Formula 1 doesn't do repeats. No sequels here, unlike your favorite movie franchise. The sport is ever-evolving and ever-changing to adhere to new rules and regulations, and extract every millisecond possible. So it isn't much of a surprise that F1 teams change their cars each year, consigning most of the old ones to the trash.
These cars, estimated to cost over $20 million apiece, are run into the ground before they're discarded like last season's sneakers. They're deemed to be "heritage" once the season ends,
as teams strip down the car for parts and either use them for older cars or to develop them for future cars. Mercedes AMG F1 says it has over a million parts in its heritage division, all of them tagged and stored for future use. Some F1 constructors may have to send back their engines if they are leased from another company, for instance McLaren returning its engines to its supplier, Mercedes.
But the teams do retain some cars, servicing them annually to keep them in running condition for historic events and showruns. These cars are often used for promotional appearances and demo runs. F1 cars of historic significance are presented to sponsors or preserved and displayed. Some companies, including Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, and Williams, have museums and heritage divisions that maintain and showcase these cars for future generations to marvel at.
Read more: Every 2025 Formula 1 Livery, Ranked From Worst To Best
Are F1 Cars Auctioned After The End Of The Season?
F1 manufacturers don't put on a fire sale after the last lap of the season, but some of the cars make it to the auction block and are sold for millions. In fact, the second-costliest car ever sold in an auction was a 1950s F1 car raced by legendary drivers Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio, which sold for a cool $53.9 million at an auction this year.
But you can have a few other iconic cars for a fraction of the cost (although they do have more zeros than the mind can comprehend), like Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes F1 car from 2013 -- his first year with the German manufacturer -- which sold for $20.36 million in 2023, or Michael Schumacher's championship-winning car from 2001, which went for $18.17 million earlier this year.
A few F1 drivers are ardent fans of the sport and have had the privilege of owning a few fabled machines. One of them is four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, who owns the title-winning 1992 Williams FW14B driven by Nigel Mansell, and the McLaren MP4/8 from 1993 driven by Ayrton Senna. Former F1 head Bernie Ecclestone amassed one of the biggest and most impressive collection of F1 cars, which he put up for auction this year, selling 69 cars for a whopping $646 million. And getting a jump on things, McLaren is auctioning its upcoming 2026 car even before the season begins.
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