Bernie Ecclestone, the former Formula 1 supremo, is set to make hundreds of millions by selling his extensive and iconic collection of Formula 1 cars.
The 94-year-old has amassed a collection of 69 grand prix single-seaters over his lifetime, housed in a sprawling hangar. With models ranging from the 1931 Bugatti Type 54S to Michael Schumacher's championship-winning 2002 Ferrari, the collection is considered one of the most impressive and valuable in the world.
"I love all my cars," Ecclestone said. "But the time has come for me to start thinking about what will happen to them should I no longer be here, and that's why I have decided to sell them.
"After collecting and owning them for so long, I would like to know where they've gone and not leave them for my wife to deal with should I not be around."
The collection is estimated to make him hundreds of millions of dollars, adding to Ecclestone's already substantial wealth, rumored to be around $2.5 billion.
"A Formula 1 car is far more important than any road car or other form of race car, as it is the pinnacle of the sport," Ecclestone added. "All the cars I have bought over the years have fantastic race histories.
"Having collected what are the best F1 cars dating back to the start of the sport, I have now decided to move them on to new homes that will treat them as I have and look after them as precious works of art."
The sale is being managed by Tom Hartley Jr, a British dealer specializing in high-value cars. Hartley described many of the cars in Ecclestone's collection as "effectively priceless," given their historical significance and racing pedigree.
The collection includes the infamous Brabham 'fan car,' a revolutionary design from Ecclestone's time as team owner, alongside other treasures that represent the pinnacle of Formula 1 history.
