F1 Racer Kimi Räikkönen Is Celebrating His Retirement by Auctioning Off His McLaren

Are you one of the many Formula 1 fans still saddened by the news that Kimi Räikkönen plans to retire at the end of the current season? Well, you can give yourself a much-needed boost by buying one of his old racecars.

Later this month, a McLaren MP4 17D once piloted by the Iceman and teammate David Coulthard will be auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s. The coveted speed machine was driven by the Finn early on in his career and helped cement him as one of the most beloved racers of the past two decades.

The formidable MP4 17D was rolled out for the 2002 season; this was Räikkönen’s second F1 Championship, but his first time competing for McLaren. The four-wheeler raced seven times during this campaign and five more times the following year. In 12 races, it totaled no less than six podium finishes, including first place at the 2003 Australian Grand Prix.

This particular example, chassis number MP4-17A-06, was the marque’s sixth racer to wear the West McLaren Mercedes livery that was introduced at the 1997 Australian Grand Prix. The car actually sported different badging during its second season, but, thankfully, it’s been restored back to its original finish. Under the hood, it’s powered by an Ilmore-designed Mercedes-Benz 3.0-liter V-10 mated to a McLaren-designed seven-speed automatic sequential gearbox. The svelte road rocket is capable of generating a gutsy 845 hp at 18,500 rpm. Other technical features include front and rear double-wishbone suspension, an inboard torsion bar and a McLaren and Penske-manufactured damper system.

So, what exactly does one do with an old F1 car that hasn’t raced in nearly 20 years? That’s unclear, but it’s hard to think of a better keepsake for Räikkönen’s biggest supporters. Be prepared to pay a lot for this automotive relic, though: RM Sotheby’s expects it to sell $2.1 million to $2.7 million at its St. Moritz auction on September 17. Still, when you consider the $6.6 million that Lewis Hamilton’s 2010 MP4-25A racecar sold for earlier this summer, it sounds like a bargain.

Check out more images of Räikkönen’s MP4 17D below: