‘Saved my life’ – F1 helmet from selfless Ayrton Senna moment smashes auction record
A helmet from the legendary Ayrton Senna has obliterated auction records and it’s easy to see why. The three-time Formula 1 champion’s 1992 Shoei branded item has sold for a staggering £720,000. The item has been bought by one wealthy megafanRMSotheby's The Senna helmet has smashed recordsGetty And it’s thanks to his incredibly bravery while wearing itF1 RM Sotheby’s, who held the auction, say it’s a new record for race-worn helmets, selling for almost three times the £262,700 watermark a Charles Leclerc item fetched in 2023. The specific helmet was one Senna wore for much of the ‘92 season, including one legendary race. The Belgian Grand Prix that year is best remembered as Michael Schumacher’s first victory, but it also saw a selfless act from Senna go down in history. During Friday practice Frenchman Erik Comas destroyed his Ligier car at the Belanchmont corner and spilled back onto the track in front of Senna. The Brazilian stopped his car and sprinted over, realising Comas was not only unconscious but had his foot stuck on the throttle, flooding his stopped car with fuel. Comas later explained what happened next, saying: “He turned off the car’s ignition, avoiding an explosion. At that moment, Ayrton Senna saved my life.” Senna also helped the driver out and administered first aid as the marshals and medical team arrived to help and take Comas to hospital for the remainder of the race weekend. He would miss the rest of the year before returning to F1 for the following two seasons. Senna was the reigning champion at the time having recorded his third of three titles in 1991, but Brit Nigel Mansell reigned supreme in ‘92 for his sole championship. Senna parked his car and sprinted over to helpF1 It was also the same weekend Schumacher won his first raceGetty Senna finished fifth at the ‘92 Belgian race, as Schumacher, who debuted a year earlier at the same Grand Prix, recorded the first victory of his legendary career. Senna tragically died two years later at the San Marino Grand Prix in a crash, but his legacy lives on to this day. His helmet is one of the most iconic in motorsport with a yellow, green and blue colourway that mirrors Brazil’s flag. One of the many drivers to idolise him, Lewis Hamilton, wore a tribute helmet of the same colours throughout much of his career. This item in particular also includes more features from the day, including the KTEL radio system Senna would have used to communicate with his McLaren team. While drivers use multiple helmets throughout a season, RM Sotheby’s reassure that this item was used in Belgium, claiming: “Its stone chips and other identifying marks, which have been verified with multiple photo matches, prove its use at Spa-Francorchamps.”
A helmet from the legendary Ayrton Senna has obliterated auction records and it’s easy to see why.
The three-time Formula 1 champion’s 1992 Shoei branded item has sold for a staggering £720,000.
RM Sotheby’s, who held the auction, say it’s a new record for race-worn helmets, selling for almost three times the £262,700 watermark a Charles Leclerc item fetched in 2023.
The specific helmet was one Senna wore for much of the ‘92 season, including one legendary race.
The Belgian Grand Prix that year is best remembered as Michael Schumacher’s first victory, but it also saw a selfless act from Senna go down in history.
During Friday practice Frenchman Erik Comas destroyed his Ligier car at the Belanchmont corner and spilled back onto the track in front of Senna.
The Brazilian stopped his car and sprinted over, realising Comas was not only unconscious but had his foot stuck on the throttle, flooding his stopped car with fuel.
Comas later explained what happened next, saying: “He turned off the car’s ignition, avoiding an explosion. At that moment, Ayrton Senna saved my life.”
Senna also helped the driver out and administered first aid as the marshals and medical team arrived to help and take Comas to hospital for the remainder of the race weekend.
He would miss the rest of the year before returning to F1 for the following two seasons.
Senna was the reigning champion at the time having recorded his third of three titles in 1991, but Brit Nigel Mansell reigned supreme in ‘92 for his sole championship.
Senna finished fifth at the ‘92 Belgian race, as Schumacher, who debuted a year earlier at the same Grand Prix, recorded the first victory of his legendary career.
Senna tragically died two years later at the San Marino Grand Prix in a crash, but his legacy lives on to this day.
His helmet is one of the most iconic in motorsport with a yellow, green and blue colourway that mirrors Brazil’s flag.
One of the many drivers to idolise him, Lewis Hamilton, wore a tribute helmet of the same colours throughout much of his career.
This item in particular also includes more features from the day, including the KTEL radio system Senna would have used to communicate with his McLaren team.
While drivers use multiple helmets throughout a season, RM Sotheby’s reassure that this item was used in Belgium, claiming: “Its stone chips and other identifying marks, which have been verified with multiple photo matches, prove its use at Spa-Francorchamps.”
