Few motorcycles command the kind of mystique that the Petronas FP1 does. This bike is one of the most elusive homologation specials ever built simply because it was a superbike that was meant to make it big in the racing world, but for one reason or another, never really found its place on the world stage.
With only 150 units ever made—and reportedly just 75 reaching the public—the FP1 is an enigma, a machine that exists in whispers among collectors and racing enthusiasts. Now, one of these ultra-rare machines has surfaced at Iconic Auctioneers, adding yet another layer of intrigue to its already shadowy history.
The FP1 was the brainchild of Petronas, the Malaysian oil giant, which had ambitious plans to enter MotoGP in the early 2000s. Partnering with Sauber Petronas Engineering, the company developed a 989cc inline-triple prototype that was initially meant to compete in MotoGP’s new four-stroke era.
