F1 driver Charles Leclerc has auctioned off his Monaco Grand Prix race kit to raise almost €430,000 for the victims of the Emilia-Romagna floods, which were the worst Italy has seen in 100 years.
In the days following the Monaco Grand Prix, 25-year-old Scuderia Ferrari driver Leclerc took to social media to announce that he was going to put the gear he wore for the race up for auction in order to raise money for the victims of the recent floods in Emilia-Romagna.
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The items auctioned – his helmet, race suit, gloves and boots – would have had special meaning for the Monegasque driver given that he wore them on home turf. The Bell HP77 helmet was designed by Leclerc himself and was inspired by the helmet his late father, Hervé Leclerc, wore when he raced F3 on the streets of the Principality as a young man.
It proved to be the most popular lot with bidders and ultimately sold for €306,000, as announced by RM Sotheby’s, which handled the auction. His red and white race suit, the national colours of Monaco, went for €61,200 while the gloves and boots sold for €42,000 and €20,400 respectively. All lots were signed by Leclerc and came complete with a certificate of authenticity.
“The funds raised from the four items will be directly donated to the Municipality of Imola for all of the most affected territories and cities, which have been devastated by the floods that struck a vast area of the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy, with special attention for families with children who have unfortunately lost their houses,” said a spokesperson for RM Sotheby’s ahead of the auction this week.
The floods of mid-May, which saw the Italian Grand Prix cancelled, are estimated to have displaced 20,000 people. The Emilia-Romagna region was by far the worst affected part of the country, with more than 40 towns and cities, including Ferrari’s home town of Maranello, impacted by flash floods and landslides. The event is believed to be the worst Italy has experienced in 100 years.
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Photo from Scuderia Ferrari Press Office