• RM Sotheby’s Online Only: #RaceAgainstCOVID auction, held on behalf of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), achieves €944,392 (£845,472)
• Proceeds benefit International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) global response to COVID-19
• Sales led by a McLaren MP4-24 Show Car donated by McLaren at £66,000
• Numerous lots far exceed their pre-sale estimates
• All money raised in the sale will be added to the €1,000,000 already donated by the FIA Foundation to fight the pandemic
• RM Sotheby’s will donate all profits, net of cost to the IFRC charity
• Complete results from RM Sotheby’s Online Only: #RaceAgainstCOVID available on rmsothebys.com

RM Sotheby’s is delighted to have assisted the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) in achieving a staggering €944,392 (£845,472) in its Online Only: #RaceAgainstCOVID auction, with proceeds to benefit the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) global response to COVID-19. The sale, hosted on the auction house’s proprietary Online Only platform, featured 95 incredible collectible pieces and VIP experiences, generously donated by the global automotive and motorsport community. Adding significantly to the €1,000,000 already donated to the cause by the FIA Foundation, yesterday’s sale results were headlined by the McLaren MP4-24 show car, generously donated by McLaren. The car was created for display purposes to promote the 2009 MP4-24 Formula 1 World Championship contender. That season, raced by Heikki Kovalainen and reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton, the MP4-24 was taken to third place in the constructors’ championship. This wonderful item achieved £66,000, doubling its low pre-sale estimate.
 
Another remarkable result was the stunning Eau Rouge sculpture by Paul Oz, a bronze sculpture that is a 60% scale version of the life-size bronze statue on permanent display at the McLaren Technology Centre. Donated by the artist, it was created in 2019 with the approval from Instituto Ayrton Senna and the Senna family and is one of only 41 pieces, representing Ayrton Senna’s 41 victories in Formula 1. This incredible artwork achieved £48,000, smashing its pre-sale estimate. Amongst a wide selection of race suits and helmets donated by a wide variety of well-known drivers within the sport, it was Damon Hill’s 1995 Renault Racing suit and helmet that attracted the most spirited bidding. Donated by former Formula 1 World Champion, this racing suit and helmet was worn by the driver during the 1995 season, when he was racing for Williams-Renault. Specifically, this suit was worn by Hill during that year’s Australian Grand Prix, the final race of the championship, the lot achieved a staggering £39,600 against a pre-sale estimate of £5,000 to £7,000.
 
Jean TODT, FIA President, says: “Almost 2 million euros raised by the #RaceAgainstCovid online charity auction organised by the FIA and RM Sothebys to benefit the IFRC’s global COVID19 response: that’s a substantial achievement. Thanks to all donators and bidders, notably the FIA Foundation, for their generous contributions. In addition to this auction, I remind that the partnership between FIA and IFRC against COVID-19 includes a preventive health support for the motor sport restart, and a reinforced cooperation between FIA Member Clubs and Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies. In these difficult times, health, mobility and sport must walk together. We join forces in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and our FIA Sport and Mobility Clubs’ network will play an important role in this collective effort.”
 
 
Maarten ten Holder, Head of Europe, RM Sotheby’s, says: “As we have seen so many times before, sales to benefit fantastic causes also generate incredible generosity. In the case of this sale, we have seen overwhelming kindness from all those within the motorsport community who donated the wonderful items and experiences the sale had to offer, and we have also seen the fans, enthusiasts and collectors dig very deep and pay large sums to benefit this remarkable cause. This has been a remarkable success and everyone involved should be immensely proud. Congratulation to the FIA for establishing this initiative ant to the FIA Foundation for its generous contributions.”

Another highlight is the ROC Buggy, donated by Fredrik Johnsson and the Race Of Champions, it is the vehicle used by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel during the 2011 and 2012 Race Of Champions events in Dusseldorf and Bangkok. The buggy achieved £33,000 was yet another lot that managed to double its pre-sale estimate. Unsurprisingly, the racing suit, gloves, and boots, signed by the reigning, six-time F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton and donated by Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1, brought a staggering £31,200 (est. £7/9k), while a suit worn by a likely world champion of the future Charles Leclerc, at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix weekend in Spa-Francorchamps, donated by Scuderia Ferrari, made £30,000 (est. £5/7k). Rounding off the top performing lots of the sale is the Lamborghini Huracán Performante Development Model, 2016 donated by Lamborghini, which more than doubled its pre-sale estimate at £30,000.
 
 
RM Sotheby’s Online Only: #RaceAgainstCOVID Top Ten

1. Lot 181  McLaren MP4-24 Show Car, 2009                                                                             £66,000.00
2. Lot 135  Eau Rouge by Paul Oz, 2019                                                                                     £48,000.00
3. Lot 129  Damon Hill Renault Racing Suit and Helmet, 1995                                                    £39,600.00
4. Lot 186  ROC car raced by M. Schumacher and S. Vettel in the 2012 Race of Champions    £33,000.00
5. Lot 133  Lewis Hamilton Mercedes-AMG Signed Racing Suit, Gloves, and Boots                  £31,200.00
6. Lot 130  Charles Leclerc Ferrari Racing Suit, 2019                                                                  £30,000.00
7. Lot 123  Lamborghini Huracán Performante Development Model, 201                                    £30,000.00
8. Lot 107  Max Verstappen Signed Racing Suit with Boots and Rear Wing Endplate                 £27,600.00
9. Lot 160  Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona                                                                     £27,600.00
10. Lot 161  Dark Star by Frank Stella, 2020                                                                                  £27,000.00

 
Bidding for the highly exclusive lots came from more than 400 registered bidders, each representing 43 different countries and 69 percent of which were first-time clientele.

The success of the Online Only: #RaceAgainstCOVID charitable auction comes off the back of some outstanding results in RM Sotheby’s online sales over the last few months, with international buyers and sellers keen to connect despite the current restrictions in events.
 
Complete results from RM Sotheby’s Online Only: #RaceAgainstCOVID auction are available at rmsothebys.com. Results are listed in POUNDS and include buyer’s premium.
 
FOR MORE NEWS FROM RM SOTHEBY’S: #RMSothebys #RMOnlineOnly #RaceAgainstCOVID
 
Visit: rmsothebys.com
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
 
About RM Sotheby’s
RM Sotheby’s is the world's largest collector car auction house by total sales. With 40 years of proven results in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from auctions (live and online) and private sales to estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of Car Specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM Sotheby’s is currently responsible for six of the top ten most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction.
 
RM Sotheby’s launched its Online Only division in 2019, providing consignors and bidders an easy-to-use, proprietary platform that allows faster transactions to take place while still harnessing the level of service and global reach for which the RM Sotheby’s team is known. For further information, visit rmsothebys.com.