24 replies to this topic

[f1steveuk]

Going through some old pictures today, I found one of me and Gonzalo Rodriguez. It was in his F3000 days, and it reminded me that he, Jason Watt and J.P Montoya, all had cartoon animals on their helmets, which inturn reminded me that Jim Hall had the "Roadrunner" (aka as a Chapperal), Sheene his duck etc etc

I know colour schemes/designs are personal, but are often altered to suit sponsors/helmet shape, but there are some things that a driver always has, regardless.

My colours were always/are blue and yellow. Once altered to blue and blue, at the whim of a sprayer, and then changed from my "Reggaesque" design, as I couldn't get it to work on my current Bieffe. What has never, ever changed is my rabbit and that somewhere will be my parents initials.




So, my question. Other than colours/design, the use of cartoons, who had what? Who always had something, somewhere on their helmet (Blundell had the name of a past sponsor?), I'm sure I'm not in such a small group !!

[ensign14]

Zanardi had a pineapple, Giacomelli a Pink Panther, Allen Heath a silver dollar glued to the peak.

[mfd]

Originally posted by f1steveuk
Gonzalo Rodriguez, Jason Watt and J.P Montoya...So, my question. Other than colours/design, the use of cartoons, who had what? Who always had something, somewhere on their helmet (Blundell had the name of a past sponsor?), I'm sure I'm not in such a small group !!

Hello Steve

The Gonzalo tribute helmets I did for J-PM had Speedy Gonzales on them. I don't recall the ones I did for Jason (in F3000 & later) having a cartoon at all. The Montoya helmets from F3000 season 2 onwards had a dancing skeleton (ripped I believe from clip art) The only thing I recall about Blundell was the motto, "the will to win" which was according to MB, often a saying of his Grandfather.

The Zanardi helmet I was given to copy in 93 ish had a Rhino on the back. Ballabio had Mickey Mouse. Charlie Agg had a sausage (as in big banger) & one I can think of doing was on the Belmondo helmets - a bat wearing a flying helmet & goggles.

On a bike racers helmet, the one I always did was a Haggis, wearing a kilt, hob nailed boots & a tartan beret hat thingy. The late Steve Hislop

[f1steveuk]

What ho Mike.

I think it was Jason Watt's last season in F3000, I recall a cartoon on the back, but it may well have been (ahem) a sticker! Something to do with a child's charity? Charlie Agg, there's one I forgot! He had a thing for those SS Fuelling Bells, lots of area for a cartoon on the back of one of those!

What went through my mind (not a long trip) was that most, not all, but most of these personal tributes/mascots, are hidden when in the car. Was it Trevor Taylor who had a clover right at the front, on the crown of his helmet, Sheene's Duck, right on the front. Brundle's " left hand spin/start the engine symbol" on the crown. Mine, Gonzalo's and many other's are on the back, or as it the case of my parents initials, concealed somewhere, and I recall a driver who had a hidden message (jumbled letters) somewhere. I even heard of one driver who always had to have a drawing inside his helmet.

Drivers, funny bunch!

[ensign14]

Taylor surely had a white Yorkshire rose? One driver who did have a shamrock on his helmet was Pat Flaherty.

What was this Brundle device? For most of his F1 career his helmet was white on the top, later with a stylized MB. I know in F3 he tended to change race by race.

Rikki von Opel had a very Black Sabbath-looking transparent dragon on his purplish Brabham-era helmet.

[Rob]

Originally posted by ensign14
Zanardi had a pineapple, Giacomelli a Pink Panther, Allen Heath a silver dollar glued to the peak.

Anyone know the reason for Zanardi's pineapple? I've always wondered if there was a reason.

This thread is bringing back some great F3000 memories as well 1999 had Gonzo, Jason Watt, Quick Nick and several others doing well. Just a shame how the year ended

[f1steveuk]

Of course it was a rose, but I do recall a yellow helmet with a clover on, my only excuse is I am going from memory!

In later years, Brundle had a blue top to his helmet, on this is a white spiral, which was supposed to be the line drawn in the air when a driver used to singal the start up of a DFV, left hand up, index finger in a spiral, someone must have a picture of that!! Please?

[f1steveuk]

Originally posted by ensign14
What was this Brundle device? For most of his F1 career his helmet was white on the top, later with a stylized MB. .

Only two versions I can find at present.





There was an animation, showing Brundle giving the start up signal, and his index finger leaving said squiggle, which then appeared on the helmet. The MB (much like Blundell's were quite clearly letters), had this device superimposed over them

[Ross Stonefeld]

Originally posted by Rob


Anyone know the reason for Zanardi's pineapple? I've always wondered if there was a reason.

Apparently engineer Mo Nunn called him a pineapple because he was a bit of a troublemaker in his first season of Indycar, so he put that sticker on at Portland and promptly won his first race.

Ive never heard pineapple used in that context by a Brit, though.

