One-of-a-kind money-can’t-buy experience and unique signed F1® memorabilia
Auction held at f1authentics.com
Fundraiser supporting Make-A-Wish International, to help grant wishes to children with critical illnesses
Hilversum, Netherlands/ Silverstone, UK (October 18, 2024) Make-A-Wish International, which is a charity supported by F1®, and F1 Authentics are celebrating their collaboration with Formula 1® with a special memorabilia auction to raise funds to help grant more wishes for children with critical illnesses. Items include an exclusive money-can’t-buy Ferrari factory tour, a signed Carlos Sainz race visor, a limited-edition two-time World Champion Mika Häkkinen signed acrylic print, a bottle of Ferrari Trento Las Vegas Edition, a stay at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, signed racing gloves by Official FIA F1 safety car driver Bernd Mayländer, a Michael Schumacher replica 1:2 race helmet and more. All items can be viewed at F1Authentics.com.
The launch of the online auction will be celebrated when F1® returns to action at the FORMULA 1 PIRELLI UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX 2024, on Friday October 18. The auction supports Make-A-Wish’s mission to create live-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. These once-in-a-lifetime experiences include meeting an F1® driver, attending a Grand PrixTM or sitting in a race car. With the help of the racing community, F1®, and Pole Position Reports, Make-A-Wish was able to grant 52 incredible F1® wish experiences in 2023, targeting to achieve the same in 2024.
The Scuderia Ferrari Factory Tour is an exclusive and invaluable experience, usually reserved only for Ferrari clients and partners. It’s a rare opportunity to discover up close all the specialist skill, passion and innovative technology that goes into making a Ferrari. The Tour puts you right at the heart of Ferrari’s dynamic modern working environment, where people and their well-being are at the centre of everything the Company does. From the historic factory gates, where the first Ferrari emerged in 1947, you will visit all the main buildings on the campus. Each features striking architecture by world renowned architects. You’ll also have access to the Ferrari Museum to learn more about the Ferrari story, and see priceless sports cars and racing models from past to present.
The unique memorabilia items available in this auction have been collected throughout the season by F1 journalist Inga Stracke and her team at Pole Position Reports.
Luciano Manzo, President & CEO, Make-A-Wish International said: "We thank Stefano Domenicali and everyone in Formula 1 for helping us make wishes come true and bringing joy to countless children. Make-A-Wish and Formula 1 are committed to this collaboration, and last year we saw a new record of F1 wishes granted, giving wish children the opportunity to be inspired and get closer to the incredible world of Formula 1. The profound impact of our mission on children with critical illnesses and their families drives us forward, and the unwavering support from F1 is both heartwarming and inspiring."
F1 journalist Inga Stracke commented: “Entering the exciting final stages of the season with a fundraiser in support of MakeA-Wish is the best way! I look forward to welcoming wish children in Austin and AbuDhabi like we have done already at other race tracks this year, helping to grant their wishes. Please join us by bidding in this auction to help children living with critical illnesses!”
Barry Gough, CEO & Founder of Memento Exclusives & F1 Authentics said:“We are pleased to help Make-A-Wish International with an exclusive auction on our F1 Authentics site, featuring some rare and special items we know our customers will get excited about. Our first joint auction in December 2023 proved to be very successful, something we can all be proud of. We love working with charities andMake-A-Wish is such an incredibly worthy cause – helping fulfil wishes of critically ill children. Our auction will not only be supporting the charity’s fantastic work – with proceeds of each item being donated – but will be raising awareness for their cause as well, whilst of course giving F1 fans the chance to own some really special items.”
2024 Wish Granting achievements
In March, 14 children from Australia and New Zealand who are living with critical illnesses saw their wishes come true at the FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2024. Finn, Coby, Rebecca, Tayla and Jemma met with three-time World Champion Max Verstappen and got some of their favourite memorabilia signed by the Red Bull superstar before they sat down with him and asked him questions about his career. Kobe, Caleb and Jordan met with famous Ferrari race engineer Jock Clear and up-and-coming Ferrari Driver Academy star and F2™ driver Oliver Bearman, whilst Jeremy, Alex and Oliver met hometown hero Oscar Piastri. All the children and their families then got to enjoy the action-packed third race of the season on the grandstands in Melbourne’s Albert Park.
