The iconic 1982 Ferrari helmet, worn during the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, was sold through the Hall of Fame Collection, with the Canadian company confirming the landmark figure after a weekend auction.
The sale surpasses the previous record for an F1 helmet, held by an Ayrton Senna helmet from the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix, which sold last year for around £720,000 ($1.35 million AUD).
Villeneuve’s helmet had been held in a private collection for nearly 30 years before being brokered in the latest sale, with Hall of Fame Collection CEO Darren Jack describing it as one of the rarest pieces of its kind.
“The GPA helmet itself is an extremely rare model in the collectors’ world,” Jack said.
“In addition, this is one of only five – perhaps even fewer – racing helmets worn by Gilles Villeneuve that still exist.”
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Gilles Villeneuve’s daughter, Melanie, said the auction highlights the lasting power of her father’s legacy.
“It makes you think that maybe his story has something super valuable for our general culture — so where did he come from, why was he able to achieve what he achieved with so little means,” she told Canadian broadcaster CBC.
“It’s such passion, so there’s a human story to it that is very valuable.”
The helmet was used during Villeneuve’s famous drive at Imola in 1982, where he finished second after Ferrari teammate Didier Pironi overtook him on the final lap despite team orders to hold position.
Just two weeks later, Villeneuve was killed at the age of 32 in a qualifying crash for the Belgian Grand Prix. He was wearing a different helmet at the time of the fatal accident.
The Canadian remains one of F1’s most iconic figures, remembered for his fearless approach to racing during a career that delivered six Grand Prix victories for Ferrari, including his maiden win on home soil in Montreal in 1978, with the circuit now named in his honour.
His legacy has since continued through his son, Jacques Villeneuve, who went on to win the 1997 Formula 1 World Championship, becoming the first Canadian to do so and the last non-European to win the F1 drivers’ title.
Earlier this week, Gilles was named a historic figure of Quebec by Premier Christine Frechette, with a biopic based on his life set for release in cinemas in November.
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