Legendary Ayrton Senna F1 car to be auctioned for huge price

The Toleman TG183B, in which Ayrton Senna made his Formula 1 debut and scored his first championship points, is heading to auction in Monaco next month.

RM Sotheby's is estimating the car will fetch between €2.8 million and €3.8 million, as chassis TG183B-05 represents the origin point of one of motorsport's greatest legends.

The Brazilian drove it in four races during the opening rounds of the 1984 season, including his maiden grand prix appearance on home soil in Rio de Janeiro and a breakthrough sixth-place finish at Kyalami that delivered his first world championship point.

The car will cross the block at the Grimaldi Forum on 25 April, coinciding with the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique.

Senna's F1 bow came in somewhat unlikely circumstances. Despite dominating the 1983 British Formula 3 championship and earning test drives with Brabham, McLaren and Williams, none could offer the 23-year-old an immediate seat.

That opened the door for Toleman, a modest outfit that had evolved from Formula 2 success into F1 with its own car and turbocharged engine.

While the team's new TG184 was completed, Senna and team-mate Johnny Cecotto began the campaign in the updated TG183B.

Senna's chassis was brand new, built over the winter by designer Rory Byrne, who would later claim seven constructors' titles at Benetton and Ferrari, alongside John Gentry.

The design featured distinctive front wing-mounted radiators and twin rear wings. Power came from a 1.5-litre four-cylinder Hart 415T engine fed by a Holset turbocharger.

Appropriately, Senna's debut came at Interlagos. He qualified 16th, fractionally ahead of Cecotto, but became the first retirement of 1984 when the turbocharger failed on lap eight.

First points and Pirelli problems

The South African Grand Prix at Kyalami proved far more productive. Despite running 13th in qualifying and damaging his front wing on the opening lap, Senna climbed to sixth under the guidance of race engineer Pat Symonds.

He finished as the lead Pirelli runner, behind only rivals on superior Michelin and Goodyear rubber, securing his first championship point from an eventual career total of 614.

Senna recovered from 19th on the grid at Zolder to claim seventh in the Belgian Grand Prix, later promoted to another sixth-place finish when Tyrrell was disqualified from the entire season for an underweight car and an illegal water refilling system.

The final front-line outing for chassis TG183B-05 came at Imola, though not in the way anyone expected.

Toleman's increasingly fractious relationship with Pirelli reached a breaking point during the San Marino Grand Prix weekend.

Under pressure from Senna to switch to Michelin ahead of the TG184's arrival, the team announced it would forgo Pirelli tyres for Friday running.

The breakdown forced both drivers to sit out practice, with the contract torn up soon afterwards.

A legacy preserved

With the TG184 finally ready for round five at Dijon, chassis TG183B-05 was retired. The car was initially retained by the Enstone team before being sold to the United States in 1992 and sympathetically restored.

It eventually returned to the United Kingdom ahead of purchase by the consigning owner in 2017.

The car has since enjoyed two notable returns to the circuit. In 2022, it starred in Sky Sports F1's documentary The Story of Toleman, with Martin Brundle piloting it at Brands Hatch.

"What an iconic car for Ayrton Senna," said Brundle, who battled Senna for the 1983 British F3 title. "I can see why Ayrton made it go so quickly. It really feels quite together."

Two years later, chassis TG183B-05 appeared at Silverstone as Sky Sports F1 marked the 40th anniversary of Senna's first grand prix and 30 years since his death.

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly, whose team represents the modern incarnation of Toleman through its Benetton and Renault identities, drove the car wearing a specially commissioned helmet in tribute to Senna's iconic design.

"I can't remember such an incredible experience," said Gasly. "Driving Senna's first-ever F1 car exceeded all my expectations. It was so emotional. The purity of the driving is incredible. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I will never forget. Very, very special."

Testament to its preservation, TG183B-05 heads to auction, retaining many authentic features, including its original gear lever and knob.

The footrest still bears "Aryton", misspelt in period. The car is offered in running condition, powered by a correct-type Hart 415T engine with a rebuilt turbocharger and transmission.