Would You Pay $90k To Put Your Head In Ayrton Senna’s Helmet?

Automotive auctions tend to include a wide array of “automobilia” – that is, items of interest to car fans other than the cars themselves. And Bonhams’ upcoming auction at Goodwood this month will include some tempting items.

Not least among them is this helmet worn by the late, great Ayrton Senna. It’s the very Bell lid that the three-time world champion wore during testing for the Williams team at the Paul Ricard circuit in the South of France on March 2, 1994, just two months before his untimely death at San Marino.

It’s decked out in Senna’s signature yellow livery, derived from the Brazilian flag. And it comes with a certificate of authenticity, attesting to its unique status, as well as an original Bell helmet bag. Bonhams expects it to sell for some £60,000-80,000 – or about $90k, give or take, at current exchange rates.

Along with it, the auctioneer will also be selling off a Herbert Johnson racing helmet used by Mike Hawthorn, the UK’s first F1 champion in 1958 and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955, and another (with visor) by five-time champ Juan Manuel Fangio. They’re valued at £10-14k (~$16k) and £30-40k (~45k) respectively.

But if you’re more a fan of Senna than Hawthorn or Fangio, the Brazilian champ’s lid could be just the ticket – especially if you missed out on buying his racing suit in Monaco last month. That item, worn by Ayrton in 1987 when he was driving for Lotus, sold for an impressive €38,400 ($45k), which goes to show how much clout the name still holds among race fans.