Mercedes, the car that propelled Lewis Hamilton to his first victory in Formula 1, was recently sold at the RM Sotheby’s auction in Las Vegas. According to Bloomberg, the winning bid for this iconic vehicle amounted to an astonishing $18.8 million. The auction, which featured a starting price of $17.1 million, concluded with the car being sold at the Awakening cinema, located in the esteemed Wynn Las Vegas hotel. Interestingly, this sale marks the most significant transaction involving a Formula 1 car in history.

Leading up to the auction, Sotheby’s had estimated the value of the Mercedes to be between $10-15 million. However, the final selling price far exceeded these initial expectations, solidifying the car’s status as a prized collector’s item. The sale took place during the Formula 1 race in Las Vegas, further adding to the excitement surrounding this momentous event.