The helmet worn by Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna during the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix, the event in which he stopped to help save Erik Comas’ life, sold for $963,700 at RM Sotheby’s on Monday.
The sale established a new all-time record for the most expensive race-worn helmet ever sold at public auction.
During practice on Friday of the race weekend 33 years ago, Comas was knocked unconscious and injured after a dangerous crash. Senna stopped his own car and cut off Comas’ engine. Comas would later credit Senna with saving his life.
The previous record sale for a race-worn helmet belonged to Charles Leclerc’s 2023 Monaco Grand Prix helmet, which fetched more than $350,000.
Senna, who died tragically during a crash in 1994, is among the greatest drivers in the history of the sport and one of the most beloved.
The car driven by Senna to win his sixth and final Monaco Grand Prix sold in 2018 for around $5 million, placing it among the most expensive F1 cars in history.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.