39 replies to this topic

[b3nster]

Ok...

This is a topic I have not yet seen on this BB. What's everone's favorite/least favorite helmet design??? In F1, especially in this age of corporate sponsorship making F1 cars moving billboards, drivers have little room for free expression, and most express themselves with the paint jobs on their helmets. Some helmets are variations of flags (the Schumachers, Coulthard) others are variations of helmets their relatives have/had (Schumachers, Hills, Villeneuves). So I would like to know... Does anyone else ever pay attention to such stupid details? Or do I REALLLY just lack a life that much? lol Let me know...

[Nikolas Garth]

I used to think Schumi had the blandest helmut design going. But when he switched to the "all red look", I was very surprised how much I liked the look of it.

I also find myself influenced by how easy a design is to spot on TV, so that you can tell the difference between a driver and his team mate.

I like Button's design as well.

I never really liked the "design" of Senna's helmut as such, but because it was so easily recognisable as Senna's, I give it top marks for that.

[desmo]

Yes, Button's lid is both classy and distinctive.

My dad had an old Arai on which his wife painted an Aztec "monster" design in bright colors that looked a lot better than it probably sounds. I wonder if he's got a pic?

[SchuMic]

As pointed out, helmet designs are the only thing that really "belongs" to their owner...And I think it is a shame to see that most of them lack from imagination or originality.

Most of the designs are just circle of colors choosen relating to the flag or something more personal..Or maybe just because the colors get well together.

The Schuey Bros helmets are quite nice indeed and the Red version of MS helmet rules! I've seen a real older MS helmet (in a F1 shop in Italy in Maranello...) and it was very nice and you can notice details that you usually can't see on TV.

The Button helmet is very great too...It nicely mix the UK flag in a modern design.

The silver version of Alesi helmet is quite nice too.

Eddy Jaguar style helmet must be pointed out because it has a really different style from the others...Maybe a little bit "kitsch" (as they say in France)

SchuMic

[scokim]

i like piquet's design as it is of a unique style.another one i like is tarquini - the spider web !

as for others, like someone mentioned previously, the style is mostly the same only the flags and colours are different.

schumacher is of a similar style to rosberg
alesi, villeneuve, lauda, brundle, modena - all use the same lines with slight variations.
stefan johansson, christian fittipaldi, damon hill - all use the same concept....
even for button's, i think he borrowed mansell's helmets.

the list goes on...

[Nathan]

I like Mazzacane's...I personally have adopted a very similar design, but mine will have dark blue flames on a lighter blue backround, light grey instead of white, and the same black top with a red maple leaf in the middle exactly like the ones on the Molson Canadian beer bottles

Here is a good view of his helmet, its a 360 degree picture...but I wont have the shark on the back.

http://www.minardi.i...ideo/cascom.asp

[madmac]

IMHO one of the best lid designs is Mark Blundell's MB logo.
Apart from that I liked Hunts plain black or Jackie Stewart's. As for Irvine's new Jaguar theme, mmmmmmmm......

[magic]

the hills

[RiverRunner]

http://www.troyleedesigns.com

Amongst his customers are Vasser,Tracy,Franchitti,Andretti,Papis and if I'm not mistaken a few F-1 pilots as well.

[JayWay]

I find Troy Lee's designs to be to flashy. I think that comes from the fact that his main customers are the stunt bikers.

I once had the website of a Brazilian designer who has done almost all famous Brazilian drivers helmets. He adopts the less is better theory, and his stuff looks really good.

My favorite is Barrichello.

[argos]

Of the current drivers I like Mika Hakkinen's helmet. Of all time, Jackie Stewart's.

[cjpani]

check this thread out:
http://www.atlasf1.c...?threadid=13186
regards,
cjpani

[MuMu]

The yellow Senna helmet, it remains unmistakable.

[Andy]

Originally posted by b3nster
Ok...

This is a topic I have not yet seen on this BB. What's everone's favorite/least favorite helmet design???

Hmmm, "topic not yet seen on this BB", eh?!

• http://www.atlasf1.c...?threadid=12231
• http://www.atlasf1.c...?threadid=10541
• http://www.atlasf1.c...p?threadid=7009
• http://www.atlasf1.c...p?threadid=3088
• http://www.atlasf1.c...p?threadid=2420
• http://www.atlasf1.c...p?threadid=5775

O.K., I guess I have been around here a bit longer, but... ;)

[Ross Stonefeld]

Schumacher's old white helmet was very very cool, depending on the version of the german flag section, and which Bell helmet he was running. Ralf's would look a lot better if it wasnt that yellowy-green.

Montoya's aint bad either. I dont think it will be 'ruined' much by the yet to be added Williams-BMW stickers

[Mila]

I definitely do not like drivers changing their helmet designs, for whatever reason.

likes:

having said that, I do like the new MS, and its incorporation of (Marlboro) Ferrari and German colors.

the Hills, understated style

Piquet, great curvilinear design

Senna, very distinct color-wise

MH, nice gradation of color

HHF, like Piquet's, smartly underlines the shape of the helmet

dislike:

RB, colors haven't jelled with any liveries of the cars he has driven

GF, good colors, but what's with the lines?

