The inside story on amazing motorsport helmets

Helmets – more than just head protection

Helmets play an essential role in motorsport as one of the important safety devices for racing drivers. In the early days of auto racing in the 1930s and 1940s, make-shift helmets fashioned from football or firefighting were used, but provided insufficient protection as the cars got faster and the racing more competitive.

In the 1950s Formula One made full-face hard-shell helmets compulsory and new technologies greatly improved the safety. Bell Sports were the pioneers, mass producing helmets in 1954 and safety standards were first created in 1959.

Since that time, helmets for racing car drivers and motorcycle riders have become more than a purely safety device – the personalisation of the graphics by the drivers have made them a real feature and point of interest for motorsports. While the team and sponsors control the car livery and race suit design, the ‘full face’ helmet has evolved to become a low weight, high strength personalised expression of the driver within.

The most memorable helmets from famous drivers now fetch eye-watering sums at auctions. In 2022, Max Verstappen’s helmet from the Austrian GP received a bid of 132,000 Euros, the cashed-up fan also got the chance to meet Verstappen at the Abi Dhabi GP.

So how do standard helmets, end up being personalised works of art? This article provides the ‘how’ it’s done along with other insights from some of the best helmet graphic designers in the world. We selected and interviewed John Kral, Iain Baldwin and Anthony Wolski. Their commentary, images, video and website links help ‘paint the picture’ of how a stock helmet ends up being a masterpiece.

John Kral – Kral Creations (Melbourne, Australia)

Website: www.kralscreations.com.au

Video:  John Kral’s 60 second helmet creation video

What has been the most interesting helmet you have designed and why?

A client requested I create a design that would showcase his love of motorsport by paying tribute to several of his favourite racing icons: legendary driver Ayrton Senna and the quintessential motorsports timekeeper, Tag Heuer. This brief very much appealed to me as I have a fascination for fine mechanical watches and all the intricate gears, wheels and springs that somehow work in harmony to accurately keep track of a commodity that governs so many aspects of our lives.

After completing one helmet for this client, he was so enthralled by the result, he commissioned another one! These two projects were an amazing opportunity to combine my love of beautiful timepieces with my passion for detail in each of the artworks that I create.

What takes place in the consultative design process with a client and what are the steps you take to turn the concept into the finished helmet?

There is a regular process that I work through with a client during the design phase:

1. Request any images or materials that illustrate what they would like or not like to incorporate in their helmet design. These could include images of other custom painted helmets, colour samples and images of anything of interest from virtually any source.
2. Once the client has provided me with resource materials, we meet, face to face if possible or on the phone or zoom when I have the resource material that the client provided in front of me.
3. In the peace and quiet of my workshop, I will put all the information gathered into the central processing unit between my ears and start sketching a hand-rendered design or if preferred by the client, a computer-based rendering. Frequently clients will keep the original sketch and frame it as a testimonial to the process they engaged in to bring their custom helmet artwork to life. Once the client has approved the sketch, paintwork begins.

What impact on the sport has personalised helmet liveries made?

There are of course the obvious benefits for the sport, predominantly the display of sponsors liveries. Sponsors are extremely valuable in motorsport and a driver’s helmet is one of the best ways of communicating a company’s involvement as a driver’s head and helmet are one of the main focal points for photographers and media coverage.

However, there are many racers who do not have the luxury of sponsor support and these people realistically make up most participants in motorsport. Without the necessity to display logos they are less constrained by the bounds of corporate requirements and their helmet paint work becomes infinitely more personal in its nature. It becomes more a reflection of their true character and personality than a mere billboard. Custom painted helmets are treasured long after they have passed their use by date and often become family heirlooms.

Iain Baldwin – Liquid Colour Design (Northern Ireland)

Website: https://www.liquidcolourdesign.com

What has been the most interesting helmet you have designed and why?

The most interesting and memorable helmet for me was for a client who raced F1 power boats; the design was based around his love for watches and in particular the Omega Sea Master watch limited edition. Naturally the client needed to merge this design with the visible colours required under F1 power boat regulations, so we had to create a design around the standards that were required. A percentage of the helmet was given over to incorporate a neon orange colour into this intricate design as part of safety regulations for this sport. The final design was amazing and certainly one of the most detailed; I really had to do my research with this one to make sure I captured the slick design of the watch. It is probably the helmet design and custom paint work that I am most proud of.

What are your thoughts on the history of helmet liveries, the impact on the sport – recognition, profile building etc.?

Helmet design and liveries help you to identify a driver and some of the best historic designs for me are the designs that are simple, clean and sharp. As design capability continues to develop there is a tendency for some to want to overcomplicate things. You can still have complexity in a clean, crisp design and I do enjoy working on complex helmets however I try my best to work with drivers throughout the design stage to ensure the final product delivers that wow factor with clean, sharp and bold liveries that remain original to that driver.

When clients collaborate on a helmet to accommodate the design, what attributes of a helmet stand out in requirement criteria: ventilation, noise reduction, aerodynamics etc.?

It really depends on what aspect of motorsport the client is involved in. It is important to ascertain early in the collaboration, what’s important for that form of motorsport. For example, with Karting a rear spoiler for aerodynamics or for GT or tin tops they require air ducting into the helmet. Additionally, there may be a need for comms and HANS (head and neck support). As an experienced helmet painter, you get to know the elements that are important for most drivers and their chosen motorsport, so you know how factor these into designs and requests.

Anthony Wolski – Antman Helmet Design (Gold Coast, Australia)

Website: https://www.antmanhelmetdesign.com/home

What has been the most interesting helmet you have designed and why?

It’s impossible to pick one, I think really the helmets that I have added features like fibre optics and a working roulette wheel etc were probably some of the wildest but as long as it’s incredibly challenging, then they are always good memories. Inventing new techniques and solutions is the name of the game to keep things interesting.

What takes place in the consultative design process with a client?

Basically, the client contacts me, we liaise via email, and ask for an “as detailed as possible” design brief se I can provide an accurate quote. Once quote is accepted, we go to design which entails a full graphic design to scale of the new design. Once approved its then transferred over to paint production.

What has been the most interesting helmet you have designed and why?

It’s impossible to pick one, I think really the helmets that I have added features like fibre optics and a working roulette wheel etc were probably some of the wildest but as long as it’s incredibly challenging, then they are always good memories. Inventing new techniques and solutions is the name of the game to keep things interesting.

What takes place in the consultative design process with a client?

Basically, the client contacts me, we liaise via email, and ask for an “as detailed as possible” design brief se I can provide an accurate quote. Once quote is accepted, we go to design which entails a full graphic design to scale of the new design. Once approved its then transferred over to paint production.

Now that you’re a helmet expert, you might like to get a closer look at one for John Kral’s most recent helmet designs for Australian motorsport legend John Bowe. “JB” has a legendary racing career track record – and he’s a great bloke too!

Give someone you love the opportunity to meet a true Aussie champion and receive a memorable hot lap experience they’ll always remember.