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New Ferrari F1 car looks like a big step up, says Sebastian Vettel

SILVERSTONE, England — Ferrari's new SF71H Formula One car already looks a big step up from last year's before it has turned a wheel in anger, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel said at Thursday's unveiling. The sport's oldest and most successful team is hoping the car, with more red and less white in the livery following the departure of sponsor Santander, will take it to a first championship in a decade. Vettel won five races last season but finished runner-up to Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who is now also a four-time world champion. "Now is the time when you see the car, it's all ready and you want to get in and go out on the track and have a go," the German told guests at the Italian team's Maranello factory. "To stand here now is very special for all of us. I think they are all waiting for us to say how it feels. So we can't wait to get out on track to see how the car performs, how it behaves. "I think that's the answer that we all want to hear, and we go from there. For sure, the amount of effort that has gone in and the attention to detail in so many areas is impressive." The presentation, online and through social media channels, came on the same day that Mercedes was showing off its new F1 W09 car. In an act of sportsmanship, the British-based team made sure reporters attending their event at Silverstone could watch the Ferrari unveiling on television screens during a break for lunch. Ferrari technical head Mattia Binotto said the car, narrower and with a slightly longer wheelbase as well as more aggressive sidepods, was an evolution of the 2017 car, which performed well on slower speed circuits but lacked reliability. "Every little detail matters, every part can make a difference, and I think this year's car is a big step from last year's," declared Vettel, whose four titles were with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013. Finnish teammate Kimi Raikkonen, who is now 38 and out of contract at the end of the season, said it looked good despite the addition of the now-mandatory halo head-protection device. "When it looks nice, the speed is also there. But obviously we will see that next week," said the 2007 world champion who will be testing the car with Vettel at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya next week. Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video:

Ferrari 400 Superamerica leads $60M RM Sotheby's sale at Amelia Island [w/video]

Just last month, two of the most venerated auction houses came together under one roof. And this past weekend, the newly christened RM Sotheby's held its first event at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, selling a record $60 million worth of classic automobiles. The event's highlight was surely the gorgeous 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet pictured above. Resplendent in dark green over a red leather interior, this particular Superamerica set a record for that model when it sold for $6.38 million, with proceeds going towards a children's education charity. That price far outstrips the record $4 million that Gooding & Co. got for that sleek white Aerodinamico coupe in Scottsdale earlier this year. Among the other seven-figure items were of course some other Ferraris, including a rare '72 Daytona Spider that went for $3.3 million, along with a smattering of Jaguars, Mercedes, Alfas, Lamborghinis and Bugattis. A rare 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano with a manual transmission sold for nearly triple its estimate at $682,000, and the Daytona-winning, Castrol-liveried 1988 Jaguar XJR-9 sold for over $2 million. Of course RM Sotheby's wasn't the only company holding an auction during the Florida concours. But as the event's official auction house, it brought in more than all the other participating auctioneers combined, setting a record for Amelia Island in the process. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Sells For $38 Million At Auction

A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO became the most expensive car ever sold during an automotive auction Thursday night when a buyer paid $38 million for the vehicle at a Bonhams event. Only 39 of the racers were ever built, and it is a favorite among collectors. One reportedly sold for $52 million in a private sale. If true, it would be the most expensive car ever purchased. Another Ferrari GTO built for legendary racecar driver Stirling Moss sold for $35 million in 2012. Thursday's sale broke the auction record set at a Goodwood auction last year of a Mercedes W196R that was driven by Juan Manuel Fangio to wins in the 1954 German and Swiss Grand Prix races by $8 million. Pretty good for a car that went to the auction block with no reserve, meaning there was no minimum price set for the sale of the car, though bidding started at $11 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Ferrari 250 GTO was the star of the show, but it wasn't the only rare Ferrari on the auction block. Bonhams brought ten of the most collectable Ferraris in the world on stage, including a 1962 250 GT Short-Wheelbase Speciale Aerodinamica that went for $6.875 million, a 1953 250 Mille Miglia Berlinetta driven to racing victory by Phil Hill for $7.26 million and even a 1978 312 T3 Formula One car for $2.31 million. All told, the Ferraris sold for $65.945 million, according to Autoblog.