Gilles Villeneuve’s helmet from his last Formulation One race in 1982 has offered for a document US$1.25 million ($1.727 million), in accordance with a motorsports memorabilia collector.
Darren Jack, president and CEO of Corridor of Fame Assortment based mostly in Burlington, Ont., stated his firm brokered the sale for the world-record value, exceeding the earlier mark of £720,000 (then US$966,449) set by Ayrton Senna’s helmet from the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix, offered final yr.
Villeneuve’s helmet had been in a non-public assortment for near 30 years.
Jack stated the late Canadian racing legend wore the helmet for Ferrari on the 1982 San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, the place he completed second after Ferrari teammate Didier Pironi famously overtook him on the ultimate lap regardless of workforce orders to decelerate.
Villeneuve, the namesake of Montreal’s F1 circuit for the Canadian Grand Prix, died two weeks later at age 32 following a crash in qualifying for the Belgian GP. He was sporting a special helmet on the time.
“The GPA helmet itself is an especially uncommon helmet mannequin within the amassing world. Additionally that is considered one of solely 5, perhaps, that exist ever of Gilles Villeneuve race helmets,” Jack stated from the paddock subsequent to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The helmet is predominantly purple with black stripes on all sides, whereas the again incorporates a stylized purple “V” — a design replicated by present Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc on the 2023 Canadian GP.
Melanie Villeneuve, Gilles’ daughter, stated the sale showcases “how properly my father’s legend nonetheless lives on.”
“It makes you assume that perhaps his story has one thing tremendous priceless for our basic tradition — so the place did he come from, why was he in a position to obtain what he achieved with so little means,” she stated. “It’s such ardour, so there’s a human story to it that may be very priceless.”
Recognized for his fearless driving type, Villeneuve gained six Grand Prix races for Ferrari, claiming his first victory in Montreal in 1978.
Rising up in Berthierville, Que., he was the son of a piano tuner and a seamstress, first gaining consideration as a snowmobile racer. His son, Jacques Villeneuve, gained the 1997 F1 championship.
Gilles Villeneuve was named a historic determine of Quebec by Premier Christine Fréchette on Friday. A biopic based mostly on his life is ready to be launched in cinemas in November.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Might 24, 2026.
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