Ultimate F1 gifts guide 2008: Posh stuff

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What’s the most expensive F1 present you can buy?

Try a diamond-studded helmet, Paddock Club trip to Monaco, and a real F1 car for starters…

Signed, diamond-studded Lewis Hamilton 2008 Monaco Grand Prix helmet

Production of this version of Lewis Hamilton’s helmet from the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix – which he won – is limited to 100 pieces. It’s signed by the man himself, and studded with real diamonds.

The price? A staggering £15,000. Oh, and it takes four weeks to deliver so you won’t get it until next year…

Signed Michael Schumacher replica helmet

Signed Michael Schumacher 2006 replica helmet

According to the vendor:

This helmet was not put on general sale. Our understanding is that these helmets were supplied to Michael for sponsors, friends and so on.

No wonder this piece sells for just south of £5,000.

Large F1 car models

Ferraris

Felipe Massa 1:5 scale 2008 Ferrari F2008

This could be ultimate present for a Ferrari fan. This whopping 1:5 scale replica of Felipe Massa’s F2008 is almost one metre long and the price tag is an eye-watering £3,180. Michael Schumacher fans can get his final F1 car – the Brazil-spec 2006 248 F1 – in 1:8 scale for a ‘mere’ £2,691.

More big models

Lewis Hamilton 1:8 scale 2008 McLaren MP4/23 Monaco

Lewis Hamilton’s Monaco Grand Prix-winning McLaren MP4/23 is available in 1:8 scale as well. And here’s two Ayrton Senna models in the same size: one from his first Grand Prix win (Lotus-Renault 97T, 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix) and one from his last world championship (McLaren-Honda MP4/6, 1991 Japanese Grand Prix).

Jacques Le Mans watches

Jacques Le Mans F1 watches

Designed by Tamara Ecclestone this selection of six watches are priced just under £200 each and each is named after a circuit on the F1 calendar. Including, ironically, ‘Silverstone’ (on the left in the above picture), which daddy has booted from the F1 calendar after 2009…

Attend the Monaco Grand Prix in the Paddock Club

I had a chance to sample the luxuries of the Paddock Club with Ferrari at Silverstone earlier this year and had a fabulous time. What the experience must be like at F1’s most glamorous venue, the renowned Monaco Grand Prix, I can scarcely imagine.

You can find out for yourself for around £4,500, which includes flights and accommodation in Beaulieu sur Mer.

Official F1 carbon fibre mouse mat

F1 carbon fibre mouse mat
How much does a mouse mat cost? £5? £10 at most? Well this F1-branded carbon fibre design will set you back a stunning £225.

Only Formula 1 could charge £225 for a mouse mat and expect everyone to go along with it.

Granted, it’s a very nice mouse mat. It’s trimmed with Italian suede and leather, and detailed with the Formula 1 logo. But is it really worth that much? This mouse mat speaks volumes about F1’s attitude towards money…

An F1 car

1993 Tyrrell 021 F1, ex-Andrea de Cesaris

A glance through the back pages of Autosport or MotorSport usually throws up a few F1 cars for sale. You’re probably not going to find any Ferraris in there but these are still pukka F1 cars and you can even take them racing in series like EuroBOSS.

Jan L?â??hn has a 2000 Arrows A21, ex-Pedro de la Rosa, for sale along with a 1993 Tyrrell (above) and a 1972 Niki Lauda March 721G.

How much do they cost? Well, if you have to ask…

A bit off an F1 car

Renault are holding a private sale where fans can buy parts from their past F1 cars. They’ve not released details of what parts or what prices, but you can sign up for more information here:

A road car named after an F1 driver

Fiat Seicento Michael Schumacher edition

With prices falling it’s a good time to buy a used car anyway – so why not get a model named after an F1 driver? I present the Fiat Seicento Michael Schumacher edition, as seen in the “What do F1 drivers use on the road” feature last week.

This 71,000-mile model has alloy wheels, foglights and driver-side airbag, and it’s yours for no more than £1,790. That’s only eight mouse mats…

Looking for a more realistically-priced F1 gift? Have a look at the other suggestions in the 2008 F1 gifts guide. And post your own ultra-expensive F1 gift ideas in the comments…

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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10 comments on “Ultimate F1 gifts guide 2008: Posh stuff”

  1. I wouldn’t say I’m a major consumerist, but oh my god, do I want a 1:5 Ferrari, and the Monza watch! By the way Keith, I clicked on the Monza watch link, and the price including p&p is £164.58, much less than the expected “just under £200” :)

    The only things I could say to is the helmets and mousemat – you have to be kidding at those prices!

    (OK, so the 1:5s are hardly a bargain, but it’s the closest I’d get to owning a Ferrari F1 car.)

  2. Keith, you forgot the ultimate Xmas present for any serious F1 fan which is available at the moment for (as I hear it) a mere $1….

  3. I can understand there being a demand for replica helmets, but is there much call for diamond studded replica helmets?

  4. Adrian – Plus a nine-figure sum to run the team, not such a bargain!

    Tim – Depends whether you have a taste for bling…

  5. Keith – Indeed, it just seemed like a slightly odd choice of decoration for that particular product. Unless, of course, the original was also diamond studded…?

  6. Why does the Ferrari have the number 1 on it, can I get a Kimi version too? Or, more appropriately, a number 6 F2007?

  7. While the helmets seem to be a bit over the top price-wise, the Monaco trip seems almost reasonable considering all that comes with it…air, first class hotel, tickets, the hospitality suite…all in all, not bad at all.

  8. Won’t the diamonds decrease the aerodynamic efficiency of the helmet? ;)

    It would have to be the 1:5 Ferrari for me. That thing is incredible.

  9. OMG!!!…the Ferrari 1:5 model is incredible!

    Dear Santa,I have been a good boy(most of the time)….

    @ Tim,the original helmet is studded with diamonds,sorry I don’t have a picture link for you….maybe Keith has one.

  10. When I said to my girlfriend I want that 1:5 model for Xmas, she just said: “How am I supposed to wrap this thing?”. Which means I’m not getting it ;-)

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