A rare 1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail is heading to an RM Sothebys Sealed sale in March, with market chatter putting the potential result near the $21,000,000 mark. The car is chassis 027R, a works era longtail built for top level GT racing, and the Sealed format is designed to attract serious collectors who prefer private bidding over a live room spectacle.
Rare Longtail With Real Race History
RM Sothebys describes 027R as one of 28 McLaren F1 GTRs built, and one of only 10 longtail examples produced for the 1997 specification. It was delivered new to Parabolica Motorsports and won on its first outing at the 1997 British GT season opener at Silverstone, a result often cited as the first win for a longtail bodied F1 GTR.
The car also ran the 1997 FIA GT Championship season with multiple top six finishes, and it appeared at the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans under Team Lark McLaren. RM Sothebys also lists later British GT use and a long period of careful stewardship, which matters because these cars are valued as much for documented identity as they are for mechanical condition.
Road Legal Conversion Adds Usability
Unlike many period GT racers, this car has been restored and converted for road use by Lanzante, which is a key detail for buyers who want a usable halo piece rather than a track only artifact.
RM Sothebys notes recent attention from Lanzante as well, which helps support the idea that the car is being presented as ready for both display and selective driving. A road legal longtail with meaningful history sits in a very narrow lane, and that lane is where numbers can stretch.
RM Sothebys
Why The Sealed Format Could Matter
This sale runs March 5 through March 12, and the Sealed structure keeps bids private, with the final price typically treated as confidential by the auction house.
RM Sothebys also promotes the format as having no buyers premium, which can change how bidders think about their top number, since the hammer figure is closer to the true out the door cost. If the talk of $21,000,000 holds, it would slot alongside recent headline results and contemporary track specials.
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