Albers in Hamilton's footsteps: 'I had to take this chance'

Imagine a street car that has the engine of a Formula 1 car. It sounds unrealistic, but it does exist. It has taken years of development, but the Mercedes-AMG One is now on the market. Toto Wolff has one in his garage, Lewis Hamilton tears around with it and former F1 driver Christijan Albers has also turned over his piggy bank to buy such a car.

The car is not exactly cheap. Over two million euros must be paid for the standard model. Although that is also a car with 1063 hp and a top speed of 352 kilometres per hour. The engine that the Mercedes-AMG One has in the back is a 1.6 V6 engine. That is exactly the same power source that Hamilton had access to during the 2015 season, when he captured the Formula 1 world title.

Albers had to wait years for the Mercedes

"I ordered my one more than six years ago and now it is finally ready," Christijan Albers told De Telegraaf. He is convinced that such a car will never be made again, which is why he bought the car - of which 275 exist. "It is not a car for daily commuting, so to speak. I am aware that it is a lot of money. But to be able to drive a car with a Formula One engine as a former Formula One driver... That opportunity never comes along again. I felt I had to grab it with both hands."

Albers went to pick up his new car himself last week at the factory in Affalterbach, Germany. It is unknown whether he has already received his first speeding fine on his way home to Monaco.