A look Inside the Helmet

Atlas F1

A Look Inside the Helmet

The only thing that most motor racing spectators see of any driver is his head - and then it's usually covered by a helmet. The helmet itself is there for safety and comfort reasons, but it is also the most individual part of any driver's clothing. It may carry sponsor identification, but it is painted in the colours of that driver, in a pattern evolved over many years of racing. In short, the helmet is the most personalised item of a driver that isn't wrapped up in skin!

Helmet technology is something that is taken very seriously, and the more serious that has become, the greater importance is attached to driver's use of helmets, and who wears which brand of helmet. Bell have been long time favourites of IndyCar drivers where all but two competitors wear the American manufacturer's products, and in Formula One, they supply Michael and Ralf Schumacher, Jacques Villeneuve, Olivier Panis and Esteban Tuero.

Jacques Villeneuve's Primary ColoursSo seriously do they take their involvement in Grand Prix racing that they employ a permanent engineer to build and service the helmets of their competitors. Pierre van Ginneken works for Bell's European importer in Brussels, Belgium. You might not think it, but it is a full-time job. "During the week, I paint and construct helmets for the drivers, and at the weekends, I'm at the races to make sure that the helmets are comfortable, and to service the helmets between sessions, which includes fitting them with tear-off visors."

Bell produce three standard models, the Vortex, Dominator and Refuelling 2. Schumacher uses the former, Villeneuve uses the Dominator, and Bell's other drivers use the latter. These are of varying different shapes which have been aerodynamically developed; IndyCar constructors Reynard and Lola both conduct wind tunnel tests for Bell. "The aerodynamic shape is more important in IndyCar racing than in Formula One," explains van Ginneken.

The helmets used are basically standard shapes and weigh 1350 grams, costing approximately $2000 each. Michael Schumacher will use 20 during the year. "That's basically one per race, plus one or two for testing during the winter and one or two left with the test team during the season," says van Ginneken. Why do they change so often? "There are several reasons. They wear their helmets a lot, for us much as 10 hours a weekend, and some drivers sweat a lot, so that the interior gets salty, and the fit deteriorates with wear. Of course, if the helmet is involved in any kind of impact - sometimes if it's even dropped on the floor - it has to be renewed as that kind of impact can weaken the shell. One has to be careful of delamination, but sometimes it will be replaced even if there is nothing visibly wrong with it."

What, everyone wants to know, happens to the old helmets? "Michael likes to keep his winning helmets," says van Ginneken, "but he gives away the rest to people who are important to him, like Jean Todt, Ross Brawn, Gianni Agnelli (the boss of Fiat), the Sultan of Brunei, whose jewellery firm, Asprey, sponsors Ferrari." Second-hand helmets, however, can fetch over $20,000.

Each of the drivers' helmets will have been built up by van Ginneken in Belgium. "We take the basic helmet shell and then paint it," he explains. "The painting is done by spray and the use of tape. It's not difficult, and apart from perhaps the addition of sponsors, Michael, for example, hasn't changed his helmet colours since 1994."

So what are those colours, and why? Michael Schumacher explains: "beside the area of the visor, you can see the traditional black-red-gold of Germany. I chose those colours years ago with a friend of mine, and I've changed them only slightly since then, usually to include sponsors' stickers. I must admit it was my friend's idea to go for the blue circle on top with the white stars. I quite liked it and I've stuck to it ever since. After joining Ferrari, I added the prancing horse at the back in the yellow section." The stars, says van Ginneken, are not difficult to paint.

Once the shell is painted, van Ginneken then custom builds the interior, tailor-made for each individual driver in soft foam rubber. "It's very difficult to start off with because each driver's head is a different shape," he admits, "but once you get to know the driver and the shape of his head, it's much easier. You get to understand certain things about the head. Olivier's left ear is more sensitive than his right, for instance, so you build up the helmet accordingly."

Ralf Schumacher Peeks ThroughOnce the interior is fitted, then there are various additions to be made. For instance, the earphones for the radio have to be positioned, and so does the microphone in the front part of the helmet. A drinking tube may also have to be fitted. After that, the chin strap is added, the visors fitted and the helmet is ready to be worn.

Van Ginneken, however, will be on hand at all Grands Prix to service the helmet. So what does this involve? "I have to clean the helmet throughout the weekend - they get a lot of bugs on them, as well as oil from other cars, and rubber, dust and dirt. Then I have to make sure that the visor is in ideal condition. It's 3mm thick, made of Lexan and has sponsor identification along the upper rim, so whenever that's renewed, I have to ensure that the sponsor's sticker is in place as well.

"And covering the visor are usually several tear-off visors. These are 0.3mm thick, also made of Lexan, and they can be torn off and discarded if they get dirty on the outside, so that visibility remains at its best throughout. We generally fit four tear-offs for a race; the maximum is really five and any more results in distortion because there is only a limit number that you can attach to the pegs on either side of the helmet."

Helmet technology, then, is as complicated and as vital and individualistic as that which involves the car itself. It's highly personalised and valuable to the driver and the helmet companies and never something to be taken lightly by either.


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