Youngsters were able to get up close and personal with a piece of sporting history today as a car belonging to Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda showed up to deliver presents.

Children at Richard House were able to see the car before it is auctioned off next week for an estimated half a million pounds.

It pulled up outside St Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney, which has provided a ward to Richard House while it is being rebuilt.

Later today it will become the star attraction of a games evening for young adults at Richard House’s Beckton site.

The car is set to be sold off as part of the COYS True Greats Christmas Auction.

The auction house’s managing director, Chris Routledge, said:“We are aware of the fantastic work that Richard House, the first hospice for children in London, are doing for young people with life-limiting conditions.

“We also know how much interest there is in F1 from young people and we thought that it would be a Christmas treat for some of the children to see the car before it was sold and have their picture taken with it.”

The car was used by Lauda, who went on to win the world championship three times, during his first season in the sport.

Originally built for Swedish driver Ronnie Peterson, Lauda took it on when he raced for the March team at the 1971 Austrian Grand Prix.