Buying A Piece Of The Formula 1 Checkered Flag Is Surprisingly Affordable

Have you always wanted your name printed on the checkered flag used to signal the end of a Grand Prix? Neither have we, but now you can do it thanks to F1 Authentics, the official online store of Formula 1.

As you might know, F1 memorabilia can be quite expensive. An F1 car used by a seven-time champion like Michael Schumacher costs millions, while a two-time champion's personal Honda Civic Type R with 36,000 miles on the clock sold for roughly twice as much as a brand-new model.

Luckily, it costs just $320 to get your name on the official checkered flag, and after it's used to end the race, the F1 store will send it directly to your home. Or, a part of it, that is.

F1 Authentics has been doing this for a few years, but this is the first time it has caught our eye.

The flags for several upcoming European races are already sold out, but the order books are open for a spot on the Canadian Grand Prix's flag that will be used on 18 June. Before then, the F1 circus will visit Italy, Monaco, and Spain, all of which are sold out.

The process is quite simple. You pay $320, and F1 Authentics will place your name and a message of your choosing on one of the black or white squares. The flag is then waved to finish the race, usually by a celebrity. Since it's Canada, there's a good chance it will be Ryan Reynolds, Avril Lavigne, William Shatner, Seth Rogen, or Justin Trudeau.

The flag is then returned to F1 Authentics, where it's cut up into little blocks. Each block is then delivered to the person who ordered it in a beautiful frame, along with a photograph of the race it was waved at.