Aiton Senna's Bolide is up for auction. Foto RM Sotheby's
Ayrton Senna is one of the greatest drivers in Formula-1 (F-1) history and his legend has only grown stronger over the years, especially after his tragic death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
The 1986 Lotus 98T brought Senna two wins in the season, podiumed three times and won five pole positions, writes Robb Report. This is the last F-1 car with John Player Special coloring, noted in Sotheby’s, the organizer of the auction.
“The difference between race and qualifying mode could be as much as 300 horsepower – well beyond the capabilities of today’s dynamometers,” Sotheby’s description says. – Although the exact power output of these legendary machines is shrouded in mystery, the Lotus 98T remains one of the most powerful cars in F-1 history – a true giant of an era when limits were almost non-existent.”
It is the 98T-3 that is up for sale, which, according to RM Sotheby’s, only drove in Senna’s hands for the entire 1986 season. The champion that year was Alain Prost, and Senna finished fourth, also behind Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet.
Lotus sold the car in 1988, after which it went from one collection to another several times, including some of the finest automobile collections in the world. The current owner purchased the bolide in 2016 and completely restored it. All restoration work and ownership history is documented.
RM Sotheby’s notes that the 98T is “ready to return to the track,” which would be spectacular, though unlikely given its value. Bidding starts March 4, and preliminary estimates of value range from $9.5 million to $12 million.
