A rare 1996 McLaren F1 GTR nicknamed the ‘Pop Art F1,’ chassis 10R, is heading to RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2026 auction with an estimate north of $35 million, which would make it the most expensive McLaren ever sold at public auction.
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A remarkable piece of McLaren history is about to go under the hammer. Chassis 10R, a 1996 McLaren F1 GTR finished in a striking scarlet-and-yellow livery inspired by 1990s pop art, is headed to RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale with an estimate said to be more than $35 million.
If it sells anywhere near that number, 10R would comfortably beat the current public auction record for any McLaren, a road-going F1 that fetched roughly $25 million at an RM Sotheby’s sale in 2025. That earlier record itself had eclipsed the long-standing benchmark of about $20.5 million set by a low-mileage F1 at Pebble Beach back in 2021.
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What makes 10R special is its place in the McLaren F1 GTR family tree. Only 28 examples of the racing GTR variant were ever built, and just nine were finished to the upgraded 1996 specification considered the fastest and most desirable short-tail version of the car. Chassis 10R was the very first of those nine cars, and one of only two short-tail prototypes built alongside 01R, the chassis that famously won the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The car’s ownership history adds to its appeal. Legendary McLaren F1 GTR 01R was retired after its Le Mans win, and 10R effectively stepped into that role during the 1996 season. Notably, the car later passed through the hands of Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, whose collection has included everything from a Ferrari 250 GTO to a Jaguar D-Type.
With so few short-tail GTR prototypes in existence and this level of racing pedigree, auction watchers say 10R has a real shot at cracking the top ten most expensive cars ever sold publicly, and would stand as the only British-built car on that list.
Source Name : Car and Driver
FAQ McLaren F1 GTR
What is McLaren F1 GTR chassis 10R?
It is a 1996 McLaren F1 GTR, one of only nine built to the upgraded 1996 short-tail specification, and the first of those nine produced.
What is 10R expected to sell for?
Auction house estimates place its value at more than $35 million.
What is the current McLaren auction record?
A road-going McLaren F1 sold for roughly $25 million at an RM Sotheby’s sale in 2025.
Where is 10R being sold?
At RM Sotheby’s Monterey Car Week auction in 2026.
