The Ferrari driven by Michael Schumacher during his world championship-winning 2003 Formula 1 season hit the auction block last week, selling for the record-breaking price of CHF14,630,000 (AU$23,148,310).
It’s now the second most expensive retired F1 car ever sold, as well as representing the highest price ever paid for one of Schumi’s cars after more than doubling what was forked out for his title-winning Ferrari F2001 sold back in 2017.
This Ferrari F2003-GA -initials honouring late Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli – is the most successful of its kind ever built, debuting in the 2003 Spanish Grand Prix where Schumacher put “Chassis 229” in pole position. As an update to the older F2002 car, the Ferrari F2003-GA featured a longer-wheelbase design than its predecessor, allowing the Italian automaker to repackage the aerodynamic profile and fit it with a longer 3-litre V-10 engine.
RELATED: Some Absolute Hero Sent It On The Highway With A “Formula 1” Car
The Tipo 052 variant engine was an 845-horsepower mechanical masterpiece, capable of spinning up to 19,000rpm and producing approximately 685kW of power. Despite the engine of the Ferrari F2003-GA only having an additional 148 miles put through it since its last competitive appearance, the vehicle received a complete overhaul by the Ferrari Formula 1 Clienti department and went to auction in full running order.
In total, Schumacher claimed five grand prix race victories across nine race appearances with chassis 229 during the 2003 season. In addition to taking Schumacher past McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen by just two points on the overall leaderboard, the car also assisted Ferrari to claim a historic 13th Constructors’ Championship that very year.
Ferrari F2003-GA “Chassis 229” Results
| Date | Race | Driver | Result | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04-May-03 | Spanish Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 1 | Pole Position |
| 18-May-03 | Austrian Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 1 | Pole Position / Fastest Race Lap |
| 01-Jun-03 | Monaco Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 3 | |
| 15-Jun-03 | Canadian Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 1 | |
| 29-Jun-03 | European Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 5 | |
| 06-Jul-03 | French Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 3 | |
| 14-Sep-03 | Italian Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 1 | Pole Position / Fastest Race Lap |
| 28-Sep-03 | United States Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 1 | Fastest Race Lap |
| 12-Oct-03 | Japanese Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 8 |
It’s a remarkable car, not simply for its position as the automotive engineering apex of its era, but also for its historical significance in the career of one of the greatest drivers very to line up on a grand prix circuit. Its new owner might have paid a serious price for the Ferrari, but they’ll sleep well with the knowledge that they own one of the most important racing cars in the history of modern motorsport.
