Michael Schumacher’s First F1 Winner Sells for €5.1M — Millions Below Estimate
The Benetton B192 that launched a seven-time world champion’s career fails to reach ambitious €8.5M projection at Broad Arrow Auctions
The 1992 Benetton B192-05, the very car that carried Michael Schumacher to his maiden Formula 1 victory, has sold at auction for €5,082,000 — a staggering sum that nonetheless fell significantly short of its €8.5 million pre-sale estimate .
The Spa Masterclass That Started It All
On August 30, 1992, at a rain-lashed Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, a 23-year-old German driver announced his arrival among F1’s elite. Starting from the second row, Schumacher demonstrated the wet-weather mastery that would define his career, pitting early for slick tyres on a drying track and undercutting pole-sitter Nigel Mansell for the lead. He crossed the finish line 36 seconds ahead of the field, securing the first of what would become 91 Grand Prix victories .
The chassis B192-05, designed by Rory Byrne and powered by a 3.5-litre Ford V8 producing 660-680bhp, holds unique historical significance. It remains the last manual-gearbox Formula 1 car ever to win a Grand Prix — a mechanical swan song before the paddle-shift revolution .
Auction Reality vs. Expectation
Broad Arrow Auctions’ « Global Icons: Europe Online » sale, which concluded on January 30, 2026, positioned the B192 as a headline lot with expectations exceeding €8.5 million ($9.9 million). The final hammer price of €5,082,000 (approximately £4.4 million) represents a 40% shortfall from projections, though still placing the car among the most expensive modern F1 racers ever sold .
The gap between estimate and reality may reflect the challenging nature of online-only auctions for eight-figure collectibles, or perhaps a market recalibration after several record-breaking Schumacher Ferrari sales in 2024-2025. Notably, Schumacher’s 2001 Ferrari F2001 sold for £13.43 million in Monaco last year — more than double the B192’s final price despite representing a later career milestone .
Provenance and Condition
Unlike many ex-race cars that pass through multiple private collections, chassis B192-05 remained with the Benetton team (later Renault) at their Enstone headquarters for over three decades. Part of the Renault Classic Collection, it was meticulously restored to full working order before entering the market for the first time .
The car competed in five Grands Prix during the 1992 season with Schumacher at the wheel, contributing to a campaign that delivered 11 podiums, one victory, and two fastest laps for the Benetton squad .
Historical Context
The B192 represents the opening chapter of modern F1’s most dominant career trajectory. From this Spa victory, Schumacher would claim his first world title with Benetton in 1994, add a second in 1995, then forge Ferrari’s dynasty with five consecutive championships from 2000-2004. The car’s yellow-and-green livery, created by Benetton’s in-house design team, remains one of the sport’s most visually distinctive color schemes .
While the auction result disappointed optimistic projections, the €5.1 million price tag still secures the B192’s position as one of the most valuable F1 cars from the 1990s era — a testament to Schumacher’s enduring legacy more than a decade after his retirement and over 12 years since his life-altering skiing accident .
Sources
- Motorsport.com: « Michael Schumacher’s first race-winning F1 car sells at auction for seven-figure sum » (February 7, 2026)
- Motorsport Week: « History-making Michael Schumacher F1 car fetches huge sum at auction » (February 8, 2026)
- F1i.com: « Schumacher’s first F1 winner misses €8.5M estimate at auction » (February 8, 2026)
- PlanetF1: « Historic Michael Schumacher chassis sold for €5m » (February 8, 2026)
- Auto Hebdo F1: « Michael Schumacher’s Benetton sold at auction for several million euros » (February 7, 2026)
- Autoweek: « One of Michael Schumacher’s Most Important Cars Heads to Auction » (January 8, 2026)
- Crash.net: « Unique Michael Schumacher F1 racer up for auction at bank-busting price tag » (January 9, 2026)