2013 Helmet Designs

[Neo3]

I heard in the news, that in 2014 a driver will be allowed to use only 1 helmet designs per year! What do you think, is that fair? Or do you think it is a good idea?

I love watching new designs from time to time, but Vettel's thing is a bit too much for me. I am interested in your opinions!

[Joie de vivre]

I like different helmet designs.

If you cannot distinguish one driver from another, you are an idiot ... (hint: T-cam color).

[beelsebob]

I like different helmet designs.

If you cannot distinguish one driver from another, you are an idiot ... (hint: T-cam color).

You need to calm that down a little bit. The T-cam is much less recognisable (which of 12 drivers is it all with the same coloured T? You need to consider more than one thing), and changes every single year. In general, it's much harder to remember "in 2013 hamilton has a yellow T" (I actually don't know), than it is to remember, "Hamilton's helmet is dark yellow with blue/green/black stripes on the side".

Your statement is a bit like saying "if you can't tell Sean Connery apart from George Cluny because Sean connery is wearing a tweed jacket, you're an idiot". It's probably true that you should be able to tell via that, but it's a lot less convenient than simply going "he looks like Sean Connery, he must be Sean Connery".

[Joie de vivre]

The easieast thing to remember is that the driver with higher score in prior year has black T-cam, the driver, who was less successful has yellow T-cam. I apologize for idiot thing.

[Neo3]

I liked the big numbers at the sides of the cars, like in the "retro-eras". Would be nice, and make recognising more easy. From the front the T-cam is a good one.

[beelsebob]

The easieast thing to remember is that the driver with higher score in prior year has black T-cam, the driver, who was less successful has yellow T-cam. I apologize for idiot thing.

Incorrect. Many teams do this, not all of them do though.

The easiest thing to remember is the uniquely recognisable symbol that all drivers carry around poking out the top of their car – their helmet.

[xDama]

I heard in the news, that in 2014 a driver will be allowed to use only 1 helmet designs per year! What do you think, is that fair? Or do you think it is a good idea?

I love watching new designs from time to time, but Vettel's thing is a bit too much for me. I am interested in your opinions!

I like the changing designs, it's fun to watch. And the last couple of years there have been some amazing designs! I loved the Red Bull Stratos helmet for example this year. The only thing that bothers me from time to time is when Vettel uses different helmets throughout the weekend. 1 helmet/weekend would be enough.

[SectorOne]

Even with several races in by now i still need an extra second or two to understand who is Lewis and how is Rosberg.
I know Rosberg has a silver patch and flourecent yellow and even different shape but with cars moving quickly it´s really not that easy to tell right away.

[stefan_]

I find it easier to recognize the driver by the colour of the T-cam (they should have left the red one in place and not change it to black). Additionally, I would impose the teams to put the number of the car on the rear wing endplates too at a pre-determined size in order to make sure it's visible.

[Lycoming]

I heard in the news, that in 2014 a driver will be allowed to use only 1 helmet designs per year! What do you think, is that fair? Or do you think it is a good idea?

I love watching new designs from time to time, but Vettel's thing is a bit too much for me. I am interested in your opinions!

I like the changing designs, it's fun to watch. And the last couple of years there have been some amazing designs! I loved the Red Bull Stratos helmet for example this year. The only thing that bothers me from time to time is when Vettel uses different helmets throughout the weekend. 1 helmet/weekend would be enough.

Well with Red Bull, it's easy enough; Webber's helmet pretty much doesn't change, and if you recognize the helmet as not Webber's, it's easy. Now as long as Ricciardo carries that particular torch forward, all will be well with the world. In such a situation, it wouldn't matter if Vettel changes his helmet at every pit stop.

Course, car numbers readily visible from all angles is best, but ad space is worth something these days...

[notApineapple]

While I think more needs to be done to identify drivers better, I hate having so many annoying rules. The driver should be free to do what he wants with his helmet. Any restriction on this is just commercial or political bs in my opinion.

Regarding identifying the drivers with helmets and T-cams the fact is that most people haven't memorised the driver's helmets and even less have memorised the T-cams (which change every year, so in my opinion they are useless).

I'd guess (and I don't have anything to back this up) that <<1% of the people watching could identify every driver on the grid based on their helmet. I'd guess also <<50% of the people watching could identify even the top 8 (McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull) drivers based on their helmet designs. Probably also << 20% could identify drivers based on the T-Cam.

I myself have been watching F1 for 20 years and I could identify maybe 1/3 of the grid from the helmets and no-one from the T-cams.

So by leaving only the Tcams and helmets as the only identifying marks on the cars (forget the numbers, they are invisible) the fact is most people watching are not able to identify the drivers. Which is a pretty stupid situation in my opinion.

But another ban and another rule is not the answer...

Consider this: All of the cars, except force india, have a large blank space on their rear wing end plates where they could put a large GP2 style number. This could be done tomorrow. Another step is the shark fin with the number, name and nationality of the driver which were a really good idea.

The solutions are so simple, but the mentality of the governing body is just to ban stuff. Its pathetic.

[astracrazy]

Even with several races in by now i still need an extra second or two to understand who is Lewis and how is Rosberg.
I know Rosberg has a silver patch and flourecent yellow and even different shape but with cars moving quickly it´s really not that easy to tell right away.

i liked Hamiltons white helmet at this gp. I wish he'd keep it. looked good with the car aswell

[Neo3]

I agree with you guys. 1 helmet per weekend would be a good rule. I like the various designs that drivers come up with.
I just didn't liked when Vettel used one for FPs and another for Qualy and at the Race he had used a new one or got back to FPs's design. That is a bit confusing.

[SectorOne]

Even with several races in by now i still need an extra second or two to understand who is Lewis and how is Rosberg.
I know Rosberg has a silver patch and flourecent yellow and even different shape but with cars moving quickly it´s really not that easy to tell right away.

i liked Hamiltons white helmet at this gp. I wish he'd keep it. looked good with the car aswell

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... 70x313.jpg

Blasphemy!

Yellow is his signum, Rosberg should go back to his old design imo. Isn´t his helmet yellow on the sole basis of Schumi having his red?

[mikeerfol]

Even with several races in by now i still need an extra second or two to understand who is Lewis and how is Rosberg.
I know Rosberg has a silver patch and flourecent yellow and even different shape but with cars moving quickly it´s really not that easy to tell right away.

i liked Hamiltons white helmet at this gp. I wish he'd keep it. looked good with the car aswell

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... 70x313.jpg

Blasphemy!

Yellow is his signum, Rosberg should go back to his old design imo. Isn´t his helmet yellow on the sole basis of Schumi having his red?

His helmet was yellow in Williams as well if I remember correct.