Telling Teammates Apart

	by David Wright, Australia

For some reason, Formula One teams spend millions of dollars on designing and building their cars, but fail on one aspect of their design - being able to tell their two drivers apart! Poorly placed car numbers on higher and higher noses, coupled with helmet-obscuring cockpit padding makes the job more difficult than ever before. Even the semi-traditional differences in markings such as different coloured mirrors or brightly coloured nose tips or wing markings are becoming rare. The guide below is an attempt to help you decipher who's who in Formula One. McLaren  |  Ferrari  |  Jordan  |  Jaguar  |  Williams  |  Benetton Prost  |  Sauber  |  Arrows  |  Minardi  |  BAR   McLaren   1. Mika Hakkinen 2. David Coulthard Car: Black "man" on top front wing element Red "man" on top front wing element Helmet: White helmet with dark blue top and light, medium and dark blue horizontal stripes Blue helmet with St Andrew's Cross Number, front: Red number halfway up nose Number, side: White number on large bargeboard   Ferrari   3. Michael Schumacher 4. Rubens Barrichello Car: Red front wing flip-ups Red front wing flip-ups with white marking on trailing edge Helmet: White helmet with black front, red side and yellow back; dark blue top with multiple stars White helmet with orange oval front and rear; dark blue top with single star Number, front: Black number two-fifths up nose Number, side: Black number in middle of rear wing endplate   Jordan   5. Heinz-Harald Frentzen 6. Jarno Trulli Car: No discernable differences Helmet: Dark blue helmet with red and yellow arrow sweeping from back to top of helmet White helmet with pink and green markings and dark blue top Number, front: Black number near tip of nose Number, side: Yellow number on bottom of rear wing endplate   Jaguar   7. Eddie Irvine 8. Johnny Herbert Car: No discernable differences Helmet: Black helmet with jaguar head on side and jaguar 'skin' on top White helmet with red and black markings; red top with Union Jack Number, front: White number two-fifths up nose Number, side: White number on sidepod flip-ups   Williams   9. Ralf Schumacher 10. Jenson Button Car: No discernable differences Helmet: Fluorescent yellow helmet with black front, red side and yellow back; black top with multiple stars White helmet with Union Jack on side; dark blue top Number, front: Black number halfway up nose Number, side: Black number on rear of sidepod   Benetton   11. Giancarlo Fisichella 12. Alexander Wurz Car: Red-orange nose tip Light blue nose tip Helmet: White helmet with green and yellow curved stripes; blue top Dark blue helmet yellow, red and white diagonal stripes; dark blue top Number, front: White number three-quarters up nose Number, side: Dark blue number on bottom of rear wing endplate   Prost   14. Jean Alesi 15. Nick Heidfeld Car: Red gurney flap on top front wing element Yellow gurney flap on top front wing element Helmet: Chrome helmet with red and dark blue stripe; dark blue top Dark blue helmet with wide yellow diagonal stripe; dark blue top Number, front: Black number two-thirds up nose Number, side: Black number on lower-rear area of sidepod   Sauber   16. Pedro Diniz 17. Mika Salo Car: Yellow mirrors Red mirrors Helmet: Dark blue helmet with yellow arrow on sides and red arrow on top White helmet with light blue sections; light blue top Number, front: Red number on nose tip Number, side: Red number on bottom of rear wing endplate   Arrows   18. Pedro de la Rosa 19. Jos Verstappen Car: No discernable differences Helmet: Black helmet with red, yellow and silver stripes; black top White helmet with maroon and dark blue stripes; maroon top Number, front: Black number near tip of nose Number, side: Black number on bottom of rear wing endplate   Minardi   20. Marc Gene 21. Gaston Mazzacane Car: White "FONDMETAL" on top front suspension pushrod Red "FONDMETAL" on top front suspension pushrod Helmet: White helmet with red and yellow stripes, dark blue sections; red top White helmet with red section; dark blue top Number, front: Black number on first element of front wing Number, side: Black number on rear of sidepod   BAR   22. Jacques Villeneuve 23. Ricardo Zonta Car: No discernable differences Helmet: Blue helmet with pink, yellow and green stripes Dark blue helmet with red and yellow stripes; dark blue top Number, front: Black number one-third up nose Number, side: Black number on bottom of rear wing endplate

David Wright	© 2000 Kaizar.Com, Incorporated.
Send comments to: wright@atlasf1.com	Terms & Conditions

Back to Atlas F1 Front Page

Tell a Friend about this Article