Legendary Ferrari driver's race helmet set to fetch thousands at Miami auction

A remarkable piece of F1 history will be put up for sale in an auction at the Miami Grand Prix.

2024 will mark the third edition of the race in the Florida city, with Max Verstappen looking to make it five wins out of six and extent his lead in the championship.

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The first of three races on the calendar in the US, Miami will play host to an auction, where several iconic pieces of F1 memorabilia will be available for purchase.

And one particular piece will no doubt catch all the attention: Niki Lauda’s crash helmet from his near-fatal accident in at the German Grand Prix in 1976.

Lauda crash helmet to be sold in auction

Back then, Germany’s race on the calendar was held at the daunting Nürburgring Nordschleife, with 154 corners and is considered one of the most dangerous circuits in the world.

In 1976, Lauda had called for the race to be cancelled amid poor weather conditions, but the race would go ahead anyway.

On lap two, the Austrian lost control of his Ferrari and crashed heavily into the barriers, causing his car to burst into flames and his helmet was ripped off upon impact.

Lauda’s injuries almost cost him his life, but remarkably he made his recovery and not only went on to make one of the greatest F1 comebacks 42 days later with a fourth-place finish in Monza, but to win two more world championships in 1977 and 1984.

Now, the helmet worn by Lauda during the crash will be made available in an auction on Saturday 4th May in Miami by Bonhams|Cars, set at an estimated $50,000-$60,000.

Furthermore, a percentage of the proceeds made by Lauda’s helmet are to be donated to UNICEF.

This incredible piece of F1 history is just one of several memorabilia to be put up for sale, with fellow Ferrari drivers Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Gilles Villeneuve, Jean Alesi, Eddie Irvine and Gerhard Berger’s crash helmets also available.

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