A Ferrari once owned by three-time F1 World Drivers’ Champion Niki Lauda has gone under the hammer for EUR 207,000.
The 1973 Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 was the late Formula 1 legend’s first company car after he signed his debut F1 racing driver contract, the Viennese auction house Dorotheum said.
Newsflash obtained a statement from Dorotheum saying that “Niki Lauda’s first service Ferrari was auctioned for EUR 207,000” (GBP 178,365).
They added: “In the last few minutes of the Dorotheum online auction on 7th December, 2022, the bids were pouring in: the Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 from 1973 fetched 207,000 euros – Niki Lauda’s first company car, which he got after he signed his contract as a Formula 1 driver.
“The red 340 hp racer is staying in Austria: a local online bidder prevailed against an international buyer in the end.”
Dorotheum did not reveal the identity of the winning bidder.
Andreas Nikolaus “Niki” Lauda (1949 – 2019) was an Austrian Formula One driver who was the World Drivers’ Champion three times.
He was seriously injured in a crash at the 1976 German Grand Prix while racing at the Nuerburgring that nearly killed him after he inhaled toxic fumes and suffered severe burns.
Lauda survived and was racing again just six weeks later at the Italian Grand Prix, narrowly losing the title that year to James Hunt. Lauda returned the following year to win his second championship.
He won the 1984 title, beating Alain Prost by half a point.
Lauda is also known for having founded the airline company Lauda Air in 1979.
Widely considered one of the greatest racing drivers of all time, Niki Lauda passed away on 20th May 2019 at the age of 70, surrounded by family members.
In October, a Lamborghini Countach that was once owned by the Italian-born American Formula 1 legend and world champion Mario Andretti sold for over GBP 400,000.
Newsflash obtained a statement from the Dorotheum auction house saying that the historical vehicle, a Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary, which once belonged to Andretti, 82, had sold for EUR 460,000 (GBP 401,313).
The auction house said at the time (in English): “Spontaneously applauded by an ardent saleroom audience, a 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary changed hands for 460,000 euros in Dorotheum’s sale at Classic Expo Salzburg.
“The auction’s absolute highlight, which has driven a mere 7,400 kilometres [4,600 miles], formerly belonged to Formula One pilot and world champion Mario Andretti.”
Mario Andretti is considered to be one of the most successful racing car drivers in the history of motorsports. He is one of only two drivers – the other is Dan Gurney – to have won races in Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, and the World Sportscar Championship.
Andretti won the 1978 Formula One World Championship, racing a Lotus 79 with a Ford engine for Team Lotus. He dominated the season, with six outright wins and clinched the championship by winning the Italian Grand Prix.
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
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