Ex-Michael Schumacher 1997 Ferrari F310 B Heads to Auctionata’s Ferrari-Only Sale

Images thanks to Auctionata

On Saturday September 26th, 2015, at 6PM CET Auctionata will launch the world’s first ‘Ferrari Only’ online auction, putting 27 very special Ferraris under the hammer in an auction that will be streamed live from both www.auctionata.com and Auctionata’s iPhone app ‘Auctionata Live’.

Amongst them will be this history-making ex-Michael Schumacher Ferrari F310B Formula 1 car.

Developed from the competitive, if not unbeatable, F310, Ferrari’s F310 B was their car for the 1997 Formula 1 World Championship. Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne had joined Michael Schumacher at Ferrari and they were pushing for the final refinements that would take the car to the top after Schumacher’s third place in ’96.

It was feast or famine for Jacques Villeneuve in the opening rounds of the season and he would either win or retire every race until his fourth place in the French Grand Prix. Schumacher had consistency, however, picking up three wins of his own and adding them to two second place finishes, a fourth and a fifth.

Schumacher drove this car, Chassis 178, in the 1997 Japanese Grand Prix, which would set up an infamous season finale a few weeks later in Spain. Thanks in no small part to the support of teammate Eddie Irvine, who led most of the race before letting Schumacher past and working to hold up Villeneuve, Schumacher was able to clinch a win in the race.

Villeneuve, however, had a less fortunate run. In qualifying Jos Verstappen had pulled his Tyrrell to the side with a mechanical, resulting in yellows waved in the area. Schumacher, Villeneuve and seven other drivers did not yield to the flags, and Villeneuve would set his pole position lap time on that lap.

He was put to the back of the grid for ignoring waved yellows on two consecutive laps, but then was later allowed to start from pole after Williams appealed the decision. He would eventually finish fifth, but then have his points removed after Williams withdrew their appeal. This meant that Schumacher went into the season finale 1 point ahead of him on 78 points.

Schumacher was back in Chassis 178 for the final race of the season – the 1997 European Grand Prix at Circuito Permanente de Jerez Jerez. And it was a history maker from the start, with Villeneuve, Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen all setting the exact same pole position time of 1:21.072.

Villeneuve started on pole, followed by Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Schumacher got the better start, however, and snagged the lead by the first corner. And that’s where he stayed for some two-thirds of the race until lap 48.

On lap 48, Schumacher made one of the more infamous moves in his career, turning in on Villeneuve, who was holding the inside line while overtaking him. Schumacher was out, however Villeneuve was able to continue, picking up third place and four points to win the championship. Ultimately Schumacher would be disqualified from the 1997 World Championship for unsporting actions.

Those two races were not the only outing for Chassis 178 in the ’97 World Championship season. It raced in Budapest at the Hungaroring and Schumacher would also take it to 6th in the Austrian Grand Prix and a DNF in the 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix with suspension failure.

Involved in one of the most exciting and memorable Formula World Championship finales, and having been raced by one of the sport’s most successful drivers through some unforgettable moments, this is a truly special car with great importance to the sport.

It will head to auction at Auctionata’s world first Ferrari Only sale, where bidding will start at €650,000.

There it will be joined by an impressive collection of important Ferraris, such as a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/2 Shortnose and 2006 Ferrari FXX.

The auction is available to bidders worldwide and can be followed live at www.auctionata.com as well as through Auctionata’s iPhone app ‘Auctionata Live’, which you can grab from the App Store here.  It will be broadcast from 6PM CET on Saturday September the 26th, 2015.

Images thanks to Auctionata