Tom Hartley Junior, tasked by Ecclestone to sell the collection, only hinted that the final cost was “several multiples the biggest sale price ever achieved for a classic car collection”.

The catalogue of models includes the world championship-winning Ferrari F2002 driven by Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello.

Niki Lauda’s race-winning 1975 Ferrari 312T is one of the highlights of the collection and was purchased by Ecclestone back in 2019.

The former Brabham boss has a couple of his former models in the collection with the 1983 Brabham BT52B driven by Nelson Piquet en route to the title was also put up for sale.

However, the iconic Gordon Murray-designed 1978 Brabham BT46B ‘fan car’ is one of the most important models in the collection.

The ‘fan car’ broke the mould of Formula One aerodynamics and won the only race it entered at the Swedish Grand Prix.

A 1957 Vanwall VW5 driven by Stirling Moss and a replica 1937 Auto Union Type-C V16 were also stand-out picks.

No price tags were ever issued with Hartley Jnr commissioned to offer each model as price on application.

The sales team were told they could sell vehicles on an individual basis, in batches of various models or as one entire sale.

The cars have been held in one of Ecclestone’s hangars at Biggin Hill Airport with no updates on where the cars will be delivered to now a sale is complete.

Before a deal was finalised, Ecclestone explained that he wanted new owners to treat the cars as “precious works of art”.

Speaking exclusively to Motorsport Magazine, Bernie Ecclestone said: “I love all of my cars but the time has now come for me to start thinking about what will happen to them should I no longer be here, and that is why I have decided to sell them.”