Race and classic pictures

Hamilton’s first winning Mercedes up for auction in Vegas

RM Sotheby's will auction off Lewis Hamilton's first winning Mercedes F1 car at next month’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The car, a 2013 Mercedes W04, was driven by Hamilton to victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix that year, his first win for the Silver Arrows squad.

It highly anticipated auction is a rare opportunity to own a piece of F1 history associated with Hamilton remarkable career, and the car is expected to attract bids from collectors all over the world and fetch a price anywhere between $10 million and $15 million!

Hamilton went on to win the 2014 Drivers' Championship with Mercedes, and has since won a further six titles, tying him with Michael Schumacher as the most capped driver in F1 history.

"Driven by Formula 1's most successful driver and sporting icon, Lewis Hamilton, this car delivered his very first win in a Mercedes F1 car, signalling the beginning of the marque's most dominant period: the Hamilton-Mercedes dynasty,” commented RM Sotheby’s head of private sales Shelby Myers.

"This pairing can only be compared to Jordan and the Bulls, Brady and the Patriots, or Messi and Argentina.

"Given the unparalleled lineage and being the sole example outside of Mercedes' origination publicly available, the pairing of Lewis and the W04 elevates it beyond just a Formula 1 car.

"This undeniable piece could emerge as one of the most coveted collectibles in the foreseeable future."

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

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