A rare French Grand Prix race car believed to have won the 1921 Italian Grand Prix is set to cross the auction block later this month, carrying with it a century of early motorsport history and an estimated price approaching $7 million.
The vehicle, a Ballot 3/8 LC Grand Prix Two-Seater, will be offered Jan. 29 at the Rétromobile Paris Auction conducted by Gooding Christie’s. Of the four examples believed to have been built, only three are known to survive. The car being offered, identified as chassis No. 1006, is considered the most original of the remaining examples and features matching numbers throughout.
The Ballot project emerged in 1919 as motorsport resumed following World War I. Engine manufacturer Ernest-Maurice Ballot, whose company had prospered during the war, agreed to build a complete racing car after encouragement from driver René Thomas. Ballot enlisted renowned engineer Ernest Henry, whose earlier work helped define modern racing engine design.
Henry developed an advanced 3.0-liter, eight-cylinder engine featuring twin overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, and hemispherical combustion chambers. The engine produced 108 horsepower and was paired with a four-speed manual transmission. The car also featured cable-operated drum brakes, leaf-spring suspension, and lightweight bodywork designed by Henry himself.
Ballot entered top-level international competition almost immediately. Three cars lined up for the 1920 Indianapolis 500, where Ralph DePalma led most of the race before mechanical trouble dropped him to fifth, while Thomas finished second. The cars followed that result with second- and third-place finishes at the 1921 French Grand Prix.
Chassis No. 1006 is believed by its current owner to have won the 1921 Italian Grand Prix, averaging just under 90 mph. While another Ballot owner disputes the specific identity of the winning car, the claim remains central to the vehicle’s historical importance.
The car’s ownership history includes prominent racing figures. It was sold in 1923 to Malcolm Campbell, later passing to Bentley Boys member Jack Dunfee, who campaigned it extensively with notable success. Later owners included racer Joan Richmond and British collector Michael Crowley-Milling and his family. The current owner acquired the car in 2016 and restored it to operational condition.
Gooding Christie’s estimates the car will sell for between €3.5 million and €6 million, reflecting its rarity, originality, and significance in early Grand Prix history.
Via Gooding Christie’s
