SOME OF THE MOST MEMORABLE DRIVER HELMETS IN FORMULA ONE

Helmets are often the easiest way for a driver to express their personality, with many current drivers using their protection as tributes for past drivers, with redesigns of Ayrton Senna's iconic green and yellow helmet is commonly seen. To promote Charities and beliefs, from Mclaren's "Mind" collaboration  and Sebastian Vettel's "Save the bees" design. And to celebrate tracks, blossom flowers often added to designs to celebrate Suzuka or Daniel Ricciardo's most recent Maple syrup helmet in Canada. Occasionally drivers have used designs as a way to connect with their fans, allowing them to have an input.

Helmet deliveries have increased in recent years after the FIA discarded a previous rule  put in place between 2015 - 2020, intended to make drivers more recognisable, "Drivers will now be restricted in the number of changes they can make to their helmet design during each season".

Personalised designs on helmets have been seen as early as Jackie Stewarts tartan design from 1969, with the 80s seeing bolder and more designs coming into the sport from the likes of Ayrton Senna, Keke Rosberg and Elio De Angelis. 

Here are a few of the F1 journal team's favourite designs:

In 2014 Jenson Button turned up to the British Grand prix with Papa smurf painted onto his helmet in honour of his father, John, who had passed away earlier that year from a heart attack. According to the independent 120,000 fans attended the race sporting pink t-shirts in support of the Button family. John Button was an incredible supporter of his son, appearing in the paddock on sunday's with his "lucky" pink race-day shirt. John only missed one race during the 14 seasons, passing before Jenson's 15th.

Although the McLaren qualified in 3rd a fairy tale home race wasn't in the cards as the British driver missed out on a podium by 0.8 seconds to Daniel Ricciardo, with both drivers believing if they had one more lap Button would have passed Ricciardo to take third. Lewis Hamilton was victorious at Silverstone, later becoming the 2014 World champion, followed by Valtteri Bottas.

©McLaren Media

Since joining Formula one in 2019 Lando Norris has impressed many with his helmet designs and his 2023 Singapore helmet is among them. 
Prior to Singapore, Quadrent, an entertainment and apparel brand founded by Lando Norris launched, launched a competition allowing fans to submit their own design for him to wear at the street circuit. 

Norris went on to gain one of seven podiums of his 2023 season. The 23 year old started the race in fourth, managing to pass Charles Leclerc and George Russell during the 62 laps. Carlos Sainz who had started on pole gifted his former teammate, Norris, DNF in the closing stages to keep the Mercedes from  gaining any more positions. George Russell suffered a final lap crash, ending his race and allowing his teammate Lewis Hamilton to take third.

©AMG Mercedes media

Not all iconic helmets grace us for one weekend and one weekend only as Lewis Hamilton 2020 season helmet gains recognition due to its drivers dominance that season - won 11 races, 14 podiums and 10 pole positions. Hamilton gained his seventh world championship equalising Michael Schumachers record. 

©AMG Mercedes media

 In 2020 the world was hit with covid-19, which drivers were not immune to as Hamilton experienced who tested positive after the Bahrain GP and was forced to miss the penultimate race of the season, the Sakhir GP. Hamilton finished the season with 124 points more than his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, who finished second in the season standings. 
Alongside the pandemic the movement "Black Lives Matter" took over the world, with tributes to the movement seen through out the F1 paddock and on top of Hamiltons helmet. The movement's coverage accelerated after a white officer killed a black civilian, George Floyd.

©Haas F1 Media

In recent years the American Grand Prix's have brought out incredible liveries, but in 2019 Romain Grosjean arrived in Austin with a nostalgic Lightening McQueen inspired helmet design. The former Haas driver, like many, used the design by Adrien Paviot to celebrate his teams home race. 

Disappointingly for Grosjean he finished 15th at the Austin GP. Mercedes teammates Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton secured their team a 1-2 finished, with Max Verstappen (RedBull) completing the podium.

Bronwen Jones
Writer @ F1 Journal