Image Credit: RM Sotheby's.Some cars arrive at auction with impressive ownership history. Others arrive with the kind of provenance that sounds almost fictional, and this 1996 McLaren F1 GTR owned by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason comfortably belongs in the latter category.Chassis 10R, better known as the "Pop Art F1," is heading to RM Sotheby's Monterey auction on August 15, 2026. The auction house lists its value at more than $35 million, putting it firmly among the most valuable McLaren road and racing cars ever publicly offered.The price is easier to understand once you start digging into the details. This isn't simply another McLaren F1 GTR with a famous name in the paperwork. What we have here is a factory development car, a Le Mans test participant, a road-converted GTR, and one of only nine examples built to the highly desirable 1996 specification.AdvertisementAdvertisementMason purchased the car directly from McLaren in 1999 and has remained its only private owner since. After nearly three decades in the collection of one of rock music's most dedicated car enthusiasts, chassis 10R is finally looking for a new home.One Of The Most Important McLaren F1 GTRsImage Credit: RM Sotheby's.The story of the McLaren F1 GTR is inseparable from the company's extraordinary overall victory at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite the road-going F1 never being conceived primarily as a race car, the competition version famously conquered the endurance classic on its first attempt.For 1996, McLaren significantly developed the GTR to battle increasingly specialized competition such as the Porsche 911 GT1. Revised front and rear bodywork increased downforce, while a magnesium transmission housing and other changes helped reduce weight by approximately 38 kilograms compared with the previous version.Chassis 10R was the first car built to this updated specification and was retained by McLaren as a development machine. RM Sotheby's describes it as one of only two short-tail F1 GTR prototypes, placing it alongside chassis 01R, the very car that won Le Mans outright in 1995.It Actually Went To Le MansImage Credit: RM Sotheby's.Although chassis 10R never started the 24-hour race itself, it did make it to Circuit de la Sarthe in 1996. The car participated in pre-qualifying with McLaren works driver David Brabham behind the wheel, placing eighth in class and 20th overall during the session.AdvertisementAdvertisementBefore that appearance, 10R had been used extensively for development work, including winter testing at Magny-Cours. As McLaren's first 1996-specification GTR, it helped establish the configuration that would become the fastest evolution of the F1 GTR, according to RM Sotheby's.The car is equally recognizable for its appearance. Its Blood Red bodywork and contrasting yellow "96 GTR" graphics created a distinctive factory livery that RM Sotheby's says was unique to chassis 10R, earning it the nickname "The Pop Art F1."From McLaren To Pink FloydMcLaren retained 10R until 1999, when it sold the car directly to Nick Mason. Best known as the drummer and co-founder of Pink Floyd, Mason is equally famous within enthusiast circles for assembling one of the world's most significant collections of historic racing and performance cars.His garage has included machinery such as a Ferrari 250 GTO, Jaguar D-Type, Maserati 250F, Bugatti Type 35, and Porsche 962. Even among company like that, a factory-prototype McLaren F1 GTR is hardly background decoration.AdvertisementAdvertisementBefore entering Mason's collection, the car was converted for road use by McLaren and registered in the UK. Further work was later performed by Lanzante, the company deeply associated with the McLaren F1 GTR through its role in the 1995 Le Mans victory and subsequent road conversions of competition McLarens.Used, Crashed, Restored, And Properly MaintainedUnlike some multimillion-dollar collector cars that spend their lives hidden beneath covers, Mason's F1 GTR has actually been used. It has appeared at events including Goodwood, participated in McLaren F1 owner tours, and covered significant road mileage in the process.That use has occasionally come with consequences. The car underwent extensive restoration work by Lanzante following separate off-track incidents, including one at Goodwood in 2017, but it has remained under the care of specialists intimately familiar with the F1 platform.According to RM Sotheby's, Mason maintained an effectively open-checkbook approach to chassis 10R and routinely returned it to Lanzante after major drives. A recent inspection by Lanzante Limited is also reportedly available to interested bidders.Could This Become One Of The Most Expensive McLarens Ever?Image Credit: RM Sotheby's.With an indicated value exceeding $35 million, the Pop Art F1 is entering territory occupied by the most significant collector cars on the planet. Its combination of factory prototype status, Le Mans history, unique livery, road conversion, and single private ownership gives it a resume few other McLaren F1s can match.AdvertisementAdvertisementThen there is the cultural connection. A visually unmistakable British racing car owned for decades by a founding member of Pink Floyd represents a rare collision of automotive history, motorsport, music, and 1990s design.Where the bidding ultimately lands will be decided in Monterey on August 15. Given how rarely McLaren F1 GTRs of this significance appear for public sale, though, $35 million may simply be where the serious conversation begins.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
