The helmet worn by Charles Leclerc at the Monaco Grand Prix has sold for a record 306,000 euros (£262,700) to help raise funds for flood victims in Italy.
Auctioneers RM Sotheby’s said the amount made it the highest-priced racing helmet ever auctioned.
It beats the previous record of 162,000 euros (£139,100) set in 2019 for a helmet worn by Brazilian Ayrton Senna.
The ‘Charles Leclerc for Emilia-Romagna’ charity auction raised a total of £368,800, with the Ferrari driver’s race suit fetching £52,500, his boots £17,500 and gloves £36,100.
The helmet, signed by Leclerc, was a one-off item created for his home race in Monaco, where he finished sixth.
The floods in the Emilia-Romagna region caused the deaths of 15 people as torrential rain saw more than 20 rivers burst their banks.