Bathurst, Schumacher pieces to go under the hammer

Bathurst and Formula 1 history are on offer in a high-end motorsport memorabilia auction through Lloyds.

An original Ferrari press kit signed by Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine is one of several framed pieces to be auctioned.

This is a one-off piece and features a press kit presented at the Ferrari media conference at the first ‘modern era’ Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in 1996.

The cover of the kit is signed by both then reigning World Champion Michal Schumacher and his Ferrari teammate Eddie Irvine.

The long silver-framed (1020mm x 300mm) piece also features an image of Schumacher in the cockpit and one of his cars in action.

Irvine and Schumacher qualified third and fourth respectively for the race. Irvine finished third while Schumacher had brake issues and retired on lap 32 of the 58-lap event.

The Schumacher piece was put together by Speedcafe founder Brett ‘Crusher” Murray who is offering it as part of his collection through Lloyds, with the auction closing at noon on Sunday April 30.

A minimum of 10 percent of all proceeds from the auction will be donated to Motor Racing Ministries, an organization close to Murray’s heart and the nominated charity of Speedcafe.com for many years.

Many of the pieces have been personally autographed by the original driver/rider and can be bid on here.

“I was at the media conference with Schumacher and Irvine and I sat there with the media kit and pen in hand,” said Murray.

“As the conference closed I dived in and the two drivers signed the front of the kit for me.

“Security then closed everything down when they realized what was happening and I was the only person to grab their signatures.

“I added a couple of cool prints from well-known photographer Glenis Lindley from that weekend and the framed piece has been in my office ever since.”

The one-off Schumacher piece is one of several pieces of art and framed prints available through the auction.

One of the other major pieces is a one-off photographic quality print taken in the pit lane of the Gold Coast 600. Framed and measuring 1300mm x 1000m.

In 2010 Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Team Vodafone became the first team to finish one-two on the same lap at the Bathurst 1000 since the legendary one-two formation finish of Allan Moffat and Colin Bond in 1977.

Two weeks later those cars from the 1977 race were together again for the first time on a racetrack as part of the Pirtek Legends at Surfers Paradise.

This image features all of the original cars and Moffat, Bond, Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes, who have all signed the print.

“As part of the promotional lead up to that 2010 weekend, an opportunity was snatched to have all four cars and drivers together in pit lane,” said Murray.

“This massive, framed photograph is an original and is signed by Allan Moffat, Colin Bond, Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup.

“It is truly a unique piece which captures two remarkable moments in Australian motorsport history. This is a one-of-kind piece of history never to be repeated.”

The auction features several framed pieces from the world of F1, IndyCar and Supercars.

You can bid on the 1-2 Bathurst framed piece here.