for so long, I would like to know where they have gone and not leave them for my wife to deal with should I not be around,” he said in a media statement.

Tom Hartley Jnr has been entrusted with the sale of these vintage racecars, and the company calls this not only “the most valuable Grand Prix and Formula 1 car collection in the world,” but reinforces the fact this collection is regarded as the most important race car collection in the world, too. “There has never been, and probably never will be, a collection like this ever offered for sale again,” said Tom Hartley Jnr in the promotional video. “It consists of the greatest cars of their time, many of which have not been seen for decades and are totally unique.”

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69 cars are going up for auction, and Tom Hartley Jnr says it’s hard to pick a list of the best. However, these are some of his favourites, and are amongst the most valuable cars from Bernie Ecclestone’s F1 collection:

• Ferrari 375 F1 (1951): Driven by Alberto Ascari to victory in the 1951 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
• Ferrari 246 F1 (1957): Piloted by Mike Hawthorn, the last front-engined car to achieve a podium.
• Ferrari 312 F1 (1975): Raced by Niki Lauda, contributing to his first World Championship title.
• Ferrari F2002 (2002): Driven by Michael Schumacher during his championship-winning season.
• Brabham BT44B
• Brabham BT45C
• Brabham BT46B ‘Fan Car’ (1978): Raced by Niki Lauda to victory in the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix.
• Vanwall VW10 (1957): Driven by Sir Stirling Moss, Vanwall’s first-ever constructors title in 1958.
• Maserati 250F: A classic model from the 1950s, renowned in Grand Prix racing.
• BRM V16: Known for its distinctive 16-cylinder engine and unique sound.
• Bugatti Type 54 ‘Tiger Two’ (1931): One of only three surviving models.
• Talbot-Lago T26C: A significant Grand Prix car from the late 1940s.
• Delahaye Monoplace ‘Chaboud Speciale’: A notable French racing car.
• Connaught Type-B: A British racing car from the 1950s.

“I feel very privileged that Bernie has entrusted the sale of his cars to my Tom Hartley Jnr business. Formula 1 cars are cars that I know particularly well, they are not just cars that I have a great personal interest in, but we at Tom Hartley Jnr actively buy and sell them, too. However, there has never been a collection like this one offered for sale, and no one in the world has a race car collection that comes close to Bernie’s. This a great opportunity for a discerning collector to acquire cars that have never before been offered for sale, and it would be great to see them back on the track again,” said Tom Hartley Jnr.

Of course, Ecclestone doesn’t concede in media statements that the motivation for selling a large portion of his collection has anything to do with the £652.6 million (AU$1.275 billion) he was ordered to pay the UK’s HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in October 2023. Nor does it have anything to do with the £74,000 (AU$144,500) in prosecution costs he owned in prosecution dealings when he pleaded guilty to fraud for not declaring more than £400 million (AU$781 million) held in a Singapore trust between 1994 and 2022. No, it wouldn’t have anything to do with that.

Prices for these cars are not listed publicly, but Tom Hartley Jnr says buyers shouldn’t expect any deals. With the recent leaks of the Sultan of Brunei’s car collection rotting away in warehouses, let’s hope he doesn’t get his hands on too many of these priceless pieces of automotive history.

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