By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
A custom Formula 1 helmet featuring Disney’s Mickey Mouse sold at auction for a record sum of £151,000 ($201,000), benefiting Make-A-Wish International.
According to F1 Authentics, which ran the sale, the auction sum set a record for the highest price ever paid for a helmet that was not worn in an F1 race.
F1 Authentics, operated by Memento Exclusives, said the helmet — signed by 20 current Formula 1 drivers — went to a private collector after a competitive bidding process that drew interest from around the world.
“We are very happy to have achieved these significant funds for Make-A-Wish. 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,” said Memento Exclusives founder and CEO Barry Gough. “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.”
Disney, Formula 1 and Memento Exclusives partnered on the auction of the Bell Racing helmet in what organizers described as a first-of-its-kind initiative to raise money for the charity, which grants wishes to children with critical illnesses.
The sale broke two records for F1 Authentics; the highest amount raised for an individual charitable item and the highest amount raised for a helmet sold for charity. The previous charity record was set by a Max Verstappen race suit from the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix, which raised £112,000 ($149,000). The previous helmet record was held by a race-used helmet worn by Alex Albon at the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix, which sold for £84,000 ($112,000).
Drivers signed the helmet at the British Grand Prix, including reigning champion Lando Norris, four-time champion Max Verstappen, 2026 breakout driver Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc, who won this year’s British Grand Prix, and Pierre Gasly, an ambassador for Make-A-Wish France.
The helmet, called the “Fuel the Magic” design, was created in partnership with Bell Racing. It was designed by Bret Iwan, the official voice of Mickey Mouse, with creative direction from Bobby Kim, global creative director for Disney Consumer Products.
The design features a matte black base with high-gloss red and yellow accents, Mickey Mouse artwork and Formula 1 branding. A small Make-A-Wish star appears behind Mickey’s shoe, designed to look like a trailing sparkle.
The winning bidder will also receive a display case with a plexiglass cover and a certificate of authenticity signed by Iwan and Kim.
A second version of the helmet will be on display at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, scheduled for Aug. 14–16 in Anaheim, California.