Drivers sport special helmets for United States GP

2013 United States Grand Prix

16th November 2013, 22:0816th November 2013, 23:41 | Written by Keith Collantine

Several drivers have switched helmet designs for the United States Grand Prix weekend.

Among those using a one-off design for this race is Lewis Hamilton, who has changed from his usual yellow design to a red helmet paying tribute to Michael Jackson.

Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean are both wearing American-themed helmets. Meanwhile Mexican duo Sergio Perez and Esteban Gutierrez, who have many supporters from their nearby homeland at the track, have their national colours on their helmets. And Giedo van der Garde has also changed his design for this weekend.

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35 comments on “Drivers sport special helmets for United States GP”

Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
16th November 2013, 22:15

Hamilton’s: the more I look it, the worse it gets.

At least it’s easier to differentiate him from Rosberg… tho I looks as if MSC is back on that car :P.
1. gdewilde (@gdewilde)
  16th November 2013, 22:35
  
  It’s that Monster-craplogo.. It just doesn’t fit the red
  1. celeste (@celeste)
    16th November 2013, 22:51
    
    I don´t think is the logos, or the colors… is the way Michael Jackson is draw. Just looks weird…
    1. Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
      16th November 2013, 22:53
      
      @celeste yeah, exactly… and the message around it. MJ wasn’t a pretty boy but he could’ve got a better pic !
      1. celeste (@celeste)
        16th November 2013, 22:58
        
        @fer-no65 I agree. I was thinking that a helmet with MJ´s lyrics or song names… everybody knows them.
        
        But with that picture and the finish doesn´t look like a helmet one of the best paid F1 drivers will use. More like any guy for any bike will have…
      2. Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
        16th November 2013, 23:02
        
        @celeste yeah, take the picture away and it’s a decent thing. Not brilliant, but ok. This one is probably one of the worst helmets I’ve seen in a long while !
      3. BasCB (@bascb)
        17th November 2013, 9:54
        
        @celeste – I think I saw an explanation from either Vettel or Hamiltons helmet designer that they can’t use song lyrics or names because of copyright issues (they would have to pay for using it), and we know from the hunt thing on Kimis helmet, that even Bernie would want them to pay for advertising time if it can be seen on the onboards.
      4. celeste (@celeste)
        17th November 2013, 23:22
        
        @bascb I didn´t knew that; but I do remember the Hunt incident.
2. Superleggera (@superleggera)
  17th November 2013, 0:56
  
  I honestly think it suits his personality really well, and differentiating him from Rosberg is an added bonus!
crooky369 (@crooky369)
16th November 2013, 22:18

Grosjeans helmet I assume is in honour of Francois Cevert.
1. Force Maikel (@force-maikel)
  16th November 2013, 22:41
  
  @crooky369 Nope, it says Steve McQueen on the side.
  1. BJ (@beejis60)
    18th November 2013, 0:17
    
    @force-maikel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSzUBvwe6kg
just.daz (@nemo87)
16th November 2013, 22:29

Really like the colour of Hamiltons helmet ..just not so sure on the design :/
periwinkle (@shena)
16th November 2013, 22:39

Adding JEV to that list Left for next week, right for this week
Beto (@chebeto0)
16th November 2013, 23:02

I like the red from Hamilton’s helmet, and I like a lot that he chose Michael Jackson as the theme, but I think the design as a whole is bad. It seems to me a bit… tacky.
1. celeste (@celeste)
  17th November 2013, 1:59
  
  +1
2. BasCB (@bascb)
  17th November 2013, 9:56
  
  isn’t it the same red he has on his private jet? I agree with what you say about the design @chebeto0
Psychotext (@textuality)
16th November 2013, 23:15

So apparently Vettel has a different helmet for the race. Soon he’ll be changing them at pitstops.
1. OmarR-Pepper (@)
  17th November 2013, 0:16
  
  Yesterday he had an awful drawing of a bull that looked as if it was drawn with a crayon. I guess he didn’t like it so much either.
  1. celeste (@celeste)
    17th November 2013, 2:03
    
    I liked the bull, it was like the next step after last year… The finish is metal… or something ike that..Here it is
  2. celeste (@celeste)
    17th November 2013, 2:16
    
    Here are close up pictures and xplain of the desing
    1. BasCB (@bascb)
      17th November 2013, 9:59
      
      thanks for those pictures, I actually like it (apart from the RB logos covering a big part of it).
      The “wood” and the finishing as if its a colt is a nice touch I think. Shame they couldn’t have those red bull logos even more rust covered :-)
2. Jeanrien (@jeanrien)
  17th November 2013, 0:30
  
  He has time to do it, so why not …
3. BasCB (@bascb)
  17th November 2013, 9:57
  
  I like the top of the helmet, but its a great shame that almost all of the helmet stays with the same old boring Red Bull signage on it.
Deej92 (@deej92)
17th November 2013, 0:35

The US Grand Prix is becoming like the Monaco Grand Prix with all these special helmets!
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
17th November 2013, 0:58

Really cool design for Grosjean! That’s french, no doubt, even more with the Total logo :)
1. Retired (@jeff1s)
  17th November 2013, 9:27
  
  Grosjean should stick with that helmet. It’s mega design. Simple. Effective. Eye-catching. All fans need.
  1. BasCB (@bascb)
    17th November 2013, 10:01
    
    I agree, its really cool looking
HUHHII (@huhhii)
17th November 2013, 9:17

So, Hamilton decided to use a memorial helmet to honor sick pedophile. Wow, that is just disgusting.
1. just.daz (@nemo87)
  17th November 2013, 12:09
  
  Oh you mean the ‘sick pedophile’ that was proven not guilty!?
  
  Let’s not go down this road and keep it F1 huh (:
  1. HUHHII (@huhhii)
    17th November 2013, 12:24
    
    Proven? Well that’s not the image of what I have gotten from his case. Oh wait, cases.
    
    Returning to actual topic I think Perez nailed his helmets. Superb helmet design.
    1. HUHHII (@huhhii)
      17th November 2013, 12:24
      
      *helmet
    2. OmarR-Pepper (@)
      17th November 2013, 15:19
      
      @huhhii Perez hit the perfect helmet… 2 races left :)
      1. Sean Doyle (@spdoyle17)
        17th November 2013, 17:36
        
        Agreed. Shame him and GRO won’t keep those as their default helmets, they’re both very good looking designs.
Dr.Good
17th November 2013, 13:11

There’s one important rule in design, that seems to be escaping each and every F1 helmet designer: you don’t put faux 3D effects on a real-life, already three-dimensional object. Helmets have so many intricate details in their shape, that they’d look impressive even if they were all in just one color. Having them with so many sparkling, drop-shadow, glow nonsense, makes each and every one of them look like a horrible mess.

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35 comments on “Drivers sport special helmets for United States GP”