After a week of scepticism and (justified) criticism, last week’s Las Vegas Grand Prix turned out to be a pretty enjoyable race, offering a competitive and interesting race in a glamorous setting - something Monaco unfortunately now lacks.

To celebrate “the biggest event in the world in 2023”, as it was deemed, an official auction was held at the Wynn Las Vegas Awakening Theatre seeing some of the world’s best cars all available to bid on. It produced sales figures to fit the billing with a total of $59,704,685 generated on the night.

The big story of the night came in the form of a 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 - the first Mercedes F1 car to be driven to victory by 7-time World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton. It is the only car to be sold outside of the Mercedes organisation and was bought for an eyewatering $18,815,000 after a fierce bidding war, making it the most valuable Formula One car of the modern era ever sold.

A road car from the German brand - a 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster - was also up for auction. The highly anticipated car is an open-top variant of the homologation special which dominated the FIA GT Championships towards the late 1990s. Chassis 000034, the third of only six examples ever built, sold for $10,235,000.

It wasn’t just cars for sale on the night in Las Vegas - the location for next year’s Superbowl. A signed Tampa Bay Buccaneers shirt worn by Tom Brady in his final NFL game of a 23 season career achieved $1.4 million. It was the highest price ever achieved at auction for an American Football shirt on a night of record breakers.

Top 10 Sales

1. 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 - $18,815,000
2. 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster - $10,235,000
3. 2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package - $1,875,000
4. 2022 Ferrari 812 Competizione - $1,765,000
5. 1988 Porsche 959 'Komfort' - $1,765,000
6. 2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 - $1,600,000
7. 2015 Porsche 918 'Weissach' Spyder - $1,600,000
8. 2005 Porsche Carrera GT - $1,545,000
9. 2021 McLaren Elva - $1,517,500
10. Tom Brady Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2023 Game Worn & Signed Jersey | Final Career Game - $1,391,000

”Achieving over $59.7 million in sales, our auction not only set records but also perfectly complemented the electrifying atmosphere that was the Las Vegas Grand Prix. As we move forward, RM Sotheby's is committed to continuing our legacy of innovation and excellence in the auction space," said Bryon Madsen, President of RM Sotheby's.

To view a list of RM Sotheby’s upcoming auctions, click here.

Words: Mike Booth
Pictures: Rm Sotheby’s