Bernie Ecclestone has reached a record-breaking sale with the removal of its reputable fleet of historic Grand Prix and Formula 1 cars, which it is believed to be worth around half a billion pounds.
The 94-year-old former Formula 1-Supremo, who gained these vehicles for five decades, sold the entire 69-Auto collection on the occasion of Mateschitz, son of the late Red Bull Founder Dietrich Matschitz.
Mateschitz, 32, inherited 49 percent of Global Energy Drink Empire in October and confirmed that he is planning to open the collection for public view in the near future. Although financial details remain confidential, the deal would represent the most valuable transaction that ever takes place on the market for the cars of the collectors.
Among the highly appreciated exhibitions are Ferraris who were once raced by world champions Mike Hawthorn, Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher, as well as a number of Brabham cars driven by Nelson Piquet, Carlos Pace and Lauda himself. The line-up also includes the iconic one-time Brabham-Alalfa Romeo BT46B “Fan Car”, who only competed once, triumphantly during the Swedish Grand Prix of 1978.
According to broker Tom Hartley JNR, who has managed the sale, there has never been a classic car operation “that even comes close” in terms of scale and value. He revealed that there was interest from potential buyers around the world, including two sovereign wealth funds, but noted that Ecclestone had a certain preference for Mateschitz.
Ecclestone had announced at the end of 2023 that he would sell the collection, although he emphasized that his decision was not related to his recent legal issues. Following a guilty plea for fraud, after he had not announced a trust worth more than £ 400 million, he reached a settlement with a record payment to HM income and customs and a suspended prison sentence of 17 months. Nevertheless, Ecclestone insisted that these circumstances had no influence on his willingness to renounce the cherished cars, but instead a desire to save his family to take on the logistical challenges of such a substantial estate.
Hartley JNR confirmed that the unique, private negotiated approach to Ecclestone helped to secure an optimal result, free from the unpredictable elements that are often seen at an auction. He praised the extensive research efforts behind the sale, including investigating the Ferrari archives to verify the racing history and chassis details of each car.
Mateschitz, the only son of Dietrich Mateschitz, expressed joy that Ecclestone had entrusted him with such a historically important range of machines. He has promised to retain and expand the collection, and it is generally expected that it will be shown in Austria, which reflects the roots of Red Bull in the country.
For his part, Ecclestone described the transfer as a relief and expressed the satisfaction that these iconic Formula 1 cars will remain enthusiastic under the stewardship of a serious motorcycle racing. Although the deal is quickly completed, industry insiders are of the opinion that it is unlikely that it will be improved in terms of size or prestige in the near future.