CHILDREN OF TRAGEDY VICTIMS TO BENEFIT FROM F1 AUCTIONS

Driver helmets, suits to be auctioned on eBay to help terrorist attack
victims

    INDIANAPOLIS, Monday, Oct. 29, 2001 - Auctions of Formula One
driver suits and helmets - all but one used by F1 superstars at the
second annual SAP United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor
Speedway - will start Wednesday, Oct. 31 at eBay.com, with all proceeds
going to charities that assist children of victims of the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks on the United States.
    All 22 drivers who competed in the SAP United States Grand Prix
on Sept. 30 donated a helmet or driver's suit for the auction. Most
items were donated immediately after the race.
    The list of items includes safety equipment worn by all three
USGP podium finishers, including winner Mika Hakkinen's driver's suit,
Michael Schumacher's helmet and David Coulthard's driver's suit. Seven
drivers have donated items that were used at both the USGP and the
season-ending Japanese Grand Prix on Oct. 14.
    The only item that was not actually worn during the USGP is a
helmet autographed by Benetton team driver Jenson Button. The helmet
served as a backup for the weekend.
    Each item will be listed in a separate auction at the popular
online auction site, www.ebay.com. Direct links to all of the auction
listings are available on the official site of the SAP United States
Grand Prix, www.usgpindy.com. Auctions will start by team in a staggered
format beginning at 10 a.m. (EST, -5 GMT) Oct. 31 with the Ferrari
driver items. Each auction will last for 10 days from the time it
begins, ending Nov. 10.
    All donations were coordinated through the Grand Prix Drivers
Association and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President and CEO Tony
George.
    "Thanks to these generous donations from members of the GPDA, F1
fans have the opportunity to purchase very unique pieces of Formula One
history and simultaneously lend support to children who tragically lost
parents due to the attacks on the America," George said. "We were
pleased that the SAP United States Grand Prix successfully served as an
entertaining escape from the realities of the moment, and now thanks to
the cooperation of the GPDA and eBay, we can do our part to help rebuild
lives of children touched by these tragedies."
    According to USA Today, New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani
estimated that as many as 10,000 children lost a parent in the attacks
on the World Trade Center. At least a dozen men killed in the WTC are
survived by a pregnant wife.
    Each Grand Prix driver helmet or suit won in the auctions will
come with a certificate of authenticity from the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway. A charitable contribution tax deduction may be available for
collectors who purchase these items. The deduction would be equal to the
excess of what is paid over the fair market value of each item. See eBay
for more details.
  All of the items available in these special charity auctions are
on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
through the end of the auctions Nov. 10.
    The following items will go on auction Oct. 31 at eBay.com:

Driver
Item

Michael Schumacher
Helmet

Rubens Barrichello
Driver's suit

Mika Hakkinen
Driver's suit

David Coulthard
Driver's suit

Ralf Schumacher
Helmet

Juan Pablo Montoya
Driver's suit

Giancarlo Fisichella
Helmet

Jenson Button
Helmet

Olivier Panis
Driver's suit

Jacques Villeneuve
Driver's suit

Jean Alesi
Driver's suit

Jarno Trulli
Driver's suit

Jos Verstappen
Driver's suit

Enrique Bernoldi
Driver's suit

Nick Heidfeld
Driver's suit

Kimi Raikkonen
Driver's suit

Eddie Irvine
Driver's suit

Pedro de la Rosa
Driver's suit

Fernando Alonso
Driver's suit

Alex Yoong
Driver's suit

Heinz-Harald Frentzen
Driver's suit

Tomas Enge
Driver's suit