Half-a-dozen Formula 1 drivers have already revealed special helmet designs they will wear for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
McLaren pair Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo have new looks to match the team’s one-off livery for this weekend’s race. Charles Leclerc is carrying a tribute to Ferrari’s only other F1 driver from Monaco, and the Williams drivers are marking the team’s 750th race this weekend.
Valtteri Bottas has also produced a special new helmet for F1’s return to Monte-Carlo following its enforced absence last year.
Lando Norris’ 2021 Monaco Grand Prix helmet
McLaren are running a special livery this weekend in deference to sponsor Gulf Oils. Norris is sporting a new design which matches their distinctive heritage colour scheme of duck egg blue and orange.
He created the design with Miles Murphy, who has been working on his styles since before Norris was a teenager. “We always come up with different ideas but definitely for Monaco with the Gulf livery we wanted to do something more old-school which was with the goggles and the open-face helmet kind of thing. It was half and half, we both came up with an idea.”
Daniel Ricciardo’s 2021 Monaco Grand Prix helmet
Ricciardo also has a retro look this weekend, which like his team mate’s features a bold rendering of his racing number. McLaren’s papaya colouring is more in evidence on Ricciardo’s design.
Charles Leclerc’s 2021 Monaco Grand Prix helmet
The Monaco Grand Prix pre-dates the world championship, and in 1931 was won by a local, Louis Chiron, at the wheel of a Bugatti. He also raced for Ferrari, in the days when the team ran customer Alfa Romeo cars.
Leclerc’s helmet is a tribute to the racer, who scored his only Formula 1 podium in the first world championship Monaco Grand Prix in 1950 – also Ferrari’s first appearance in the series, at the age of 58.
George Russell’s 2021 Monaco Grand Prix helmet
Both Williams drivers are marking the team’s 750th race with special helmets this weekend. Russell’s features a selection of classic Williams F1 cars.
Nicholas Latifi’s 2021 Monaco Grand Prix helmet
Latifi’s counterpart design, featuring more images of the team, was created by Censport.
Valtteri Bottas’ 2021 Monaco Grand Prix helmet
Bottas has also revealed the special design he will wear this weekend, which as with many of his recent helmets was designed by his girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell. “It’s a bit like a cartoon style thing,” he said of the helmet, which features a selection of phrases including “Send it”, “Vrooom”, “Oath”,” “Boom” and “Bang”.
“Hopefully not many ‘bangs’ this weekend,” Bottas added.
“Lots going on in terms of colour, lots of my favourite blue colour . But I think all this crazy sutfrf it represents Monaco as being a bit of a happy place and almost like a Disneyland for adults.
Pierre Gasly’s 2021 Monaco Grand Prix helmet
Gasly has trimmed his usual helmet design out with gold for the Monaco Grand Prix. The ‘JB17’ and ‘AH’ references to late French racers Jules Bianchi and Anthoine Hubert, remain present as ever.
Sebastian Vettel’s 2021 Monaco Grand Prix helmet
Vettel has also refreshed his design for the Monaco race weekend, adding a stronger chrome effect to his recently introduced pink colour scheme.
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ppzzus (@ppzzus)
19th May 2021, 20:33
These are all really nice. The Williams pair seem to be the best though.
bookgrub (@bookgrub)
20th May 2021, 7:21
I thought them, along with Leclerc’s, the weakest. The imagery might be made up of iconic or significant photos, but as helmet designs I thought they were uninspiring. Ricciardo’s is fantastic though, and I think it’s going to look especially good in the car.
hunocsi (@hunocsi)
19th May 2021, 20:47
I love Ricciardo’s helmet, but I’m not crazy about the “open face” and glasses part on Norris’s. I think someone (maybe Grosjean or Ericsson) did a similar element on a Monaco design years ago, and even if it’s nicely done, it looks too fake to me. And those glasses, with the light blue base color remind me of the Crazy Frog…
Homerlovesbeer (@homerlovesbeer)
19th May 2021, 23:04
Lol I was thinking crazy frog with Lando as well :D
Mark Thomson (@melthom)
20th May 2021, 2:16
Ericsson did the Ronnie Peterson helmet with no nonsense.
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
19th May 2021, 21:43
Ricciardo’s design is so solid. Wonderful!
Rosa (@ciaran)
19th May 2021, 23:57
What a gorgeous one Ricciardo has! None of the others come close
Mark Thomson (@melthom)
20th May 2021, 2:17
Classic simplicity rules
ryanoceros666
20th May 2021, 0:23
Ricciardo’s design is awesome. The goggles on lando’s helmet seems bizarre being atop a huge visor. I’m glad F1 ditched the consistent helmet design rule
Homerlovesbeer (@homerlovesbeer)
20th May 2021, 3:21
Agreed that Danny Ric’s design shines well any truly bright, by far the nicest. So clean, simple and classic!
Sweet job Ric.
GeeMac (@geemac)
20th May 2021, 6:05
Russell and Latifi’s helmets are just…perfect…sublime!
A nice touch on Williams 750th grand prix (and my 524th as a Williams fan as I discovered though their website!)
Matt Jones (@mattj)
20th May 2021, 8:48
Wow Latifi’s is incredible. Proper iconic Williams colours. Superb.
Jere (@jerejj)
20th May 2021, 9:15
Ricciardo’s design is my outright favorite.
Nimba (@nimba)
20th May 2021, 22:17
Lecrec paying tribute also to Pastor Maldonado on the lid.