When the hammer fell at $34.7 million in Monterey, chassis 10R instantly became the most expensive British car and the most expensive McLaren ever sold at auction.

The “Pop-Art F1” was the first McLaren F1 GTR built to the highly developed 1996 specification and one of only two short-tail factory “XP” prototypes, alongside chassis 01R, the car that won the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans outright.

Finished in Blood Red with bold yellow “96 GTR” graphics, 10R is the only McLaren F1 GTR to wear this factory-created design.

Speaking about the GTR, Gordon Murray said: "It's wonderful to see the Pop-Art F1 achieve such a significant result. While values and records are never considerations when designing a supercar, it is immensely gratifying to see a machine conceived with a clear vision and an uncompromising commitment to engineering excellence continue to be appreciated nearly three decades later.”

Murray added: "Its enduring appeal is a testament to the innovation, craftsmanship and dedication that went into its creation."

Retained by McLaren from new, tested in preparation for the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans and later converted for road use by the factory, chassis 10R was acquired directly from McLaren by Pink Floyd drummer and celebrated collector Nick Mason in 1999. It remained in his personal collection for more than a quarter of a century.

Throughout Mason’s ownership, chassis 10R was maintained by Paul and later Dean Lanzante and the team at Lanzante Limited. The car underwent a no-expense-spared restoration in 2009 and was restored again following an incident at Goodwood in 2017.

It has since appeared at Rétromobile, the Goodwood Members’ Meeting, the Goodwood Festival of Speed and gatherings organized by the 106 Drivers Club.