Note: This report was first published on 24 January 2016, but it is now again pertinent in the light of Lewis Hamilton being gifted a genuine Ayrton Senna helmet by the Brazilian’s family when the Briton matched his 65 F1 pole positions.
Last year Sylvester Stallone revealed that he was in talks with Ayrton Senna to make a movie about the Formula 1 legend’s life, and was gifted a helmet by Senna’
[Note: Not the one Hamilton received in Canada]
In a video released by Heritage Auctions who were auctioning the helmet last year, Stallone reminisces while showing off the iconic yellow helmet, “Ayrton Senna was one of the great drivers of all time and he wanted me to do his life story.”
“We were speaking many years ago on the phone and he goes to me: I think it would be really good… I liked your films. I thought: thank you very much. I started to study up on him and we spoke a lot by phone.”
“He said: Let me show you the [helmet] colours, the yellow colours, they’re very much like Rocky colours. So he sent it to me and of course I’d never seen a helmet like this.”
“And then unfortunately he died in this horrible crash, and after that I decided I couldn’t do the film, it was just too hard, but this [the helmet] is what he sent me,” concluded ‘Rocky Balboa’ who had no qualms parting with the one of F1’s most coveted relics for a mere $40,000.
Heritage Auctions explain on their website: “This was the helmet design that Ayrton Senna wore in 1994 when he switched to the Williams F1 team from McLaren and this helmet in particular was one of the actual ones Senna wore during testing of the car in 1994.”
“After two races in that same year, Senna was killed in San Marino, Italy when his car hit the wall on the first turn during the race. Senna was one of the most successful racing drivers in Formula 1 and only a few of the helmets he wore during this year were made.”
“It is believed that his family destroyed the one he was wearing during his death. Gifted by Senna to Stallone. Realized $43,750.”
According to helmet painter Sid Mosca, the blue and green stripes symbolised movement and aggression, while the yellow embodies youth. The three colors were also identifiable with the Brazilian flag.
Senna himself said he originally picked yellow in his karting days so that a driver ahead knew who was behind him, get nervous and make a mistake.
Big Question: Would you sell a helmet gifted to you by Ayrton Senna?