Button’s Brawn GP car fetches a pretty penny, but no W196 fortune

©Bonhams

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Last weekend, amidst the glitz and glamour of the Miami Grand Prix, Jenson Button’s 2009 Brawn GP car, chassis 001/01, rolled across the auction block at Bonhams, sparking a bidding war that ended with a cool $3.8 million sale.

A tidy sum, no doubt, for a car that epitomized Formula 1’s greatest underdog story.

But let’s not get too carried away – while the price tag might make your average Joe’s eyes water, it didn’t even sniff the stratosphere of the top five most expensive F1 cars ever sold, where Juan Manuel Fangio’s 1954 Mercedes W196R reigns supreme, having fetched a positively ludicrous $53 million at Sotheby’s earlier this year.

Clearly, the Brawn’s new owner got a bargain, relatively speaking, for a piece of motorsport magic - though they’ll need to BYO (‘bring your own’) gearbox internals if they fancy a spin.

The Underdog’s Triumph, Now a Collector’s Trophy

The Brawn GP saga is the stuff of Hollywood scripts – quite literally, with Keanu Reeves narrating the tale in a documentary released in 2023.
Back in 2008, Honda’s abrupt exit from F1 left their team in tatters, only for Ross Brawn and Nick Fry to swoop in, buy the remnants for a single pound, and cobble together a Mercedes-powered miracle.

Enter Chassis 001/01, one of just three BGP 001 cars built, armed with the infamous double diffuser that had rivals crying foul.

Button, dominated the 2009 season, winning six of the first seven races en route to the drivers’ title, while Brawn GP snagged the Constructors’ crown in their debut (and only) season.

“This car represents the ultimate Formula 1 fairy tale – a revolutionary design that redefined what was possible,” gushed Louis Frankel, Miami head of sales for Bonhams|Cars, before the auction.

“Chassis 001/01 is a piece of motorsport history, and its offering at auction is sure to captivate collectors worldwide. We are honoured to present this unrepeatable opportunity over the Miami Grand Prix, a stage befitting its legendary status.”

The car up for grabs, driven by Rubens Barrichello to two victories and four podiums in 2009, wasn’t Button’s championship steed, that’s Chassis 001/02 – safely tucked away in Ross Brawn’s garage.

Still, it played a starring role in Brawn’s improbable triumph. Post-season, Mercedes snapped up the team, kicking off a dynasty that racked up eight consecutive constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ championships for Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Button, thanks to a savvy contract clause, was promised a car if he won the title. Mercedes tried to fob him off with a replica—cheeky!—but after a legal tussle that went all the way to London’s High Court, Button took home Chassis 001/01, keeping it until 2024.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Bonhams|Cars and bring even more success to this year’s event,” said Tyler Epp, president of the Miami Grand Prix, hyping the sale.

“There is a strong car culture in South Florida, and the community of fans and collectors in Miami are passionate about all types of cars, old and new.

“So for enthusiasts to have the opportunity to own one of the items in this special lot will add further appeal to a busy weekend of on-track action at this year’s race.”

A Healthy Haul, But No Record-Breaker

For all the hoopla, the $3.8 million final bid – while enough to make most of us choke on our caviar –
fell short of Bonhams’ lofty $4.5-6.5 million estimate.

Perhaps bidders were miffed that the car’s 750bhp Mercedes V8, capable of screaming to 18,000rpm, is more of a static showpiece, with its gearbox lacking the guts to actually drive.

Read also: Iconic Mercedes W196 R becomes most valuable F1 car ever sold

Still, it’s a steal compared to the stratospheric sums commanded by F1’s priciest relics.

Fangio’s 1954 Mercedes W196R, a streamlined beast raced by the legend himself and Stirling Moss, obliterated records last February with its $53 million sale, making it the most expensive F1 car ever auctioned.

Another W196R, sold in 2013 for $29.65 million, holds second place, followed by Lewis Hamilton’s 2013 Mercedes W04 at $18.8 million, and a pair of Michael Schumacher-driven Ferraris from 2003 and 2001, fetching $14.1 million and $7.5 million, respectively.

The Brawn’s $3.8 million? Respectable, sure, but it’s not even in the same postcode as these heavyweights.

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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.