[mfd]

Originally posted by f1steveuk
In later years, Brundle had a blue top to his helmet, on this is a white spiral, which was supposed to be the line drawn in the air when a driver used to signal the start up of a DFV, left hand up, index finger in a spiral, someone must have a picture of that!! Please?

Slightly wrong on the colours Steve. It was on a white background (I think in blue). You're right about the spin up though, although you might not have realised it is also forms a letter "B"

This one adorns my loft hatch door ;) Funny story from last weeks PLM at Atlanta, can't remember who, but one of the IRL drivers "guesting" got in the prototype, sticks right hand out of cockpit & does the spin up gesture, at which point the TM leans in & points to the start button

[f1steveuk]

Originally posted by mfd


Funny story from last weeks PLM at Atlanta, can't remember who, but one of the IRL drivers "guesting" got in the prototype, sticks right hand out of cockpit & does the spin up gesture, at which point the TM leans in & points to the start button

As for Brundle's "B", well of course it is the spiral, AND a B, it's motor racing and if you can get one thing to do two jobs, you do, Colin Chapman would expect nothing less!!

Motorsport memorablia on a loft hatch, how flash!

[ensign14]

Originally posted by f1steveuk

The MB (much like Blundell's were quite clearly letters), had this device superimposed over them

Slightly tangential, but Blundell's Warner Brothers logo-esque letters were imitated by Kurt Mollekens and Mario Dominguez.

[Ross Stonefeld]

And if you rotate it, it looks kinda like an M ;)

[mfd]

Originally posted by ensign14
Blundell's letters were imitated by...

Mike Conway as a cadet in karts wanted his initials MB style on the top of his helmet...and he is today a dozen years later managed by 2MB

[f1steveuk]

Originally posted by ensign14
Giacomelli a Pink Panther,

But did he ALWAYS have it, from early on, and then ALWAYS?? I mean I recall he had a Panda, a few times. I started in karts at nine, and by twelve I had the first rabbit (nickname at school, Dylan, as I wore a denim waistcoat and played the guitar, Dylan the rabbit, not Dylan as in Bob!), from then on, always always always, or I wouldn't use it!

[mfd]

Originally posted by f1steveuk
But did he ALWAYS have it, from early on, and then ALWAYS??

I don't recall, as I said before, but possibly Twinnie would know...now pause whilst he picks up the thread!

[mfd]

Originally posted by mfd
...now pause whilst he picks up the thread!

Thought of some more. Amon, the flightless bird, Johansson, the leaves. Daly, the fish.

[MCS]

Shark/s for Peter Gethin...

[ensign14]

Originally posted by mfd

Thought of some more. Amon, the flightless bird, Johansson, the leaves. Daly, the fish.

The leaves and fish though were integral parts of the design, rather than something imposed on top of it (with Daly it was because he is a Pisces, with Johansson cos he was a chip off the old Leif). It starts to get a bit messy like Bobby Verdon-Roe's heraldic fret, Neel Jani's sunburst and Mark Smith's "Pour le Merite" thing as to whether they are part of the design or things on top of it.

[mfd]

Originally posted by ensign14
The leaves and fish though were integral parts of the design, rather than something imposed on top of it (with Daly it was because he is a Pisces, with Johansson cos he was a chip off the old Leif). It starts to get a bit messy like Bobby Verdon-Roe's heraldic fret, Neel Jani's sunburst and Mark Smith's "Pour le Merite" thing as to whether they are part of the design or things on top of it.

Obviously you know much more than me, so carry on.

[ensign14]

No, it's a definition thing. What is the design and what is something "on" it? Johansson's helmet would have been totally different without the leaves, it would have looked like Tambay's in black and white from a distance. Whereas Zanardi's pineapple thing was almost a secret.

Alonso has a pair of cards on his, a 5 and a 6 to symbolize his world titles. Kimi has his race number on the back (he did last year anyway).

[funformula]

Beppe Gabbiani had a Koala at the sides of his helmet.
Ignazio Giunti had eagles in red-indian style, made of adhesive tape.
Tom Pryce had sometimes the welsh dragon.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by ensign14
Kimi has his race number on the back (he did last year anyway).

Thinking about it, so does Kovalainen, aren't their helmets painted by the same chap?

[Jack-the-Lad]

Steve,

Your "rabbit" is somewhat obscured in the picture, but it looks an awful lot like Wile E. Coyote, the Roadrunner's hapless nemesis.

Jack.

[f1steveuk]

I'll try and find another pic, but he has much bigger teeth, and a shorter nose!!


"Tom Pryce had sometimes the welsh dragon." Sometimes, that's the thing, sometimes!

Like I said I ALWAYS, have my rabbit and my parents initials, I believe Barry Sheene ALWAYS had his duck (by the way, was that Donald, or did Barry give it a different name?), and that's the crux, who ALWAYS insisted on a mascot........................