Very heart-piercing

Well - I wasn't talking about the paint-job. Just about the helmet, but of course you're right.

When I saw the thread title I was pleasantly surprised to note that Atlas had a thread title I finally agreed with. Imagine my disappointment when I realised this was a discussion about Schumacher's safety wear.

I think it's likely that he'll just go with that barcode version a few posts above but I can't help but think it would be a nice gesture if he ran a helmet that had the Brazilian colours to the rear as a gesture to Felipe, much as he did with the Italian special.

Edit: This is the one, but with Brazil in mind;

Yeah a tribute would be cool.

I reckon he should run something similar to Massa's. Red with the yellow cross design, perhaps.

This article claims to show a picture of Schumachers new helmet: http://www.bild.de/BILD/sport/motorsport/2...12000-euro.html

It is Bild, so I'd suggest taking it with the proverbial salt cellar.

Yes, just like when Bild broke the news of Schumachers comeback half an hour earlier even than his official site.

Anyway, they had good connections to Schuberth in the past, and the picture also shows the new titanium disk reinforcement. I think it's pretty likely that the picture really is the final design.

They may be more reliable than the Spaniards, but that doesn't stop them from still being counted as a tabloid.

And half an hour isn't really that impressive. I'm pretty sure Schumacher has better things to do than update his website.

The news of his comeback was posted on his offical site before any other news outlet reported it. Given that Bild knew it half an hour earlier, I'd say that's a major scoop and proves that they have good sources.

If you got any reason to doubt the validility of the picture, then please let me know. But not simply because "it's from a known tabloid".

So if a Spanish tabloid post that Alonso is going to Ferrari, despite the protestations of Alonso, Ferrari and Raikkonen, it's alright to criticise them on the basis of their nature of spreading rumours as facts. But if they publish a picture of Schumacher's (supposed) helmet - simply because they picked up on something before anyone else - then it's not alright to criticise them despite their doing what they've always done?

So, but tabloids are tabloids. They're trash, and don't deserve the time it take to discuss them. I refuse to believe anything they say, simply because I'm not the gullible sort. So what if they printed Schumacher's return half an hour before his website? I bet that their article only discusses "unnamed sources close to the team" and the usual crap that makes it obvious they're lying through their lying little teeth. They got lucky - it has to happen to us all sooner or later - and nothing more.

Go Learn some history before you open your mouth again, the Maltese Cross is not a Nazi symbol, with your same logic the NY Fire Department use the Nazi cross on their trucks too

Schumacher will be wearing a 12,000 euro Schuberth RF1 - modified after Massa's accident:



http://www.f1times.co.uk/schumacher-to-deb...helmet-270.html

That's the livery he wore in his latest karting test/race.

Jeez, that is very expensive, even by F1 standards.

The bell HP3 as worn by Button, Buemi, Trulli is €2450.00 unpainted.

The Arai GP6 is €3046 unpainted.

I can't find the official price for an unpainted Schuberth RF1 anywhere, but apparently they are around €5000.

Pretty expensive lids, and I think the drivers replace them fairly regularly, and take at least a couple to races.

Can Schumacher's paint job really cost €7000?!?

I remember this kind of discussions when NOTW came with spankgate. Although you have to be careful, not believing them on principle is not the way.

Not the paint job, it is the special material added to it, so that when you push a special switch, the helmet suddenly weighs 20 pounds more when stepping onto scales

I think it's safer to disbelieve them on principle than to believe them.

"Schuberth and Michael Schumacher will continue their long-standing cooperation in the future: During his excursions into the world of motorbike sports the most successful Formula 1 world champion of all times trusts in a Schuberth product, the specially developed "Schuberth RACE”. As head tester he is going to be involved in the development of the new Schuberth motorcycle helmets going forward. "

according to the press release by Schuberth. Typical German not to spot the irony!

So why 12000 euros? That's a heap of cash for one lid.

Schuberth sais that Kimi's helmet is worth 50 000 euro: "After successful tests in the wind tunnel, the flying Finn climbed into the cockpit of his red Maranello bolide with his unique headwear worth around 50,000 euros"

http://www.schuberth.de/index.php?id=85&L=1&newsid=3

That website doesn't make any sense.

