Ayrton Senna’s McLaren MP4/6 ‘model’ for sale

You’re looking at the world’s coolest sculpture. It’s Ayrton Senna’s 1991 McLaren MP4/6 which was dismantled in 1992 and re-assembled by artist Jay Burridge into the world’s largest ‘Airfix kit’.

The work of art is now up for sale and will be auctioned by Coys at the Nürburgring on Saturday 13 August. A sale price as high as £50,000 (AU$75,500) is expected, so best start raiding your piggy bank now.

This is an incredibly rare opportunity to purchase a McLaren F1 car, or parts thereof, as the auction listing explains:

McLaren have a policy of not selling any cars or parts of cars to collectors and all race cars are dismantled after each race in an autopsy and then used again or disposed of. No one owns a McLaren Formula 1 car or parts of a McLaren Formula 1 car let alone a Senna McLaren and this is a unique opportunity to purchase a piece of automotive history and art.

There’s more detail after the break, including a YouTube clip we found from Senna qualifying at Adelaide in 1991. You can also check the Coys website for more info on how you can buy.

[Pic: Adam Jacobs photography]

Ayrton Senna’s McLaren—the biggest Airfix kit in the world—to go under the hammer

A sculpture that features Ayrton Senna’s McLaren MP4/6 from his last season as World Champion is to be sold by the International Car auctioneers COYS at their Nurburgring sale in Germany on August 13th.

The gigantic Airfix sculpture was unveiled to the public on Saturday July 16th at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire when COYS hosted its annual Concours d’Elegance and auction at the historic venue – and there to see it unveiled was Ayrton Senna’s former manager, Dennis Rushen.

Dennis, who was team manager in Ayrton’s formative years said: “I was really impressed with the Senna sculpture. Such a clever idea and it really stands out as something really different. Often at race meetings Senna would fly his radio controlled helicopter. He was really into models and he would have appreciated the concept.

There has been huge renewed interest in Ayrton Senna since the film “Senna” went on general release at cinemas a few weeks ago and the auction house have received a huge amount of interest in the sculpture since they pictured it in their catalogue.

“It will be sold at our auction at the Nurburgring on August 13th,” said Chris Routledge from COYS. “It really is a fantastic sculpture that would not be out of place in a design or motor museum or on the wall of a corporate office. We believe that it will sell for between £30,000 and £50,000.

The Formula 1 car was dismantled by McLaren and given to artist Jay Burridge who turned it into the gigantic “Airfix kit” in 1992.