Would you want to learn to drive McLaren from Mika Häkkinen’s…

Owning a hypercar is one thing; mastering its driving is another entirely. Fortunately, whoever becomes the new owner of Mika Häkkinen’s McLaren P1 prototype at an upcoming Bonhams auction in Monaco will receive more than just the car. The two-time Formula 1 champion is offering a day of personalized driving lessons to the winning bidder.

Supercars and hypercars provide the closest experience to driving a race car on public roads. They are intricate and delicate machines with complex controls and systems that can be daunting for some drivers. Attempting to handle one like a regular sports car such as a BMW M3 or Chevrolet Corvette can lead to frustration. Häkkinen will personally guide the next owner of his P1 to familiarize themselves with the vehicle. While Bonhams hasn’t provided many specifics, they mention that Häkkinen, known as the Flying Finn, will offer a full day of driving and racing instruction at a location chosen by the buyer.

Even without Häkkinen’s driving lessons, there would still be significant interest in his P1. McLaren only produced seven validation prototypes, or VP cars, and a total of 375 units. Häkkinen’s P1, designated as VP3, served as the lead car for durability testing and marks the first prototype offered at auction. It was customized by McLaren Special Operations to Häkkinen’s preferences, featuring a black finish with exposed carbon fiber accents and Papaya orange highlights.

The P1 boasts a hybrid powertrain generating 903 horsepower and 723 ft-lbs of torque. Its twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-8 produces 727 hp, while an electric motor contributes 177 hp. The electric motor offers an all-electric range of approximately 30 miles and supplements torque during acceleration. With this power, the car accelerates from zero to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 217 mph. Given the car’s performance and Häkkinen’s expertise, it’s understandable why potential buyers would value his insights before taking the wheel.

Häkkinen’s P1 prototype is scheduled for auction on May 10 during Bonhams’s “Les Grandes Marques à Monaco” sales event. Given its rarity and history, the auction house anticipates it will fetch between $1.6 million and $2.2 million.