Diana Spires travelled the world working for Formula 1 teams over a three-decade-long period alongside her husband, Stuart. Serving five Formula 1 World Champions, Diana affectionately became known as “Mum” and in 1994, she was working for Benetton Formula 1 team, alongside drivers Michael Schumacher and various others that year, with Johnny Herbert being in attendance in Adelaide as the second Benetton driver.

For the penultimate race of the 1994 season, Damon Hill beat Schumacher to finish in 1st-place at the Japanese Grand Prix, leaving the German driver just one point clear of Hill in the Drivers’ Championship. The final round in Australia would decide who would become the World Champion.

Diana was hurriedly asked to sew onto the race gloves the newly delivered “Technogym” sponsor badges where they could be visible to television viewers. At this stage Michael was already on the grid, so having sewn the badges to the gloves she rushed to Michael. From his race seat he said ‘Mom, if I win the World Championship, I will give you the gloves’.

Schumacher took the lead at the start, with Hill in 2nd behind him. The order between the two remained the same until lap 36. Hill was catching Schumacher when the Benetton driver went off the track at the East Terrace corner, hitting a wall with his right-side wheels before pulling back onto the track. Hill had rounded the fifth corner of the track when Schumacher pulled across the track ahead of him to the left. At the next corner, Hill attempted to pass Schumacher and the two collided when Schumacher turned in. Schumacher was eliminated on the spot. Hill attempted to continue the race and pitted immediately but retired from the race with irreparable damage to the car's front left suspension wishbone.

The retirement of both drivers meant that neither scored points and Schumacher had won his first Formula 1 World Championship title. On arrival at the Hospitality area, Michael duly signed the gloves and handed them to Diana as promised; who treasured them for next 30 years.

These gloves would be the focal point of any collection of Formula 1 or Michael Schumacher memorabilia.