JB, it IS a Mansell rip-off

RS, it IS a MS rip-off

JV, (do not) think pink

EI, looks like a tattoo

[mono-posto]

Originally posted by Andy
Hmmm, "topic not yet seen on this BB", eh?!

He didn't say that this topic had not been on the BB before, just that he hasn't seen it.
Cut him some slack.;)

[Ross Stonefeld]

I fail to see any similarity between Mansell and Button's helmets. While I wasnt too keen on the unoriginality of Jenson's original helmet, the JB one is even worse


I like Wurz because while it incorporates national colors, he does it in a different way. Same for Montoya

Of the test drivers () Manning's English helmet is quite cool

[b3nster]

I've always liked Berger's helmets, but the one with the flags was a bit overkill. Bartholdi has a great helmet, I'd like to see him get a ride at Prost, if not only to see the cool design. Also, I'm a real sucker for chrome, and i thought Schumacher's helmet at the end of 98, the chrome alesi, and the chrome takagi were very cool. I always thought Marques had a cool helmet too. As far as the CART guys go, Memo Gidley, Oriel Servia and Papis have cool designs.

[scokim]

Ross,
JB and Mansell helmets are wrapped in a union jack - simple as that.

[george baird]

This has been done before check this out.

[Andy]

O.K., well if I must say it again... Greg Moore had the coolest helmet design I've ever seen!

[alain]

Senna`s.

[Peeko]

Without a doubt, Rene Arnoux's...

[130R]

Strange, I have yet to se a helmet design that has struck me as extraordinary. Lots of good ones, but nothing more IMO

[AlesiGOD]

Senna, A...., Kristensen, Hill, Schumacher...

Boring ones: Prost, Barichello, Button, Frenzten...

[ClashCityRocker]

Senna's with out a doubt. That thing just reeked of class. And I always liked the way it looked when Senna was driving the black JPS Lotus.

[westendorf]

Senna's was a great colour and easy to spot. Christian Fittipaldi's was yellow but sucked, bad shade of yellow. The only one that I care for in today's current crop is Dave C. but they have so many sponser logos that it gets completely lost so it sucks too. One of my fav. driver is JV, but his is just about the worst, good god pink and Ahh... Troy Lee designs suck when the rider/driver is going more than 2 Miles per hour. They kinda look cool if your taste runs to that style but when in motion you can't see the detail. They [Troy Lee] really don't represent anything other than a flashy design. I really liked Jimmy Clark's hat, so plain but you just knew it was him, much like Senna. ~GFW~

[Indian Chief]

My favourites are uncomplicated designs. I love Senna and Hill's helmets. I hate designs liike Mazzacane's - very flashy and doesn't look like a racer's helmet.

[green-blood]

I quite liked Diniz's, even if he was useless. It reminded me of Carlos Paces with the arrow. In the old days Chris amon had a very simple but striking scheme

[Bell]

Im not really sure about the new schumacher helmet, if it was proper red it would be ok, but because its malboro red it looks odd, sometimes it looks dark red sometimes it looks pink other times it looks pale orange!

[Bell]

....also i dont like that ugly flap that appeared on the right side of Scumacher's 2000 helmet, anyone know what it was for?

[aross]

I always preferred helmets that had some history to them, whether nation or personal. I hate helmets that change with the sponsor. P.S. Does anyone know why every replica helmet you can buy from Bell is $1000 U.S., except for Paul Tracy's which is 1250?

[Larry Connell]

Most F-1 helments are pretty boring. Too mamy corporate logos. Check over into 500CC F-1 Motorcycles for DISTINCTIVE helment designs. It's better racing also.

[selena]

I have always liked Senna's helmet because it was very distinctive and went well with all the cars that he drove. Another of my favourite is Hakkinen's helmet, simple but elegant. Irvine's helmet is unusual and interesting. Schuey's helmet is okay too.

[Billy]

Originally posted by ClashCityRocker
Senna's with out a doubt. That thing just reeked of class. And I always liked the way it looked when Senna was driving the black JPS Lotus.

check out the Schlegelmilch pictures in his winter season special galleries
http://www.schlegelm...dex/default.htm

[wrid]

http://www.luckydesign.it

lucky is painting, among others, Jarno Trullis helmets. He's the painter I prefer, Troy Lee is a little bit "too american"

[control]

Emerson Fittipaldi's black and red was very cool,but Senna's is the best ever! Picture seeing that in your mirrors.

I also like Lauda's, Damon's and Coulthard's.

[nigel red5]

For me it would be the helmets of Ayrton Senna & Jacques Villeneuve.
Senna`s lid spawned this quote from Murray Walker years ago...."and he`ll see that distinctive red n white colour scheme of the Mclaren with the yellow blob in the centre in his mirrors......."

In moto-GP racing i think Valentino Rossi has the coolest helmet. It suits his character - wild.

[hyper!! james]

Eddie Irvine's looks like it should be Del Boy Trotters!

My fave has to be Schumi's chrome at Suzuka 98.

BTW, didn't Alesi steal most of his design from Elio de Angelis?