On August 1, 1976, Niki Lauda experienced a horrific crash at the Nürburgring during the German Grand Prix. The incident left him with severe facial burns. The red helmet worn by the Austrian at the time is soon to be auctioned off, with a portion of the proceeds going to UNICEF.
The helmet is a part of Formula 1 history. Lauda nearly died in the crash, but miraculously recovered. Just 42 days after the accident, despite severe pain, Lauda was back racing in the Italian Grand Prix, where he finished fourth. He went on to achieve notable successes in his career, becoming world champion twice more (in 1977 and 1984). In total, Lauda clinched three world titles. Before his death in 2019, he served as an advisor to the Mercedes Formula 1 team for many years.
The helmet will be auctioned by Bonhams in Miami and is expected to fetch between 50,000 and 60,000 euros. Lauda’s Ferrari AGV helmet is painted Ferrari-red, with his Goodyear sponsor, Italian flag stickers, and a damaged Romerquelle sticker clearly visible.
