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Martin Brundle's last F1 car is up for auction

Anyone looking for a belated Christmas gift might want to consider the 1996 Jordan 196 that Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle drove in his swansong F1 year.

The striking gold-liveried 196, powered by a V10 Peugeot engine, will be going under the hammer at an upcoming RM Sotheby's Paris auction next month.

The car is perhaps better known for Martin's disastrous barrel-rolling wreck at the start of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix than the outright results it achieved in 1996.

Chassis N°03 is actually the car Brundle hopped into when he got back to the pits after his momentous Melbourne crash.

Our favourite F1 commentator would enjoy sixth-place finishes with '03' at the Nürburgring, in Montreal and at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone before retiring from F1 at the end of the year.

According to RM Sotheby's, the car is expected to fetch at least €170,000-€190,000.

Any potential takers out there?

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.