Michael Schumacher may have left Ferrari to join Mercedes but one very important thing will stay red in 2010 – his crash helmet.
After much speculation about what design he would use in 2010, a red version similar to the one he used in 2006 was revealed at the Mercedes livery launch today.
The only significant changes are an incorporation of the Mercedes three-pointed star and a logo for the team’s title sponsor Petronas.
Nico Rosberg has also stayed largely faithful to his usual design – inspider by father’s Keke’s – but with the same two changes as Schumacher’s.
Read more: Mercedes launch 2010 livery (Pictures)
CounterStrike
25th January 2010, 14:24
It would look truly out of place in a Silver Arrow.The point is scarlet was never Schumi’s original colour,even at Ferrari until mid 2000.
He should have(out of respect for merc) reverted to his old design.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/2970461007_7fa294ab7e_m.jpg
But the man is full of himself.
John H
25th January 2010, 14:35
“out of respect for merc”
What are you going on about? He’s doing Mercedes a big favour here, not the other way round.
“But the man is full of himself.”
Yes, the choice of his helmet design really makes him guilty of this. I don’t particularly like the guy either by the way just in case you think I’m a schumacher fan.
CounterStrike
25th January 2010, 14:52
My problem is that Scarlet was never Schumi’s original colour. It was incorporated to blend it with ferrari, Marlboro & Vodafone(who partnered Ferrari form 01-06)
Its only prudent that Schumi includes some silver & green.
That is what I meant by “out of respect for merc”
K
25th January 2010, 17:39
I like the red. It’s still based on his original design just in red. No other driver wears a red helmet and it’s distinct from his team mate. Unlike the confusing similarities between the Red Bull and Toro Rosso drivers. I think it’s pretty good.
José Baudaier
25th January 2010, 20:53
It isn’t his original color, but after 10 years wearing it, even after he left F1, he probably got acquainted to it. And plus, the helmet is more like a glowing orange than red.
K
25th January 2010, 21:31
It’s not the original colour but it is the original design.
K
25th January 2010, 21:32
Pretty much.
Steve_P83
25th January 2010, 16:22
“It would look truly out of place in a Silver Arrow.The point is scarlet was never Schumi’s original colour,even at Ferrari until mid 2000.
He should have(out of respect for merc) reverted to his old design.”
I completely disagree. He can wear whatever it is that he wants to wear. It is HIS racing helmet after all. The team dictates the livery on the car and the racing suit. Are drivers expected to have no individuality? I just totally disagree with that statement. He, and any driver, is free to design their helmet however they want.
three4three
25th January 2010, 18:03
I’m perhaps being pedantic here but that helmet is not very red and certainly not scarlet; I’d say it’s more of a day glow orange with a red hue. But that maybe just my monitor or me being colour blind…. My point is though that it’s nothing like the red of the Ferrari team so I don’t see what the fuss is.
Also, IMO a helmet colour that is contrasting with the car always looks better, and I agree that drivers should retain individuality through their helmets as that’s the only part of them we see when racing.
mfDB
25th January 2010, 18:59
I agree with Steve_P83. Lewis has a yellow helmet, not silver, massa – yellow, not red, and so on….I personally don’t like it when the helmet matches the car. It’s nice to have the contrast and be able to spot the different drivers easily…
Bewildered
25th January 2010, 21:25
handbags at 10 paces anyone? :)
HG
26th January 2010, 10:43
yep, +1
steph90
25th January 2010, 14:41
Well he won a lot at Ferrari, maybe he could even see it as lucky. I think it’s nice; he’ll stand out from the car and is paying respect to a team he was very loyal to for so many years.
I would have been hugely disasppointed if he just went with a silver helmet.
Adrian
25th January 2010, 14:45
Good. I like when a driver’s helmet stands out from the rest of the car, like Hamilton’s yellow helmet in a Silver McLaren, or Heidfeld’s green helmet in a white and blue BMW last season.
The driver should decide on his helmet design and I don’t think it should be influenced by his team.
I’m holding out a hope that Button will revert back to his red, white and blue design this year (which would be upheld by his comment that his and Hamilton’s helmets are the same colours as Senna and Prosts) as while I can understand him going with the BGP-ified yellow design last year, I much prefer his original design.
J.A. Summers
29th January 2010, 17:47
It appears Button will revert back to his original colours.
Icthyes
25th January 2010, 14:49
I don’t think it’s going to go very well with the Merc colours, but at least it’ll stand out. I wish he had gone back to his old style thougj.
wong chin kong
25th January 2010, 14:56
The red colour for his crash helmet is just temporary, to please the Ferrari people. Later, I bet he changes it to dominantly silver with some green. The red might disappear altogether.
Gerdoner
25th January 2010, 22:19
I really hope so… black top and silver background would look so much better :S
Bren
25th January 2010, 15:21
the original one was cool, as was the one he wore at suzuka 98.
Camilo
25th January 2010, 17:23
Hello Keith, you should correct the word Petonas for Petronas
Bye
Travis R
25th January 2010, 17:39
I like the fact that he chose a bright color that is quite a bit different than Rosberg’s design. Anything to help differentiate the drivers on the track is a good thing!
gabal
25th January 2010, 18:21
Is there a picture of Rosberg’s helmet? I wonder has he modified it in any way to cater to team’s colors.
Stoo
25th January 2010, 19:11
http://www.mercedes-gp.com/images/gallery/742929284-545132512010l.jpg
Nico’s lid
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
25th January 2010, 22:28
Gabal – have added it now.
Rob Wilson
25th January 2010, 19:58
well, i guess we’ll know which one schumacher is out on track, at least it’ll stand out.
gabal
26th January 2010, 8:16
Thanks :)
It seems he kept his colors as well.
Maksutov
25th January 2010, 20:07
Good. The red helmet will brake down some of that awful white..
Alex Bkk
25th January 2010, 22:03
Hmmm…The Red Baron returns!
I think it’s great he’s keeping the red. Helmet paint jobs have gotten so bizarre that you can’t really tell whose driving a car.
The Nude Wizard
26th January 2010, 0:33
I actually think its kinda cool for the fact that during his days at Ferrari they did change the “red” of the Ferrari and the team gear to almost an orange colour (you only have to look at the shirts/hats of the time they were no where near a real “Ferarri Red”. At the time it was some story about how the colour looked on TV rather than real life but now they’ve realised thats a load of nonsense Ferrari have gone back to a more regular red colour but schummy has kept the orangy red so really it isnt Ferrari Red anymore anyways but always identifiable with his days at Ferrari, hence kinda cool. ;)
wasiF1
26th January 2010, 2:02
It will be easy to find him in that 26 cars.
Tango
26th January 2010, 9:32
Plus, it’s kinda cool to be called “the Red Baron”
HG
26th January 2010, 10:45
haha, it all works out rather well for him to play that role, the question is, who is snoopy? :)
Topgun575
25th June 2011, 22:50
Wearing a Ferrari inspired helmet in a mercedes is sacrilege and not to mention very bad luck I would like to see Michael wear his true colours one that made him a World Champion!