Michael Schumacher’s Formula 1 championship-winning Ferrari F2002 sold for $5.9 million (£4.5m) on the Saturday of the 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

The auction was held on the grid of the Yas Marina Circuit after qualifying had concluded, with the F2002 headlining the event.

The car, sourced from a private collector, was estimated to fetch $5,500,000 – $7,500,000 (up to £6m) at auction and was tipped to stand a chance at breaking the record for the most-expensive car sold at auction.

But, the F2002s final total was bettered by a one-of-a-kind Pagani Zonda Aether that was sold for $6.05 million (£4.68m) on the night to take the accolade of most-expensive car sold.

Chassis no219 was the one auctioned, driven to three wins in 2002: Imola, Zeltweg and Magny-Cours. The last race secured Schumacher’s fifth drivers’ championship with six races remaining.

At the hands of Schumacher, the F2002 took 11 victories in the 2002 season. Of course, that Ferrari domination attracted criticism, particular after the Austrian Grand Prix in which team-mate Rubens Barrichello was asked to step aside for Schumacher.

A portion of the millions that the F2002 will fetch go to the charity set up by Schumacher’s family – the Keep Fighting Foundation.