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194 comments on What the best dressed drivers are wearing: Helmets of 2011

1. 

   Patrickl (@patrickl) said on 2nd April 2011, 13:18

   he most estheatically pleasing helmet designs for me would be Rosberg’s, Heidfeld’s and Petrov’s. Well designed and the color combinations work.

   I don’t care much for the dated designs of Barichello’s, Trulli’s and Perez’s helmets.

   The abolute worst design has to be Liuzzi’s. From both sides. Geez.

   I think, above all, helmets should help recognize the driver. As such Hamilton’s, Heidfeld’s, Rosbergs and Schumacher’s helmets work really well.

   All the non-distinct Red Bull designs are obviously the most useless in this regard.

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2. 

   GeeMac (@geemac) said on 2nd April 2011, 13:20

   There are loads of great lids this season, probably only Sutil letting the side down…agsin.

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3. 

   nemo87 (@nemo87) said on 2nd April 2011, 13:24

   I voted for lewis. I love how he has it as a tribute/mark of respect to senna and also its not as ‘busy’ as most of the others. Also Lewis has pretty much stuck to the same design since starting in F1.. even then its only been ‘modernised’ since his earlier days. unlike a lot of the other drivers who change their design every-other race. Vettel being Top of that list haha :)

   As brundle said ‘A helmet design is supposed to be a trademark to a Driver and shouldnt be changed all the time’ ..or something along those lines :)

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   • 

     Steph (@) said on 2nd April 2011, 13:37

     Actually (I think I just said on a previous page but I msised your comment sorry!) it isn’t specifically a tribute to Senna but he chose yellow as it was bright so his dad could find him easily when he was karting I think.

     I agree that driver’s shouldn’t change their helmets much. When people think of Senna they think of the gold helmet poking out of the black/gold Lotus. It’s iconic and is part of his identity. Designs really help set drivers apart.

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     • 

       nemo87 (@nemo87) said on 2nd April 2011, 15:56

       yeah your right about the Karting comment :) but he also could have another yellow design. this is like his own take on senna’s design. i’ll try and find some old pics of Lewis. his helmet was much more ‘senna’ back then :)

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   • 

     Ads21 (@ads21) said on 2nd April 2011, 13:50

     Yer I completely agree with the trademark design comment. I want helmets to be distinctive with each driver and to stay pretty much the same over the course of the his career. Hamilton’s is great for that, as is Massa’s, Barrichello’s. The same goes for Alonso whose helmet for the last two years have been pretty much the same as his ’06 helmet which itself was a variation of the helmet he used from karting to 2005. Broadly speaking I always prefer simple designs which drivers stick with.

     Vettel’s changes virtually every race which really annoys me, thankfully Webber’s is consistent so we can tell the difference between the two Red Bulls.

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     • 

       Steph (@) said on 2nd April 2011, 17:42

       Agree with you Ads. Let’s forget Alonso’s awful 07 helmet…

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       • 

         Pink Pirelli said on 3rd April 2011, 0:34

         DC was always the best for that, his saltire design was so easily recognisable over the years.

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4. 

   box this lap (@sebashuis) said on 2nd April 2011, 13:25

   reminds me of Eddie Irvine. He had a great design when he was driving for Jaguar, now it’s hard to choose.

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5. 

   Rob Wilson (@rob-wilson) said on 2nd April 2011, 13:50

   Gotta say Heikki, love the matt finish.

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6. 

   Icthyes (@icthyes) said on 2nd April 2011, 13:53

   The Red Bull/STR ones are frankly hideous! It’s disappointing how much sponsors take up the helmets nowadays but with these ones it seems like the design is secondary to the sponsor.

   I really don’t like the messy-complicated ones like Alonso’s either. Much prefer Schumacher’s and Rosberg’s.

   But in the end I went for Nick’s. Completely designed for the car he’s driving but nice all the same.

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7. 

   kateafan said on 2nd April 2011, 13:53

   Perez’s “super hero” motif is worth a vote!
   Also like Webber and Button’s patriotic and classic designs. Petrov’s ripped flag, Liuzzi’s distinctive style.
   Over all though, Alguersuari’s is very stylish!
   Not liking Sutil’s and di Resta’s messy lids.

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8. 

   Broxter (@broxter) said on 2nd April 2011, 14:02

   I’m amazed by how many people assume Lewis Hamilton’s yellow is a tribute to Aryton Senna…

   He has always raced with a yellow helmet, originally so that his father could tell which kart Lewis was driving back in his karting days.