Badly translated German I'd imagine...

At the beginning of the year, Kimi Räikkönen visited the in-house development centre of the Braunschweig and Magdeburg based company for a helmet-fitting for his first season at Ferrari. After successful tests in the wind tunnel, the flying Finn climbed into the cockpit of his red Maranello bolide with his unique headwear worth around 50,000 euros to swap his winning helmet for the world championship crown after an unequalled Formula 1 season. ???

I'd like to see him "do a Rossi" and paint his face on the top - only with that smug grin and really stupid German hat.

Kimi had a special helmet which deliver an icecream every 10 laps.

Kimi needs more of an advantage on everyone than does Schmui and
the reason for the extra cost is that the switch on kimi's jumps the weight up to 50 pounds...(and yes, then there is the ice cream, plus the last lap ritalin dosage...)

Well, maybe, but the original here: http://www.schuberth.de/index.php?id=85&L=0&newsid=1 still says 50 000 Euro.

RF 1s are custom made for each buyer ... there is no list price for them but general cost is around 5-7000Eur depending on the variant, there's RF 1.5/1.6/1.8 and 1.9

But not 50,000. That is insane, especially as each driver will own a few of them.

why not, these guys earn 5 to 40 million $ per year
why not a 50,000 x 4 = 200,000 $ for helmet gear which can be used for years

Ferrari drivers don't actually pay for them ... Schuberth is a "partner".

I m sure the 50,000 Euro was a figure thrown out as the cost of producing a one off helmet especially for kimi, ie the cost that went into it, not that kimi had to pay 50,000 euro for a helmet.

Still, the shells are identical aren't they?

All the tailoring would go on with the padding and protective lining inside wouldn't it?

not really, tailoring can go in ventilation, actual helmet shape (for lift) etc etc ... for example the front visor latch they use was a tailored component to begin with.

Kimi's "tailored" design (later became the RF1.8) had the vent on top with a flap and the visor latch and a small flap below the chin section to reduce lift

How are some of the helmets used by other Schuberth users tailored?

Heidfeld, Massa, the brother Schumacher and Rosberg all use that brand.

Mark Webber did but changed to Arai because the Schuberth was too tall for the Red Bull airbox when combined with his lanky frame.

My modest guess on the helmet as a conclusion to most of the discussions on this subject.

http://www.usmbooks.com/images/HELMET/Helmet1.jpg

James Allen on Schumacher's new lid.

Says it has been strengthened with titanium in the place where Massa was hit...

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/08/schu...0-crash-helmet/

it's got a titanium disk over the visor pivot points not where Massa was hit ... it's supposed to stop the visor from flipping up if something hits the joints

Plus the effort that went into Kimi's helmet probably transfers to other future F1 helmets, bespoke as they may be.

Extra-protective €12,000 helmet for Schumacher

Michael Schumacher's Formula One comeback will see the seven-time World Champion's head protected with a new state-of-the-art Schuberth helmet. The protective and lightweight item will feature seven stars, each representing the German's F1 titles, and comes in at a cool €12,000 (£10,200).

With the reasons for Schumacher's comeback still fresh in the mind, the German is fully aware of the sport's dangers which saw Felipe Massa hit in the head by flying debris weighing just under a kilogramme during Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying; the 800g (1.7lb) steel spring which struck the Brazilian saw Massa's visor ripped away to inflict a deep cut in the driver's head above the left eye.

Renowned helmet manufacturer Schuberth has come up with its latest design - which includes strengthened titanium mountings between the helmet and visor - and has told Germany's Bild that the new part will double the protection in what is the helmet's weakest area. "We have inserted a titanium disc at the transition from the visor to the helmet where, before, there was only plastic," Schuberth's Oliver Schimpf said. "It is a reaction to the accident."

Apart from the white stars on a red background, Schumacher's design also contains barcode-like white strips, Mandarin script, a dragon at the back and the names of his wife, Corinna, and two children, Mick and Gina.

Source: GP Update

the customisation also includes a laser scan made of the head of the driver to make the inner lining fit exactly doesn't it? I remember them doing it for their first helmet for schumacher

Euhm, how would you get the helmet on and off?