A special Disney-themed Formula 1 replica helmet has shattered records at a charity auction, becoming the most expensive non-race-worn F1 helmet ever sold at public auction after fetching £151,000.
The Disney x Formula 1 Fuel the Magic Helmet was created exclusively for a Make-A-Wish International fundraising campaign by Disney, Formula 1 and Memento Exclusives, the company behind F1 Authentics.
The custom-designed Bell Racing helmet features Disney’s Mickey Mouse and was produced as part of a first-of-its-kind initiative to help grant life-changing wishes for children living with critical illnesses.
The helmet carries the signatures of 20 current Formula 1 drivers, including four-time F1 drivers' champion Max Verstappen, reigning champion Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Kimi Antonelli and Make-A-Wish France ambassador Pierre Gasly. The signatures were collected at the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone.
The winning bidder, a private collector, paid £151,000 for the piece, equivalent to around $201,000 and more than €175,000.
Organisers say the figure represents the highest publicly recorded sale price ever achieved for a Formula 1 helmet not worn or used during an official race weekend.
The result also breaks two previous records held by F1 Authentics. The highest sum ever fetched by an individual charitable item on the platform had previously belonged to the race suit worn by Verstappen at the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix, which sold for £112,000. The charity auction record for an F1 helmet through the same platform had stood at £84,000, set by the race-used helmet Alexander Albon wore at the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix.
The Fuel the Magic helmet was created with Bell Racing and designed by Bret Iwan, the official voice of Mickey Mouse, with creative direction from Bobby Kim, global creative director at Disney Consumer Products.
It features a matte black base with high-gloss graphic elements, combining bold red and yellow accents with Mickey Mouse artwork and Formula 1 branding. A subtle Make-A-Wish star appears just behind Mickey’s shoe, designed to read as a trailing sparkle as he races forward.
The winning bidder will also receive a custom presentation box for display, including a plexiglass case and a certificate of authenticity signed by both Iwan and Kim.
A second version of the helmet will be showcased at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, which takes place from August 14 to 16, 2026, in Anaheim, California, giving fans the chance to see the design up close.
All proceeds from the auction will go directly to Make-A-Wish International, the organisation that grants wishes to children living with serious illnesses.
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