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   • 

     nemo87 (@nemo87) said on 2nd April 2011, 15:58

     yeah your right about the Karting comment but he also could have another yellow design. this is like his own take on senna’s design. i’ll try and find some old pics of Lewis. his helmet was much more ‘senna’ back then :)

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     • 

       Icthyes (@icthyes) said on 2nd April 2011, 16:37

       Even the ribbons were from the old days, they were just changed and moved, partly because the original ones were a bit naff (according to Lewis) and also the white ring and sponsors had to be accommodated.

       There is nothing in his Helmet to do with Senna. I could be wrong but the green and red might have something to do with Grenada, where Anthony Hamilton’s parents came from. Not sure about the blue though.

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   • 

     Patrickl (@patrickl) said on 2nd April 2011, 20:11

     Hamilton’s dad just said that to get rid of the “Hamilton is trying to be the new Senna” whining from the haters.

     Look at the designs side by side (especially Hamilton’s older designs). A yellow helmet with a blue band around the bottom and green band along the top. It’s almost identical!

     There is no way I’m gonna buy his claim that it wasn’t based on Senna’s design.

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     • 

       electrolite (@electrolite) said on 2nd April 2011, 21:08

       I agree. Just because someone argues a driver’s helmet design derives from another’s doesn’t mean it’s a criticism.

       Lewis’ is, to some extent, a homage, which is perfectly acceptable.

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       • 

         nemo87 (@nemo87) said on 3rd April 2011, 14:44

         well said with the homage comment

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9. 

   BS (@bs) said on 2nd April 2011, 14:12

   I think Hamilton’s helmet is the best looking one. The Colours are stylish , the design is clean and reads very well from afar, but is detailed enough to be interesting up close.

   Most of the other helmets are poorly designed, too detailed, have oversaturated colours and neither read well from a distance nor from up close.

   Granted, I am a sucker for clean design. :)

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10. 

    raymondu999 (@raymondu999) said on 2nd April 2011, 14:19

    Alonso’s and Hamilton’s helmets are very similar in terms of color scheme for drivers who claim to be bitter rivals

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11. 

    AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner) said on 2nd April 2011, 14:26

    Gotta be Schumacher’s for me, it hasn’t got as much going on as the other ones, there are some brilliant ones out there, but I think it just looks brilliant against the car, Rosberg’s too!

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12. 

    Yobo01 (@yobo01) said on 2nd April 2011, 14:43

    Heidefeld’s helmet is the best in my opinion. It’s perfect for his car. I like Petrov’s helmet too, but the Lotus logo ruins it a bit. Vettel’s is really cool, I like its sparkling design.

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13. 

    Eggry (@eggry) said on 2nd April 2011, 14:46

    Vettel : I’ve never liked Vettel’s helmet.

    Webber : I think Webber’s helmet is more Redbullish. but it does not reflect his character.

    Hamilton : I know his Seena fandom but I don’t blame it.

    Button : Typical British driver’s helmet.

    Alonso : I liked last year’s much more. barcode is much better than insanely big logo.

    Massa : Green…and blue…whatelse?

    Schumacher : Red. It’s more definite than he was in Ferrari.

    Rosbers : Mercedes-like design. I love yellow color.

    Heidfeld : almost totally black+gold+red. JPS style?

    Petrov : Russian flag style. I like it.

    Rest : I don’t care much.

    Best : Schumacher’s without Monster. Alonso’s without silly Scuderia Ferrari Malboro logo.

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    • 

      electrolite (@electrolite) said on 2nd April 2011, 20:55

      Webber’s always had blue red and yellow colours.

      Also Button’s helmet is only typically British in which he based the designed loosely on the union jack. A lot of the other driver use their own nationalities flags…

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14. 

    TMAX said on 2nd April 2011, 15:16

    With all honesty looking at the results the Voting does not seemed to be based on the best helmet but rather on the favorite driver. With due respect the comments also seem to talk more about the drivers rather than voting for the helmet.

    Keith Maybe you should have placed the helmets without the driver names. The results could have been slightly better. Though some of them are obvious many others would still have a chance.

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15. 

    Alex Bkk said on 2nd April 2011, 15:32

    The paint on the helmets are crap to be honest. It’s only because you know a teams livery that you can spot a driver because the other driver has a crap helmet paint job of a different shade, at least that’s how it looks on TV.

    The best helmets of the last billion years of F1 are, Jackie Stewart’s, Damon Hill’s, Eddie Irvine’s, Ayrton Senna’s, Michael Schumacher’s and Lewis Hamilton’s.

    Sorry but all the kiddy graphics put me off. I really hate when a driver changes his helmet.

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