Michael Schumacher's debut F1 car expected to fetch around $2.2 million at auction

Michael Schumacher’s Jordan 191 car has been put up for sale in Paris just 18 months after it last went to auction.

The German made his F1 debut in the car at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix when he replaced Bertrand Gachot, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for assault.

Despite being new to the car and the sport, Schumacher impressed from the start and out-paced his teammate Andrea de Cesaris in his very first practice session, before beating him to P7 in qualifying. However, a clutch failure on the opening lap of the race saw his debut come to a bitter-sweet end.

It was the first and only time that Schumacher drove for Jordan, which makes the car truly special. While Speedmaster Cars previously sold the car for £1.25 million, it has only once left the premises — when Mick Schumacher drove it around the Silverstone circuit in 2021.

It is now expected to fetch in the region of £1.2 million to £1.75 million ($1.5 million to $2.2 million).

Incidentally, the Ferrari F2003 car that once belonged to seven-time world champion Schumacher was sold at a Sotheby’s auction for £10.7 million last year, making it the second-most expensive F1 car ever sold. The 1954 Mercedes W196R, sold for £19.6 million, currently holds the record.

Peter Haynes, Sotheby’s marketing and communications director, stated that there had been a “huge rise” in interest in F1 cars. He told PlanetF1:

“The market for modern era Formula 1 cars has seen a huge rise in interest from collectors in recent years, and that has translated into a significant increase in the prices the cars now command. There is more money in the market now, so these cars which are incredibly sophisticated and expensive to maintain – are being bought by collectors who have the resources to look after and maintain them.

He added:

“Manufacturers like Ferrari, McLaren and Williams, have all created dedicated divisions of their businesses that offer clients the facilities and technical support necessary to look after the cars. There’s no question that Ferrari and McLaren F1 cars lead the way in desirability and those driven by Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna are the most desired.”

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Michael Schumacher 'rewrote the history of Formula 1', believes former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella

Former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella, meanwhile, has lauded Michael Schumacher and stated that he changed the sport forever. The Italian recently praised the German for his domination of the sport, saying:

"As a colleague, he [Michael Schumacher] was an incredible opponent, and he rewrote the history of Formula 1. Having raced with him, he has given me so much, and the few times I came in front made me even more proud because he is a great champion. It is a cruel fate that someone who as a race so often risked his life is badly injured while skiing."