Here’s a good example of why “last but not least” exists as a phrase.
An example of the Ferrari 248 Formula 1 race car driven by Michael Schumacher during his final season with the team will be auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s next month. His place in motorsports history was secure well before he ever got behind the wheel of this vehicle, but it still played an important part in burnishing his legacy.
With the possible Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes-AMG Petronas, there is no more successful driver-constructor partnership in F1 history than Schumacher and Scuderia Ferrari. The German helped return the team to its winning ways during their eleven seasons together (1996 to 2006) and became the sport’s biggest star in the process, claiming five titles in a row between 2000 and 2004. Needless to say, he drove several excellent race cars during that time, and it was in 248 that he achieved some of his greatest success.
Michael Schumacher’s 2006 Ferrari 248 F1
RM Sotheby’s
Ferrari developed the 248 race car for use during the 2006 F1 season. Schumacher may not have won the title that year—which was his last with the Italian automaker— but he was able to bounce back from the disappointment of finishing third in 2005 and was had a shot at the championship until the season’s final weeks. Schumacher’s best stretch that season happened in this car, chassis no. 254. The car was in use from April until August, and it was in that period that the driver claimed five of his seven victories that season (the San Marino, European, United States, French, and German Grands Prix). He also took three pole positions in the car, including the one (at San Marino) that Ayrton Senna’s record and the final of his career (United States).
The seller purchased chassis no. 254 directly from Scuderia Ferrari in late 2007. The car wears the same racing livery during its time on the track and received Ferrari Classiche Red Book certification in 2008. That means that the marque itself has confirmed it to retain all its number-matching components, including a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter V-8 that makes 785 hp and longitudinal gearbox.
Chassis no. 254 will be go up for bid during the latest of the auction house’s Sotheby’s Sealed sales. Bidding for the race car is set to open on Thursday, November 14, and run until Tuesday, November 19. No estimate has been made public, though one is available upon request. Considering how important the vehicle is to both Schumacher and Ferrari’s racing legacy, it’s sure to command a hefty sum.
