But what if your investment happens to be a racing driver who's just been through one of the most memorable Canadian GPs in history?  

British Formula One driver Jenson Button called it "a hell of a race." And even non-fans (like the Montreal Gazette's Jack Todd) said "For once, F1 was worth watching..."  

Another blogger went so far as to liken the race to a war: "Long periods of boredom punctuated with brief bouts of terror and chaos." 

Anyone who watched the Grand Prix could perhaps see the blogger's point. In the end, it culminated in a controversial collision between Button and his McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Jenson Button’s signed photo

Needless to say, Button's famous victory will be remembered for a long time.

So, amidst all the arguments and finger pointing surrounding the crash, what can the average alternative investor gather from the Canadian GP - especially if your investment happens to be Button or Hamilton's autograph?

Well, when it comes to predicting the future value of a sportman's autograph, traditional factors like rarity and condition are matched by a very important question: 'Did they give a memorable performance?' 

For evidence, just look at past racing legends whose legacies have endured on the auction block. Like US racing impresario Caroll Shelby whose own "war" against Enzo Ferrari back in the 1960s is still talked about to this day.

Signed Lewis Hamilton memorabilia items, like this autographed cap, will likely continue to gain value – whether or not he behaves himself on the racetrack

Or, in other sports, how about Maradona's notorious 'Hand of God' goal during the 1986 World Cup? Again, memory - and very mixed feelings - surrounding the event have since boosted the value of the incident's related memorabilia.  

And the fact that Caroll Shelby and Maradona were geniuses in their fields doesn't hurt either...

In other words, for as long as Formula One Champions Button and Hamilton continue to forge successful and memorable careers, their autographs are more than likely to offer strong alternative investments in the future.

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