First place for Mansell’s Williams at Bonhams’ FoS sale

By Lizzie Pope
News
 | 8 Jul 2019
Classic & Sports Car – First place for Mansell’s Williams at Bonhams’ FoS sale

There was another victory for a famous Formula One racer this weekend, as British racing legend Nigel Mansell’s Williams-Renault FW14B F1 car became the top seller at Bonhams’ Goodwood Festival of Speed sale. 

This now-iconic, Adrian Newey-designed racer sparked a three-way international bidding war when it crossed the block on Friday (5 July), the gavel eventually falling at £2,703.000.

That’s the highest price ever paid at auction for a Williams grand prix car and its new home will be with a renowned private collector.

Classic & Sports Car – First place for Mansell’s Williams at Bonhams’ FoS sale
Classic & Sports Car – First place for Mansell’s Williams at Bonhams’ FoS sale

Classic & Sports Car – First place for Mansell’s Williams at Bonhams’ FoS sale
Classic & Sports Car – First place for Mansell’s Williams at Bonhams’ FoS sale

The V10-powered FW14B chassis 08 was campaigned in 13 of 1992’s 16 races and it’s the car in which Mansell won a record-setting five races at the start of the season – South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Spain and San Marino – en route to sealing that year’s drivers’ championship.

Inside the car’s cockpit are five red stars celebrating the fact that he was also on pole for each of them, plus five gold stars for those wins.

From the 1992 British GP onwards it was driven by Mansell’s teammate, Riccardo Patrese, and scored points finishes in three more races to help the Italian take second spot in the championship.

“The Festival of Speed celebrates the very best of motor racing history,” said Mark Osborne, Global Director of Motorsport for Bonhams. “Against this background – one week before the British Grand Prix – we are delighted to a see Nigel Mansell’s Red Five set yet another world record.”

Classic & Sports Car – First place for Mansell’s Williams at Bonhams’ FoS sale
Classic & Sports Car – First place for Mansell’s Williams at Bonhams’ FoS sale

In a sale where several of the lots with the highest guide prices failed to find new homes, there was quite some jump in value to the next top sellers.

These were a 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV 4.2-Litre Vantage Sports Saloon and a one-of-six 2001 Lister Storm GT1 Sports-racing Prototype, both of which sold for £465,750.

The former was bang in the middle of its £400-500,000 estimate, while the ex-Bobby Verdon-Roe and Justin Law Lister – to name but a few of its drivers – just crept over the lower end of its £450-550,000 guide price.

Classic & Sports Car – First place for Mansell’s Williams at Bonhams’ FoS sale
Classic & Sports Car – First place for Mansell’s Williams at Bonhams’ FoS sale

A sub-10,000-mile Jaguar XJ220 achieved £414,000, thereby well exceeding the lower end of its £350-450,000 guide price.

Another of the auction’s most interesting lots was an Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII BJ8. One of four works cars prepared by the factory for the 1964 season, it sold for £230,000, faring well against its £200-250,000 pre-sale estimate.

A 2011 Land Rover Defender that’s appeared in Bond films Skyfall and Spectre smashed its £180-220,000 estimate when bidding stopped at £316,250, and a 1933 MG J4 Midge Sports and Voiturette Racing Two-Seater which competed in the 1933 RAC TT also beat its estimate, reaching £255,875 (£180-240,000).

For the full results from Bonhams’ Goodwood Festival of Speed sale, click here.

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