As part of Ayrton Senna’s contract with Williams, he was set to keep one of its 1994 season Formula 1 cars if the team won the Constructers’ Championship.
The team duly won that title, but sadly Senna died following his crash at the San Marino Grand Prix. However, the team honoured their agreement and gifted the car to Senna’s family.
This car is now heading to auction with RM Sotheby’s on Monday 16 November in New York.
This chassis, FW16-01, was driven in 1994 by Senna, Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill, and it also the car that gave David Coulthard his first World Championship points.
The car was maintained by the factory for 30 years, the only change from its final race outing being to fit Senna’s seat.
Sold to a private collector in 2024, the car has never been used following the end of the 1994 season and survives in what is described as time warp condition.
Images courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
