Michael Schumacher is undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers Formula One has ever seen. He holds the record for most World Drivers’ Championship (WDC) wins at seven total titles, a record he shares with Lewis Hamilton. He was most dominant while driving for Ferrari, having earned five of his seven wins, including the 2002 WDC title, which he used two different cars to win.
During the seventeen-race 2002 season, Ferrari predominantly used the Ferrari F2002; however, for the first two races in Australia and Malaysia, Ferrari used the F2001B, a modified version of the previous year's F2001. That very F2001B that Schumacher used to win the Australian Grand Prix and come third in Malaysia is currently up for sale with RM Sotheby’s in California.
Estimated at an eye-watering US$8-10 million it is to be sold on 17 August 2024, and its sale is being handled by Sotheby’s RM subsidiary, its dedicated cars, and the autosport auction branch. The car itself is chock-full of history and records, making it a desirable collector's item for the wealthiest and most dedicated of Formula One fans.
Lot 335⏐Scuderia Ferrari⏐Ferrari F2001B
Circa 2001&2002 F1 Race Seasons
Chassis: 215
Provenance (Researched by The Value)
- Acquired by a private Swiss owner in 2003
- Acquired by a private owner in 2011
- Sotheby’s Sealed Auction F12001B - The Genesis of a Champion (19 August 2023)
Estimate: US$8,000,000 - 10,000,000
Auction House: RM Sotheby's
Sale: Monterey, California 2024
Date: 17 August 2024
With Schumacher winning the WDC in 1994,1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, the machines used to win them have become largely iconic and quite notable. This makes the F2001B somewhat special, due to how obscure it is.
The F2001B was a variant of the F2001, which won Ferrari and Schumacher the 2001 WCC and WDC, respectively. It was intended to be replaced by the F2002; however, Ferrari did not believe that car was ready for the season’s opening race in Australia.
Then-Team Principle Jean Todt mentioned that the decision to use a modified F2001 came because of reliability issues with the F2002 and their confidence in the F2001 to carry through with its success. The main differences between the F2001 and its B variant are its use of the 2002 upgraded Ferrari Tipo 51 V10 engine and an upgraded aerodynamics package akin to the F2002.
The F2001B joins a rare club of only two other F1 racecars, the Lotus 72 and Red Bull RB16, to be used in more than one race season.
The F12001B’s engine air intake with the name Schumacher is visible under the Ferrari and Marlboro logos
A side shot of the car shows how well the livery and sponsorship logos have been preserved on the car, as well as Italy’s official racing color: Rosso Corsa
The rear of the F2001B gives a clear view of not just its diffuser system but also the rear wing emblazoned with the Marlboro logo
While intended to just be a placeholder until the F2002 could be made ready, the F2001B still showed it had the strength to fight at the front with other cars with newer designs. At the season-opening race in Melbourne, Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello managed to gain pole position in qualifying, while Schumacher took P2.
The start of the race saw Ralf Schumacher, Michael’s brother, zip past his brother in an attempt to overtake Barrichello both would crash out of the race. Undeterred by the chaos, it allowed Schumacher to take the race lead and finish just over 18 seconds before second place, a testament to the power of the F2001B. This granted Schumacher his 54th career victory.
The crash between Barrichello’s Ferrari and Ralf Schumacher’s Williams-BMW, visible to the far-right, is Michael Schumacher’s F2001B, the same car on sale with RM Sotheby’s
Michael Schumacer’s F2001B is pictured here winning the season-opening race in 2002 as the Ferrari staff on the pit lane wall cheer him on while crossing the finish line
The legendary Michael Schumacher celebrating his victory in the 2002 Australian Grand Prix
At the second race of the season, held in Sepang, Malaysia, Schumacher maximized the performance of the F2001B to put it in pole position. This secured Ferrari its 150th-ever qualifying pole position in its history in F1, which dates back to 1950.
During the race itself, Schumacher would end up taking third place on the podium. This makes the F2001B the only F1 car to successfully make the podium in 100% of the races it participated in. In the 2002 season’s next round in Brazil, the F2001B would finally be replaced by the F2002.
Both F2001Bs pictured here during the 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix
An ariel view of one of the two Ferrari F2001Bs during a pitstop
F1 teams are limited by costs and rules regarding how many cars they can field in a season, making this car extremely rare, even among F1 cars. This lot’s value is further amplified by its racing pedigree and the fact it delivered first and third place to the legendary Michael Schumacher, who would use his early lead built up with the F2001B to win the 2002 season.
Following its two races as Ferrari’s stop-gap, the car would be taken back by Ferrari’s testing team and driven for testing. It completed 384 testing laps before its retirement at the end of 2002.
The cockpit and steering wheel of the F2001B, where the functions and labeling of the wheel’s functions have been preserved along with its electrics
Following the car’s retirement, it was acquired by a private Swiss collector in 2003. The owner would frequently take it out to be driven at track events before a different collector acquired it in 2011. That second owner is currently putting the lot on consignment. Previously, the same car went on auction with Sotheby’s Sealed in 2023. Due to the clandestine format of that sale system, it is unknown what occurred.
The future owner will be able to take it on the track to drive. However, before doing so, it must return to the Ferrari factory at Maranello, Italy, for an inspection, along with a refresh of the engine, clutch, and gearbox.
This is far from the first time an F1 car has been sold at auction, but if it can meet its high estimate, it should be the 4th most expensive F1 car sold at auction. The top three most expensive F1 racecars ever sold are shown below:
1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Formula 1 Racer⏐Sold: around US$29.6 million by Bonham’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, 2013⏐Used by Juan Manual Fangio to win his second championship title
2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04⏐Sold: around US$18.8 million by RM Sotheby’s Las Vegas, 2023⏐Most expensive modern F1 car sold at auction and used by Lewis Hamilton to win his first race for Mercedes in Hungary
2003 Ferrari F2003⏐Sold: around US$14.8 million by RM Sotheby’s Geneva, 2022⏐Used by Michael Schumacher to win the 2003 WDC and Ferrari to win the WCC