McLaren cashes in on the future, as 2026 F1 car sells for millions!

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McLaren have always liked to do things quickly. But selling tomorrow’s car today sounds a bit like time travel — with an invoice attached. And yet that’s exactly what team papaya did earlier this month in Abud Dhabi.

Fresh off a dominant 2025 Formula 1 campaign, the Woking squad quietly turned the race weekend at Yas Marina into a playground for ultra-high-end collectors – selling at auction its 2026 F1 contender before it has even turned a wheel.

The result? A jaw-dropping $11.4 million hammer drop and a very exclusive piece of future Formula 1 history.

An $11 Million ‘Mystery Box’

The car in question is the MCL40A, McLaren’s challenger designed for the sport’s radically new 2026 era – a season that will see simultaneous overhauls of both chassis and engine regulations.

Think lighter cars, active aerodynamics, fully sustainable fuels and 50 per cent electrification. In short, the biggest technical reset F1 has seen in years.

Back in August, whispers emerged that McLaren were bold enough to auction the car before it ever hit the track. In Abu Dhabi, those whispers became reality.

The MCL40A sold for $11,480,000 (£8.5m / €9.7m), making it the sixth-most expensive Formula 1 car ever sold at auction. Not bad for a machine that technically still lives in the future.

For context, the all-time record still belongs to the legendary 1954 Mercedes W196R Streamliner, which changed hands for over €51 million earlier this year. McLaren may not have topped that, but selling a yet-to-race car for eight figures is very much a world-first flex.

McLaren didn't stop there. They also offloaded a 2026-spec Arrow McLaren IndyCar for $848,750 and a yet-to-be-launched 2027 WEC Hypercar for $7,598,750!

Patience is a Virtue (and an Expensive One)

The winning bidder won’t be taking the MCL40A home for a Sunday drive just yet. To protect the team's technical secrets during the 2026 title defense, the actual chassis won't be delivered until the first quarter of 2028.

In the meantime, the owner will receive a 2025 show car to sit in their driveway and look pretty.

But the perks don’t stop there.

The winning bidder – plus five guests – will be welcomed to the McLaren Technology Centre, where they’ll meet CEO Zak Brown, Norris, and teammate Oscar Piastri ahead of the 2026 season.

The package also includes access to the public launch of the MCL40, hospitality at two F1 races (including the Monaco Grand Prix), and VIP entry to both the Le Mans 24 Hours and Indianapolis 500.

Read also: McLaren’s blink-and-you-miss-it other big win in 2025

Because if you’re spending $11.4 million, you deserve the Triple Crown – literally.

McLaren may have won the championships on track in 2025 – but off it, they’ve already proved they’re unbeatable at turning success into spectacle. And in selling the future before it even arrives, they’ve reminded everyone: when you’re on top, even tomorrow has a price tag.

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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.