In an unprecedented opportunity, Sotheby’s will be auctioning off Michael Schumacher’s 2002 Australian Grand Prix-winning Ferrari F2001b. The chassis, known as 215, has an impeccable track record, having never finished outside of the podium positions throughout its racing career. This presents an exceptional chance to own a remarkable modern-era racing machine.
Car of Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F2001b Chassis No. 215. Photo by: Jeremy Cliff
Last year, another one of Schumacher’s Ferrari F1 cars, the F2003-GA, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction for a staggering $14.9 million, setting a new record for the highest price ever achieved by an F1 car. It surpassed the previous record of $7.5 million set in 2017 when another one of Schumacher’s F1 cars, the F2001, was sold.
Schumacher utilized the F2001B during the first two races of the 2002 season and expressed his intentions for the new car, stating that it would be used only if it proved to be better and more reliable.
During the opening flyaways of the 2002 season, Schumacher drove this car to victory in the Australian Grand Prix. The event is famously remembered for the first-corner accident in which Ralf Schumacher’s Williams-BMW went airborne over the back of Michael’s teammate, Rubens Barrichello.
In a race full of incidents, Schumacher slipped down to fourth place but fought back, taking third position from Juan Pablo Montoya after the Colombian driver slid wide following a safety car restart. He inherited second place when Jarno Trulli spun out. The leader, David Coulthard of McLaren, went off track ahead of the second restart, allowing Montoya to regain the lead momentarily. However, Schumacher quickly overtook Montoya with an impressive move around the outside of Turn 2. From there, he pulled away from the field, winning the race with a comfortable 18.6-second margin over Montoya.
This victory marked the first of 11 wins for Schumacher on his way to securing his fifth Formula 1 World Championship in 2002.
Reflecting on the race, Schumacher said, “I did not think we could win here. But things change quickly, and from the next race, I expect it to be much closer.”
Ferrari team principal Jean Todt reminisces about this glorious era of F1 dominance and his fondness for working with Schumacher in this video:
Schumacher continued to drive this car to a third-place finish in Malaysia, despite a collision with Montoya that damaged the front wing. Starting from pole position, he made a pitstop at the end of the first lap and embarked on an impressive comeback drive from 21st place back to a podium position. Towards the end of the race, he overtook Jenson Button of BAR-Honda to secure third place.
Reflecting on the incident with Montoya, Schumacher remarked, “As far as the accident was concerned, maybe Juan could have given me more room, but he chose not to, and we just touched. That’s racing. It was only a little touch, but I had to pit to change the front wing.
“I decided to push right to the end, and if I had not, probably I would not have caught Button, who obviously had a problem. We have brought the old car to the first two races and did not really expect to have so many points in our account.”
The F2001b is equipped with a 3.0-liter Tipo 050 V10 engine designed by Gilles Simon. It can produce almost 900 horsepower at 18,500rpm and features an electro-hydraulic, seven-speed sequential gearbox. The car weighs just 1,323 pounds.
Car of Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F2001b Chassis No. 215. Photo by: Jeremy Cliff
Ferrari 2001b Chassis 215, being one of the most coveted modern-era grand prix cars, will be available for purchase through the Sotheby’s Sealed platform. It will be showcased alongside the second of only five Zagato-bodied 1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Tour de France road cars at RM Sotheby’s flagship Monterey auction from August 16-19. Bidding for the F2001b will open on August 16, 12:00 pm PDT and close on August 19, 12:00 pm PDT.