2019 Gooding Pebble Beach Sale (Niki Lauda Ferrari F1 Announcement)

Niki Lauda’s championship-winning 1975 Ferrari 312T Formula 1 racing car is on offer at Gooding Pebble Beach 2019.

Niki Lauda's 1975 Ferrari 312T — © Mike Maez / Courtesy of Gooding

The 1975 Ferrari 312T that Niki Lauda put on five pole positions en route to his first Formula 1 driver’s championship title was announced for the Gooding Pebble Beach 2019 classic car auction during Monterey Week. Lauda won the French Grand Prix in this car and drove it to second in the Dutch GP and third in the German GP. The Ferrari was also raced by team mate Clay Regazzoni. The estimate is $6,000,000 – $8,000,000.

Gooding Pebble Beach Classic Car Auction 2019

Gooding and Company scheduled its 16th annual Pebble Beach classic car auction for 16 & 17 August 2019 at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center on the Monterey Peninsula in California, USA.

In 2019, Gooding earned $76,824,740 with a sell-through rate of 77% – 108 of 140 lots offered were sold. The average price was $711,340 per car with 17 cars sold for over a million dollar each.

The 1935 Duesenberg SSJ, chassis J-563 sold for $22,000,000 as the most-expensive American car ever sold at public auction, the most-expensive pre-war car, the most-expensive Duesenberg and the most-expensive car ever sold by Gooding & Company. © Gooding

In 2018, Gooding earned $116.5 million with an 84% sell-through rate with 123 of the 147 lots sold. The average price per car was $947,174 with 25 cars selling for above a million dollar and 23 world auction records set for models, including a new Duesenberg marque record.

In 2017, Gooding earned $91.5 million with sell-through rate of 81% – 110 of the 135 lots on offer sold. 22 cars achieved a million dollar with two of these over $10 million. A new marque record of $14,080,000 was set by a 1970 Porsche 917K that was used in the filming of Steve McQueen’s Le Mans.

In 2016, Gooding set a company record when $129.8 million was earned by selling 115 of 138 lots (83%). 26 cars achieved over a million dollar with four selling for over $10 million.

1975 Ferrari 312T

Niki Lauda’s 1975 Ferrari 312T, chassis 022, estimate $6,000,000 – $8,000,000, is the most-expensive Formula 1 car thus far announced for the the Monterey Week 2019 classic car auctions.

This 312T is one of just five of the evolutionary “transversale” Grand Prix cars built by Ferrari for the 1975 Formula One season. The 312T model, designed by Mauro Forghieri, features a number of design changes from its 312B3 predecessor, including the transverse mounted gearbox that is reflected in the “T” designation in the car’s name. This new design positions the gearbox ahead of the rear axle to give a lower polar moment of inertia for improved cornering. The front of the 312T’s bodywork also became narrower, which improved airflow around the car and into the radiators.

The 312T continued to employ Ferrari’s dominant and reliable flat-12 engine, which outperformed its competitors at 500bhp. Over its career, variants of the 312T won 27 races, four Constructors’ and three Drivers’ Championships, becoming one of the most successful models in the history of Formula One.

Niki Lauda’s 1975 Ferrari 312T

Niki Lauda driving the 1975 Ferrari 312T during the French Grand Prix. — Courtesy of Gooding

After underachieving in 1974 with the Ferrari 312B3, largely due to mechanical failures, Niki Lauda was determined and more focused than ever to avoid a repeat of his previous year’s results. As such, he was extremely hands-on with the development of the 312T and comprehensively tested the car during the off-season in an effort to bring Ferrari back to its winning ways. In the 1975 F1 season, the 312T covered 14 races between January and October and is considered to be the Austrian’s most accomplished year.

Niki Lauda began his successful 1975 campaign in chassis 022 with a victory in the non-championship 1975 BRDC International Trophy held at Silverstone. He would go on to win the French Grand Prix, place second in the Dutch Grand Prix and finish third at the German Grand Prix, all behind the wheel of 022.

In total, Lauda qualified in pole position in all five championship races in which he drove 022, and his efforts in this chassis significantly contributed to both his and the Prancing Horse’s 1975 F1 world championship – Ferrari’s first title since 1964. Additionally, the car was driven on two occasions by Scuderia Ferrari teammate Clay Regazzoni and, following a single outing at the 1976 South African Grand Prix, was retired from racing.

During the 1980s, this 312T was acquired by noted French collector Jacques Setton, who owned the car for nearly two decades. It was later sold to John Bosch of the Netherlands and is now being offered from a prominent American collection, where it has resided since 2008. Beautifully restored by the current owner, this 312T was refinished in its Rosso Corsa livery by Byers Custom and Restoration and had all mechanical components rebuilt by the Ferrari experts at Dennison International. Following its uncommonly well-detailed restoration, this important Ferrari was shown at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, where it finished third in its class.

“The Ferrari 312T is among the most important and dominant Grand Prix models in the marque’s celebrated history”, states Hans Wurl, Specialist at Gooding & Company. “Never before has a 312T been presented at auction, and this example, having been an integral part in legendary Austrian driver Niki Lauda’s championship win, makes this a once in a lifetime opportunity. This is a consignment several years in the making, and it is a truly rare chance to acquire a Formula One car of this significance.”

Formula 1 Cars at Public Auction

1954 Mercedes Benz W196 Formula 1 Racing Car — 1954 Mercedes Benz W196 Formula 1 Racer © Bohnams

Formula 1 racing cars are frequently sold at public auction but championship-winning and even race-winning F1 cars are less often available but several top cars were sold in recent years:

The most-expensive Formula 1 single-seater racing car ever was $29,650,000 paid for a 1954 Mercedes Benz W196R at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013 sale. It is also the only Formula 1 car to have achieved more than $10 million at auction.

The record modern Formula 1 car is Michael Schumacher’s Grand Prix-winning Ferrari F2001 that sold in Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Auction in November 2017 for $7,504,000. A further Schumacher championship-winning Ferrari – an F2002 – is on offer at the RM Sotheby’s Abu Dhabi 2019 sale.

1993 McLaren-Cosworth Ford MP4 — © Bonhams

The 1993 McLaren MP4 that Ayrton Senna drove to his record sixth Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix victory sold for a slightly disappointing $5 million at the Bonhams Monaco 2018 sale. Senna’s first Monaco racer – a 1984 Toleman-Hart – sold for a sensational $1.9 million in the same auction.

Nigel Mansell’s 1992 Williams-Renault FW14B Formula 1 car driven to five Grand Prix victories en route to the World Championship is offered at the 2019 Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed sale.

Monterey Week 2019 Car Auctions News

Auction Results

Auction Previews:

Pre-Sale Auction Announcements: