In season helmet design changes to be banned....

[ukaskew]

You would hope there would be some scope to change if drivers want to pay their respects or commemorate something? Particularly when said helmet gets auctioned for charity after. I believe Jenson has done this before and probably others.

[stew-S160]

Read this on Racer.com and thought...WHY? Why the fk are they bothering with this when there are so many other obvious issues with this sport?

[mybrainhurts]

I hear they're all going to have to wear the same brand of underpants, too.

They're called Bernieclouts, never heard of them.

[007 VXR]

mybrainhurts said:

I hear they're all going to have to wear the same brand of underpants, too.

They're called Bernieclouts, never heard of them.

Slim fit, So not much room for movement

[KaraK]

To be honest I was never a fan of the constant changing of helmet designs although like many I found the one-off designs interesting and there was usually an interesting story behind them that added a certain something. Vettel changed his so often that it ceased to have any meaning really but if that's his "thing" then all power to him I say so really a rule like this feels pretty unnecessary IMHO. Why not just have a word with the drivers and ask them to keep it sensible?

[carinaman]

brierleys said:

Reminds me of a place I used to work at which was in quite a bad state of disorganisation but management spent a considerable amount of time insisting we all wore ties and suits to work.

Sounds like my work place. A Manager doesn't like something, a personal peeve so they issue an edict to drastically alter the way of working and do some case study with frigged results to show it's better.

A place I previously worked at an up and coming sales hotshot that lost out in the competition to be the new MD after a coup bemoaned the fact that he wasn't allowed a two door sporty car as a company car.

Then a few years later when someone progresses to field sales, and opts out of the company car scheme to run their own choice of car on expenses the hotshot that lost out in the competition to be the new MD gets their underwear in a twist as the chap that's just been promoted into field sales is using an SLK to visit customers.


F1 makes itself more pants than it already is shocker.

Edited by carinaman on Thursday 19th February 02:10

[IforB]

The old phrase "fiddling whilst Rome burns" comes to mind here. The FIA have just proven that they are so out of touch as to be irrelevant, if that's all they can do to "imprive the show for fans."

[oyster]

I hope none of you are senior managers at work?

You know it is possible to be tweaking minor things while major things are going on too? It's what we all do on a daily basis.




At least such a rule might stop the incessant discussion by commentators over what flashing lights Seb has on top of his helmet in such and such night race.

[Likes Fast Cars]

Just another load of unnecessary BS from the FIA and Bernie. Absolutely stupid.

[DS240]

If some drivers want to keep to a design and let it become a trademark then let them, but if some want to change it then just let them. I don't really see how it affects a fan, casual or serious in terms of viewing that much. I also never once thought throughout the years of watching F1 'oh i wish a driver would keep the same car number.. as that would improve things'.

Vettel changing his designs always seems to create a story for the media and has almost become his trademark. It doesn't hurt Rossi doing it in MotoGp, but his No.46 is a successful 'trademark'.

Wonder if there is a rule preventing drivers all having similar colours? In protest they all submit a plain white helmet, except for their different sponsor logos.

[stephen300o]

just a little rule, don't get so upset.

[angrymoby]

stephen300o said:

just a little rule, don't get so upset.

people aren't bothered by the rule (as you rightly point out, it's only a little rule) ...but by the fact they even bothered discussing 'a little rule' in the first place

[mw88]

stephen300o said:

just a little rule, don't get so upset.

It's not so much the rule itself, it's the fact that there's a long list of other issues which will make a difference, yet either they aren't being discussed or the teams can't agree a solution for.

I understand keeping the same helmet, and the same car number helps marketability (Not sure if that's even a word) by keeping things consistant, but there's 2-3 other teams who are reported to be close to folding - A healthy grid/formula should be far more important than what helmet the driver wears.

[CoolHands]

its out of order. Its about the one thing visually a driver has control of - everything else is marketing bks. Now the've taken that freedom away.

[skinny]

What a ridiculous rule. A driver should be able to have what he likes - if he is less identifiable that's his problem.

Personally I find trying to determine whether the t-Bar is red or yellow and remembering who's who is virtually impossible. A better rule, especially now drivers have their own number, would be 18" roundels on each side and the top of the cars. Might help disguise the fact there are bugger all sponsors on half the cars too...

[Evangelion]

A rule to increase the visibility of the numbers would be much more sensible. Perhaps one driver in each team should have a black number on a white disc, and the other vice versa. And they should be a decent size and style, not the ridiculous little things we have now which get lost in all the logos and lettering anyway.

[stephen300o]

CoolHands said:

its out of order. Its about the one thing visually a driver has control of - everything else is marketing bks. Now the've taken that freedom away.

They still design their helmet, just banning all the confusing changes, a little Vettel caveat sort of thing, as he was getting ridiculous.
He said in an interview this year he was keeping the same hat this year, no doubt heard about the rule before he did the interview.

[Teppic]

Evangelion said:

A rule to increase the visibility of the numbers would be much more sensible. Perhaps one driver in each team should have a black number on a white disc, and the other vice versa. And they should be a decent size and style, not the ridiculous little things we have now which get lost in all the logos and lettering anyway.

The ban on helmet livery changes was a compromise arrangement.

Bernie and Jean Todt wanted larger race numbers, maybe displayed on a fin on the airbox along with the driver's name and national flag, but the teams rejected this saying they wanted the space for sponsors logos. The solution was to ban the helmet changes so that the drivers could be more recognisable to the fans in the grandstands and on TV.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns30001.html

[JonRB]

Drivers also have to decide on just one style of facial hair for the entire season as well.

http://sniffpetrol.com/2015/02/20/f1-freeze-on-fac...

[cupofbeans]

brierleys said:

Reminds me of a place I used to work at which was in quite a bad state of disorganisation but management spent a considerable amount of time insisting we all wore ties and suits to work.

Similar to a friend of mine who works for a certain courier company who sponsor Ferrari. The place is disorganised, targets are consistently being missed and many employees are off with stress, but as long as they have shiny boots and no facial hair, it doesnt matter!