Jack Miller to auction helmet for Australian bushfire crisis donation

Pramac Ducati rider Jack Miller has become the latest athlete to commit funds towards relief for victims of the Australian bushfire crisis by auctioning his 2018 MotoGP helmet.

Though Australia is no stranger to bushfires during the peak of summer, this year’s period has proven to be particularly harsh with a number of wildfires burning for several weeks, destroying thousands of homes and so far claiming the lives of at least 25 people, plus millions of animals since September.

With no end in sight as Australia heads into the height of its summer, celebrities and sportspeople have begun campaigning en masse to raise funds for the relief effort, with the likes of Pink, Nicole Kidman, Kylie Minogue, Elton John and Chris Hemsworth pledging upwards of hundreds of thousands each.

One particular appeal by Australian comedian Celeste Barber has raised an extraordinary A$30m in less than a week.

Several sports stars have followed suit with a number of tennis players competing in annual Australian tournaments donating money for every ace they hit and prize money, while Australia’s F1 star Daniel Ricciardo is raffling his race suit to raise funds.

Now Miller – who scored five podiums in MotoGP last year – is doing his bit by auctioning the helmet he wore during the 2018 MotoGP World Championship season. He has also offered to dedicate and sign it for winning bidder.

He also used the Facebook post to direct people to the NSW Rural Fire Service in order to donate money directly.

Miller returns to action on 5-7 February at the Sepang International Circuit as one of four riders who will be putting the new Ducati GP20 through its paces alongside Andrea Dovizioso, Danilo Petrucci and Pecco Bagnaia.