Fast Five: Hamilton's first winning Mercedes sells for $18.8M, De Vries signs to Toyota's WEC hypercar program, and other big updates

Hamilton's first winning Mercedes sells for $18.8M

Lewis Hamilton's 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas W04 F1 car, driven by him in 14 out of 19 races, set a new auction record by selling for $18.815 million in Las Vegas, surpassing the previous record held by Michael Schumacher's F2003-GA. The W04 is now the second most valuable F1 car ever auctioned, with only Juan Manuel Fangio's 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R selling for more 10 years ago, fetching a higher price at $29.6 million. The car's rarity, being the only modern-era Mercedes F1 car not owned by Mercedes, Toto Wolff, or Hamilton himself, contributed to its high value. The functional car, featuring the original 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated V8, adds to its desirability. Considering this, speculation arises about the potential record-breaking value of Hamilton's championship-winning Mercedes cars from 2014-2020 if ever sold.

Click here to read the full article by Brad Anderson (carscoops.com)

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De Vries signs to Toyota's WEC hypercar program

Former Formula 1 driver Nyck de Vries has replaced Jose Maria Lopez in Toyota's World Endurance Championship Hypercar driver lineup. De Vries, who was Toyota's reserve driver in WEC before a stint in F1 with AlphaTauri, expresses excitement about returning to endurance racing with Toyota Gazoo Racing. He acknowledges the talent of his teammates, Mike Conway and team principal Kamui Kobayashi. De Vries has also signed with Mahindra for Formula E but faces a scheduling conflict between the Spa-Francorchamps Six Hours and FE's Berlin EPrix. Meanwhile, Lopez will transition to WEC's new GT3 class with Team Akkodis ASP-run Toyota-powered Lexus, and Toyota has appointed Ritomo Miyata as the hypercar squad's reserve driver, who will also make a surprise move into Formula 2 alongside European Le Mans Series' LMP2 appearances with Cool Racing.

Click here to read the full article by Ida Wood (racefans.net)

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Abu Dhabi fantasy preview

The 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, hosted at Yas Marina, holds significance as the location of the controversial 2021 Drivers' Championship decision. The circuit, with six configurations and a drag strip on Yas Island, witnessed Lewis Hamilton's notable 50-point victory in 2014 due to double points in the final race. Noteworthy storylines include risky fantasy plays like Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon, Ferrari's resurgence, and the tight competition in the Fantasy Global League's top 10 teams. Changes to Yas Marina in 2021 improved overtaking, with a focus on drivers like Zhou Guanyu, Sergio Perez, Yuki Tsunoda, and Pierre Gasly. Historical performances by Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, and Daniel Ricciardo add to the anticipation, while the weather forecast suggests a clear race weekend. The author shares their pre-FP3 lineup strategy, emphasizing the use of the Final Fix chip for optimal flexibility.

Click here to read the full article at f1fantasyhq.com

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Brundle's Vegas grid talk

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Martin Brundle covered the Las Vegas Grand Prix, chatting with celebrities on the grid, including sports stars and athletes. The standout moment was when he spent a minute trying to talk to Shaquille O'Neal. When he finally got O'Neal's attention, the basketball giant simply said, "Lewis Hamilton, baby," before walking off.

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CNBC explores the business of Formula 1

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CNBC takes a closer look at Formula 1, uncovering the strategies employed by the racing league's foremost team principals to oversee their billion-dollar operations, attract sponsors, and navigate the challenges of advancing their high-tech cars within the constraints of a recently imposed cost cap. Learn about the basics of running a high-performance race car throughout the Formula 1 season.