F1 helmet signed by 20 drivers raises record six-figure sum for charity at auction

A generic image of a pile of dollars — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

F1 helmet signed by 20 drivers raises record six-figure sum for charity at auction

It's an absolute beauty!

Chris Deeley

Sunday 9 August 2026 16:00

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Sometimes, F1 being a hobby of the incredibly rich can actually be a massive positive.

Specifically, times when big ticket items go up for auction with the proceeds going to benefit very worthy charities. We can all get behind that!

On this occasion, the item up for sale was a helmet designed by Mickey Mouse himself (well, Bret Iwan, who is the official voice of the iconic character), with a black base featuring red and yellow accents and Mickey Mouse artwork, and was being sold to raise money for Make-A-Wish International.

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The special helmet was also signed by 20 current F1 drivers including Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc and Make-A-Wish France ambassador Pierre Gasly, with the signatures being collected at the recent British Grand Prix.

(No, we don't know who the two drivers absent from the helmet are.)

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Signed helmet goes for huge price

The auction was won by a private collector for £151,000, making it the most expensive item ever auctioned for charity by F1 Authentics – surpassing the £112,000 spent on acquiring Max Verstappen's race suit from the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix.

"We are very happy to have achieved these significant funds for Make-A-Wish," Memento Exclusives (F1 Authentics) CEO Barry Gough said after the sale.

"Being entrusted by Disney and F1 with a cause as important as auctioning the Fuel the Magic helmet is something we are incredibly proud of.

"We are delighted that this captured the imagination of bidders worldwide and that the winner has not only secured an iconic piece of memorabilia but has made a huge impact on an incredibly worthy cause."