How much does a F1 car cost?

There is no doubt that owning an F1 car is a costly affair and, as such, people will inevitably look for shortcuts. Today, we take a look at how much an actual F1 car costs, while factoring in that building an F1 car can be much more expensive than the price for the complete car. There are many reasons why this is so, and we take a look at all of them.

How much for a new F1 car?

The gearheads among you will definitely first want to at least check how much a brand-new F1 car would cost. A new racecar could easily fetch around $12m to $20m in price, but there is much more behind this figure.

In fact, developing the car could need $100m, with the F1 having a cost cap on how much it costs to build a new car at around $210m. This includes the money needed to engineer the next generation of race car and allow drivers for specific teams to remain competitive.

How powerful an F1 car is matters a lot, although as Casino Guru noted in its F1 betting tips, pure power is often compensated for by driver skill in specific weather conditions, such as rain.

So, other than the straight-up price tag of $20m and more, an F1 car needs to be developed, which could run in the tens of millions of dollars. The bill is comprehensive, and it includes parts, research and development, personnel, and salaries, making it a matter of not just pure price value but similarly - logistics, capacity, and knowledge.

There are many different parts to the car, with the engine usually eating into the entire budget, and it could cost up to $18m or more. The steering wheel alone may cost another $50,000, with the monocoque fetching another costing up to $1.5m.

Last but not least, the truth is that you cannot really purchase a new F1 car at all, as these machines are feats of engineering that are purpose-built to specific racing conditions.

Can I buy a showroom F1 car, at least?

Yes, you actually could look up a few sources online and purchase an actual F1 car, but there are a few caveats that you need to acknowledge here.

The cars sold on places such as F1 Authentics are pared-down models that specifically serve one goal - to make you feel like you own a real car, but at a fraction of the price and not nearly as race-capable as what Max Verstappen takes out on the raceway.

In fact, these cars are not meant to move at all - they are simply used for collection and display purposes, which will probably come as a let-down for a person looking to buy an actual car.

The upside is that these are authentic models that are designed exactly as the real thing, and even though they do not have a functioning power unit, gearbox, hydraulics, or electronics, they are very much liked by deep-pocket fans worldwide.

You need to enquire about every model separately; the average price could be something on the lines of $150,000. The team will come and set up the car as well, so you need not worry about this.

Alright, but I really need an F1 car I can race

The urge to own a real F1 car will set you back at least several millions, provided there is someone to sell it, although such opportunities do arise. The Mercedes W196R Stromlinienwagen driven by legendary F1 drivers eventually fetched $54 million at an auction in Stuttguart, Germany.

The 1954 car fetched the highest price tag ever to have been successfully asked in public for a racing car, and has added to the vehicle’s legendary status. The car was driven by Juan Manuel Fangio to victory at the 1955 Buenos Aires Grand Prix and also by Sir Stirling Moss at the 1955 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

In case you do not have $54m to spend, there is some good news for you - kind of. Not all used racing cars sell for that much - some legendary ones do, but most may be worth anything between $1m and $5m, depending on who is driving it.

Buying an F1 car, however, comes with its own challenges - besides money - as you would need storage space, maintenance, and, of course, this is not the type of car to take out and drive around town; many jurisdictions may ban F1 cars from public roads, so keep this in mind.

Want to try something similar to an F1 car? Check Red Bull’s RB17

If you have had enough of the equivocating, and would not like to either drop a few millions on an old car, not to mention the follow-up need for extensive maintenance, then there may be a compromise option for you to explore, and it’s called the Red Bull RB17, designed by Adrian Newey.

This is a heavily F1-derived car, and it is not something you could just drive around town again, but it’s a complete product that is intended to be easier to maintain and fun to drive for non-experienced drivers.

Developed out of Red Bull Technologies’ Milton Keynes site, the car is entering limited production at 50 units in 2026, and each will sell for $6.62m - still a pretty penny to pay.

The car is designed as a two-seater, and it has a bespoke 4.5-liter, naturally aspirated V10 engine, producing 1,000 hp at 15,000 RPM, and easily capable of exceeding 350 km/h. The car actually weighs less than 900 kilograms and features a minimalist design.

Even more appealingly, the car comes with a support program, which includes a track-day program, including worldwide track events, simulator access, driver development, and more.

Now, the drawback is that you will want to actively race and take your car to these places, as well as do the work to develop the skills necessary to drive it safely. This comes on top of upfronting the six-figure sum.

If you don’t want all this fanfare, though, there is still an option to make the original Red Bull RB17 through a conversion with automotive specialist Lanzante.

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