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[Timekeeper]

I've noticed in the past seasons that drivers are becoming more and more unfaithful to sticking to one helmet design throughout the course of their career.

What's the deal?

I remember back in the 90s (I've been following since 1995) and earlier everyone had their own distinctive helmet which they'd keep for the majority of their careers. Sure there'd be the very minor change up or update, but the main design was used throughout their races. There's something wonderful about seeing drivers such as Senna, Hamilton and Hakkinen for example with their familiar helmet present in every year they raced. I love the fact the Damon Hill adopted his fathers' helmet when racing in F1. It's the same concept with Bruno Senna. The drivers' helmet is a trademark in a way, and I've always been rather fond of it. More and more drivers however are going down the Vettel route and changing up their design a bit too often. Has this always been the case with F1? Maybe I'm being pedantic but I'm quite the traditionalist.






















Thoughts?

[LewEngBridewell]

One or two drivers may have done it for one race maybe (for example, to mark a special occasion) but am I correct in thinking it's only Vettel that regularly changes his helmet design?

This is fine, because Mark Webber retains the same colours, so you can always tell the Red Bulls apart. However, if Mark started changing his helmet design than it would become difficult to tell who's who (apart from the fact that one of them would be leading the race by 3 laps...)

For the most part, the drivers still retain their colours. I've had no problems this season identifying the drivers via their helmets, unless they're the rookies fore example, whose designs I'm only getting accustomed to.

[bud]

Drivers usually have a design in their junior years and stick with that. But I think because Vettel has been on the red bull driver program since an early age his helmet design was there for the red bull design that most drivers on that program share. like this design


So he hasn't really had his own design that he is attached to so experiments. It's good for fans of helmet art

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

When Schumey changes his helmet, the wheels fall off the car.

[Jabberwocky]

When Schumey changes his helmet, the wheels fall off the car.

you have to admit that the Mercs have the best color co-ordination between drivers helmet/gloves/rollover hoops it is all good

[FRAFPDD]

Minor changed per season, fine.


Changing it every race like Vettel, wrong.


Itd be interesting to see if he sticks to his " retiring a helmet desgin after a win" motto when the car isnt so dominant.

[andrew]

Doesn't bother me in the least. They could all have plain white helmets for all I care. It's driver preference and nothing more.

[killem2]

I'm fine with it. I thought Alonzo helmet this last race was freaking ugly though. Not that I really enjoy his original choice either. I'm suprised he isn't sporting a gaint red helmet with a ferrai logo on the top, he seems to bleed red and yellow.

[Jabberwocky]

I'm fine with it. I thought Alonzo helmet this last race was freaking ugly though. Not that I really enjoy his original choice either. I'm suprised he isn't sporting a gaint red helmet with a ferrai logo on the top, he seems to bleed red and yellow.

Schumachers turned to red over time of him being there. I thought he would of changed back to his original colours when he went to Mercedes.

[darwin dali]

Alexander Wurz was famous for designing his own helmets and change them up sometimes with the help of his kids.

I think why not? Let the drivers express themselves and their individuality or even their artistic prowess if applicable.

[andrew]

What I'd like to see is a driver take the Valentino Rossi approach to helmet design, but compared to the MotoGP crowd F1 drivers are as dull as ditch water so other than the one off shiny helmet I doubt this will happen.

[vlad]

Vettel's helmets are great, if you ask me. And also not hard to recognize...

[hypertek]

The all mighty dollar decides what your helmet design will be imo


If they want to pay me alot to put their logo on my helmet, sure I'll do it.

I think if Vettel stuck with 1 helmet design though, it would add to his legacy /signature for these championships.

Someday I would like to buy some replica helmets of senna, prost, hamilton.. and what is cool is they are all easy to identifiable to their driver

[Rickenbacker]

It would be a shame if they all started doing it, once Vettel has started this kind of thing off more drivers will do it in the future.

[acosmichippo]

One thing is for sure, every single helmet on the grid this year is ugly as all hell.

I much prefer the simpler examples shown in the OP (like Coulthard's), which are very easy to make out from a distance. When you have so much detail packed into a helmet like Vettel's or Alonso's, you can't make it out on TV anyway. The meaning is lost.