In April, Make-A-Wish entered a collaboration with renowned Italian sparkling wine FerrariTrento, the Official Toast of F1® and the Italian luxury sparkling wine used in all Grand Prix™podium celebrations. This year, fans across the world can support Make-A-Wish by taking a one-of-a-kind piece of the Grand Prix home with them: 16 Ferrari Trento F1® Podium Jeroboam bottles will be up for auction this year, signed by the top three drivers from each race after the podium celebrations. Matteo Lunelli, CEO and President of Ferrari Trento comments: “Philanthropy is a value close to the heart of Ferrari Trento, so we are honoured to be supporting Make-A-Wish this year.”
In May, 6 children diagnosed with critical illnesses saw their wish granted at the FORMULA 1CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2024 where they joined a special paddock tour inside the Miami Dolphins stadium and met some of their favourite drivers, including race winner Lando Norris, who signed autographs and took selfies with them before they settled into their grandstand seats together with their families for the weekend. “I got to see history made!”said Victoria, one of the wish children after Lando’s win on Sunday, “I still can’t believe it’s real”.
In July, Make-A-Wish celebrated the launch of a new collaboration with GP Management, the organisers of the legendary Grand Prix Ball. At the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2024, 16 wish children enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime experience, meeting some of their favourite F1® drivers, enjoying a behind-the-scenes Paddock tour and watching the race on the grandstands all weekend, thanks to F1®.
In September, 6 wish children from Greece, Austria, Switzerland and Italy enjoyed the FORMULA 1 PIRELLI GRAN PREMIO D’ITALIA 2024, witnessing an action-packed race after seeing some of their driver idols in person. Francesco saw his long-time wish come true, meeting Ferrari star Charles Leclerc in person, and Astrid collected not only some driver-selfies but also picked the brain of Austria’s ORF commentator star Ernst Hausleitner.
In October, 7 wish children will enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the FORMULA 1 PIRELLI UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX 2024, where they will experience a unique behind-the-scenes Paddock tour and watch the action unfold on the grandstands throughout the weekend.
/ENDS
About Make-A-Wish International
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Founded in1980, Make-A-Wish is the world’s leading children’s wish-granting organization, having granted more than 585,000 wishes in 50 countries worldwide. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 27,000 volunteers around the globe, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. MakeA-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. For more information about Make-A-Wish International, visit worldwish.org.
About F1 Authentics
Based in the UK’s ‘motorsport valley’ – F1 Authentics is owned by Memento Exclusives and is the officially licensed authority of Formula 1 memorabilia and reimagined sporting goods, offering both auction and buy now products. Working directly with the F1 teams, drivers, suppliers and partners, F1 Authentics source official licensed products as well as re-engineer race-used car parts, giving them a new life as both functional and stunning household items and pieces of furniture.
Images are available for download. Please credit Make-A-Wish.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Niamh Ryan, Senior Manager, PR & Communications at Make-A-Wish International, email: nryan@worldwish.org
Inga Stracke, Pole Position Reports, email: inga@ingastracke.com
Picture 1: Make-A-Wish International President & CEO Luciano Manzo, and Formula 1 President & CEO Stefano Domenicali met at the FORMULA 1 MSC CRUISES BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 2023 where they discussed their shared vision for continued collaboration between F1 and Make-A-Wish. Together, F1 and Make-A-Wish will grant more wishes to eligible children and create unique life-changing moments.
Picture 2: Monza: Wish children Alessandro, Davide, Sasha, Diego, Margarida, Jake and Michael had an amazing time
Picture 3: At the FORMULA 1 ROLEX GROSSER PREIS VON ÖSTERREICH 2023, wish child Nikolaos from Greece met some drivers and Greek compatriots in the paddock, telling Greek Television how happy he was.
Picture 4: Melbourne: wish children meeting Oliver Bearman and Jock Clear at Ferrari
Picture 5: Melbourne: wish children meeting Oscar Piastri at McLaren
