Abu Dhabi 2021 Flashbacks For Sale! The Safety Car That Changed F1 History Up For Auction

Last Updated:February 21, 2026, 18:05 IST

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix safety car, a 4.0-litre V8 Aston Martin Vantage central to the 2021 Formula 1 finale, is for sale in Leeds for £590,990 after serving in 34 races.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix safety car, the one at the centre of Formula 1’s most controversial finale, is up for sale in the UK for just under £600,000.

The 4.0-litre V8 Aston Martin Vantage, which controlled the field during the dramatic closing laps of the 2021 title decider, has been listed in Leeds for £590,990 (around $800,000).

It was this car, driven by long-time safety car driver Bernd Mayländer, that neutralised the race after a late crash, setting up the sequence that ultimately handed Max Verstappen his first world championship.

One Lap From History

Heading into the finale, Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were level on points after a season-long duel. For much of the race, Hamilton looked set to clinch a record-breaking eighth title, surpassing Michael Schumacher.

Then came the late safety car.

Race director Michael Masi allowed only the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to unlap themselves before restarting the race for a single final lap: a call that remains fiercely debated.

On fresher tyres, Verstappen swept past Hamilton to win both the race and the championship.

Had the race remained under safety car conditions, Hamilton would have been champion.

A Piece of Controversy

The listing describes the car as “the Safety Car that created history in one of the most memorable season finales."

It served in 34 races between 2021 and 2023, with two examples reportedly signed by Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll during its tenure in the Aston Martin F1 era.

A safety car is deployed to neutralise a race during incidents, with overtaking prohibited. In Abu Dhabi 2021, its withdrawal and the procedure surrounding it reshaped Formula 1 history.

And now, for the right price, one can own it.

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