Bonhams international auction house has been selected to auction the Lotus E20 F1 racing car on behalf of charity, Peace One Day. The unique sale will take place Saturday 19 September at the Museum of Art & Design, Singapore.
The sale of the Lotus E20 F1 racing car will be the first motoring auction conducted by Bonhams in Asia.
The Lotus F1 Team donated the car to charity, Peace One Day, a not-for-profit organization which campaigns for global recognition of the International Day of Peace (21 September).
The charity has invited celebrated Brazilian artist, Romero Britto, to transform the car into a 'Vision for Peace'. Britto, an internationally renowned pop artist, uses vibrant colors and bold patterns as a visual language of hope and happiness, reflecting his optimism in the world around him.
Before it is auctioned by Bonhams, the newly transformed car will be publicly unveiled by Lotus F1 Team drivers Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado,
Malcolm Barber, Bonhams Co-Chairman and auctioneer, said: "We're delighted to have been selected to auction this incredible motor car, with proceeds to go to Peace One Day and their honorable cause. The E20 model was driven by World Champion racing driver Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean and Jerome D'Ambrosio during the 2012 FIA F1 racing season including a race win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix event.
Ralph Taylor, Senior Director of Bonhams Post-War & Contemporary Art Department, said: "Following the the stunning success of our previous collaboration with Peace One Day in January of this year, Bonhams is delighted to continue our association with the auction of the Lotus E20 F1 racing car.
"Opportunities to engage with such talented artists occur so infrequently in the auction world, so it gives us extra pleasure to be able to combine Bonhams global presence in motorcars with a glorious work of contemporary art by the acclaimed artist Romero Britto."
Speaking from Kigali, Rwanda, Peace One Day founder Jeremy Gilley said: "We are tremendously excited to see Romero's vision for peace set out on the graceful curves of this beautiful F1 racing car. It is wonderful that on opposite sides of the globe, we are able to celebrate Peace Day through very different events in Singapore and Kigali where our team is staging the Peace One Day Youth Celebration."
Lotus F1 Team CEO Mathew Carter added: "We are tremendously proud to be able to support Jeremy Gilley and the Peace One Day organization in this exciting initiative. Jeremy's enthusiasm and energy for this project has ensured that an array of world-class partners has been assembled to support it and we believe that the Peace One Day Art Car should have great appeal to collectors of unique art pieces and to racing car collectors alike."
Peace One Day's objective is to institutionalize the International Day of Peace, 21 September, making it a day that is self-sustaining, an annual day of global unity, and a day of intercultural cooperation on a scale that humanity has never known. Peace One Day utilizes different tools to raise awareness, advocate for Peace Day and engage the global community.
Bonhams is the largest international auction house to hold dedicated auctions of classic motor cars, motorcycles and related memorabilia. The auctions are held globally at some of the most premier locations in conjunction with internationally renowned motoring events.
