Schumacher F1 watches top $4 million after cyber-attack delays auction

The personal collection belonging to the seven-time F1 world champion reached a total of 4 million Swiss Francs ($4.41 million).

The collection was set to go under the hammer at Christie’s Auction House in Geneva on Monday but was postponed to Tuesday due to a cyber-attack.

The item that attracted the most attention was a unique Platinum Vagabondage 1 that had been commissioned for Schumacher as a personal gift from his former Ferrari boss Jean Todt.

The watch showcases the strong bond between Todt and watch designer Francois-Paul Journe, and features symbols representing the German's world titles, his helmet design and the Ferrari Prancing Horse emblem.

It is engraved with a dedication from Todt to Schumacher for Christmas 2004.

It was sold for 1.5 million Swiss Francs ($1.66 million) meeting the $1.2-$2.2 million estimation. 

Another item of interest is a personalised Audemars Piguet that was commissioned for Schumacher by Todt for Christmas in 2003. It features a dedication to his then six titles and incorporates his red racing helmet from the time. This watch attracted a successful 415,800 (Swiss Francs) bid.

"Collectors were so happy to discover these timepieces filled with history," said Christie's Head of Watches in Europe, Remi Guillemin.

Schumacher remains one of the most successful F1 drivers in history, and shares the record of seven world titles with Lewis Hamilton.

He retired from F1 at the end of 2012, following a brief comeback with Mercedes, but suffered severe head injuries in the skiing crash the following winter that left him in a coma. His condition since then has been kept private by his family.