Lots include: a pair of Vettels’ Geox driving boots; two of his fireproof
undergarments; Webber’s racing car windshield; Vettel’s podium watch from
the Turkish Grand Prix; two racing suits belonging to Webber, and two suits
belonging to Vettel; a Red Bull racing umbrella (from the infamous Canadian
Grand Prix that had a near-two-hour rain break); Webber’s Prada sunglasses;
a drink bottle (modelled to look like a Red Bull can, naturally); two
fireproof balaclavas worn by Vettel; two of Vettel’s right-hand racing
gloves, and a pair; and a helmet worn by Mark Webber in the last race of the
season in Brazil.
Vettel, as a Wings For Life ambassador, said of the auction: “Whether
it’s my racing boots from Australia, or signed podium watch from Turkey,
there are so many memories from every piece in this auction. I’m happy to
help such a good cause.”
Mr Wilson has been selling automobilia for “nearly 30 years”, and Grand Prix
items tend to appear at the auction house as one-offs. On December 1,
however, there will be 18 items from the 2011 season, donated by Red Bull
Racing, and all are personal items that have a direct connection with either
Sebastian Vettel or Mark Webber, and have been signed by the drivers.
“It’s unusual to get items from the team so new to the market,” says Mr
Wilson, and after a pause: “It’s a privilege to have this.”
The suits, helmet and podium watch are the items of real significance and
should fetch a premium, but personal items such as the racing boots are
likely to attract the hardcore “petrolheads”, says Mr Wilson. He
adds: “You can sometimes see from the sole of a boot the wear, and
therefore, who they belong to… because of the driving style.”
Money raised by the auction, which is being held at Mercedes-Benz World,
Weybridge, Surrey, will go to the Wings For Life spinal cord research
charity, which is dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injury. It is
estimated that there are 2.7 million people worldwide who are living with
spinal cord injury, and there are 130,000 new people affected every year.
The foundation was established in Europe in 2004 by Red Bull’s CEO Dietrich
Mateschitz and the two-time motocross world champion Heinz Kinigadner, and
was first registered in the UK in 2010.
Those interested in bidding online will need to register ahead of the day.
There will be a live video feed on the Bonhams’ website, and the auction
itself is open to visitors. Even if you can’t buy, you can touch, points out
Mr Wilson: “You can handle all the items… come and touch a piece of
Formula One greatness.”