26 replies to this topic

[swaction]

Do chrome helmets bring drivers bad luck?

If I recall Schumacher changed to a chrome design in Japan a number of seasons ago and ended up having a blown tyre.

Crazy Jean changed to one.. mind you - he's never really had the best share of luck.

Looking at Monaco, it appears that Pabs now has a chrome dome in that Williams.

Could it be that Chrome just doesn't belong in F1? Mabey Bernie doesn't like chrome...

-M

[pa]

I'm sorry, did you have a question?

[hedges]

See the first sentance, "?" denotes a question.

[Indian Chief]

Chrome helmets do seem to bring bad luck. The first race that Barrichello used it was Monaco '99, he crashed heavily out of the race.

The second race that Alesi used a chrome helmet was Canad '98 and he had two crashes in that single race!

[scokim]

Same thing (bad luck) had been said about having yellow cars : Forti, ....
However, Jordan put an end to that.

[Frans]

i like chrome helmets.

they look cool

[slick1jayj]

Also reflects heat away from the head.

jay

[Vunz]

Yeahright, and driving a Minardi brings bad luck too, they've never won a race... .

[pa]

Originally posted by hedges
See the first sentance, "?" denotes a question.

Not when it's followed by an answer in the same post.

[swaction]

Pa, play nice

[swaction]

I noticed during the Sepang coverage that Schumacher had the normally white Marlboro on his helmet painted chrome. Has this always been the case in 2003?

-M

[Louis Mr. F1]

Prost used a chrome helmet in the 89 Pheonix GP and he won the race after Senna got into mechanical problem

The chrome is only limited to the top part of Prost's helmet (normally blue colour there), apparently to reflect heat from the Pheonix sun.

[Flying Panda]

Originally posted by scokim
Same thing (bad luck) had been said about having yellow cars : Forti, ....
However, Jordan put an end to that.

Nay.
Green, not yellow

[cheesy poofs]

Originally posted by Louis Mr. F1

Prost used a chrome helmet in the 89 Pheonix GP and he won the race after Senna got into mechanical problem

The chrome is only limited to the top part of Prost's helmet (normally blue colour there), apparently to reflect heat from the Pheonix sun.

Although I cannot remember the exact race ( Dallas ?? ) he did this, Piquet did the same thing back in 1984.

[maxie]

Originally posted by Louis Mr. F1
Prost used a chrome helmet in the 89 Pheonix GP and he won the race after Senna got into mechanical problem

The chrome is only limited to the top part of Prost's helmet (normally blue colour there), apparently to reflect heat from the Pheonix sun.

You beat me to it, Louis. I remember that race very well. It took place on June 4, 1989, one of the bleakest days in modern history.

So who's the first driver in F1 to use a chrome helmet then? Piquet in '84 or Andretti in the 60s'?

[maxie]

Speaking of the "special" helmet Piquet used in Dallas (?) '84, I remember Rosberg won that race because he spent nearly 1,000 bucks on a "water-cool" helmet which, IIRC, was also chrome in colour.

[Rediscoveryx]

Originally posted by maxie
I remember Rosberg won that race because he spent nearly 1,000 bucks on a "water-cool" helmet which, IIRC, was also chrome in colour.

I'm sure his driving also had something to do with his win ;)

[cheesy poofs]

Someone should ask colonel Capps 'cause he was there at Dallas in 1984. It was a real scorcher of a race.

[Tumppi@BXL]

Originally posted by maxie
Speaking of the "special" helmet Piquet used in Dallas (?) '84, I remember Rosberg won that race because he spent nearly 1,000 bucks on a "water-cool" helmet which, IIRC, was also chrome in colour.

I seem to remember it was the normal color helmet (though, I was only 11 at that time), but he did indeed pay a neat little amount for the cooling. Also, I still think most of the US GP Victory comes down to Rosberg being superbly fit as an F1 racer. Back then F1 racing was more being a playboy than athlete.

Oh, another Rosberg legend is, had he had a proper alarm clock in late 60's - early 70's he'd become a med.doctor instead of an F1 driver. I bet he's IQ is about the same as the rest of the Finnish driver's IQs combined

---
t

[brad_d]

Originally posted by swaction
I noticed during the Sepang coverage that Schumacher had the normally white Marlboro on his helmet painted chrome. Has this always been the case in 2003?

Are you sure about this? I didn't notice it myself.

In this photo, taken on the dummy grid at Sepang last week, it looks white (although it's possible the lighting is deceptive).

[LuckyStrike1]

Originally posted by pa
I'm sorry, did you have a question?

Yes please, can't we have a discussion over two pages about that? ... I mean, it's so relevant really

[ensign14]

In about two hundred million billion GP appearances, the only time Piercarlo Ghinzani ever scored points was when the black areas on his helmet were chromed to reflect the blazing Dallas heat (back in '84). So chrome brought him some good luck.

[cheesy poofs]

Originally posted by ensign14

In about two hundred million billion GP appearances, the only time Piercarlo Ghinzani ever scored points was when the black areas on his helmet were chromed to reflect the blazing Dallas heat (back in '84). So chrome brought him some good luck.

Can't argue that, can we ?

That just happened to be his first and last points he ever scored in F1 and it was also Osella's last points in Grand-Prix racing. Following his terrifying Kyalami crash earlier that season, he was lucky to be still around by that time...

[glorius&victorius]

Originally posted by pa
I'm sorry, did you have a question?

reading's difficult, isn't it?

To answer the quesiton...:
Chrome do bring drivers bad luck. Look at Montoya's first season in CART: he had a white instead of chrome => instant success. Then the next year he changed to chrome: bad season!

[cheesy poofs]

Montoya's first season: Honda power

Montoya's second season: Toyota power

[SB]

It seems that JPM was wearing a chrome helmet in the only F1 race he has won .....

SB

[Schummy]

Actually, if the chrome is present in the interior of the helmet too, the heat of the head is not properly dissipated out and it could explain some of the phenomena exposed Aah! what a great thing is science, every little thing has its explanation!

(I have used the hypothesis that the brain of those drivers actually works and emit heat)