Hamilton's Mercedes sold for staggering $18.8 million

Lewis Hamilton's first Mercedes Formula One car has been sold for a staggering $18.8 million. The 2013 Mercedes AMG F1 W04 was auctioned during the Grand Prix weekend in Las Vegas by auction house RM Sotheby's.

The Mercedes AMG F1 W04 is the German racing team's first F1 car in which Hamilton competed with. He also won his first race for the team with it, the 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix. The Hungaroring saw the Brit start from pole position, one of five poles he would achieve that year. It was his first and only victory in 2013, before the hybrid era and Mercedes' accompanying dominance kicked off in 2014.

The car was auctioned at the Las Vegas Street Circuit and was estimated to fetch between $10 million and $15 million, but those expectations were far exceeded. At the auction, at the Wynn's Awakening Theatre presented by James Corden, a whopping $18.8 million was paid for the F1 car.

There is no question of a record amount: that still stands in the name of Juan Manuel Fangio, whose 1954 Mercedes W196R was good for proceeds of 29.6 million when the car was auctioned at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2013.