Formula 1’s dramatic year has driven up prices for the sport’s most sought after memorabilia.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will have their final showdown in Abu Dhabi tomorrow in what promises to be a nail-biting end to an unforgettable season of racing. 

The championship contenders start the race dead-level on points after 21 races. As the drivers battle it out on the track, avid fans will be caught in fierce bidding wars behind the scenes, in the expensive world of car lovers’ collectibles.

More than 150 Formula 1 items are on the auction block until Dec 14 to celebrate the final race of the season, including McLaren prize show cars that are expected to fetch more than £150,000. 

A range of items from balaclavas, boots and gloves worn by drivers to full-size show cars have been put up for sale by The Memento Group, a memorabilia business that has an exclusive licensing deal with Formula 1.

Barry Gough, a former race team mechanic who set up the group, said the close rivalry between the two leading racers and an exciting year for the sport has attracted more bidders and pushed prices higher. The Memento Group’s revenues more than doubled this year, he said.