New helmet designs for Alonso and Schumi
17 January, 2010
Fernando Alonso wearing his new helmet, based on his helmet used early on in his career, at Madonna di Campiglio
Jan.16 (GMM) Fernando Alonso has tweaked the design of his helmet livery for his 2010 switch to Ferrari. Last season, which was the Spaniard’s last with the Renault team, the 28-year-old fielded a mainly yellow design, including a red top and flashes and the traditional light blue of his home region Asturias.
Michael Schumacher with his red helmet. It will change for 2010.
But the helmet design worn by Alonso at this week’s Madonna di Campiglio winter media event is slightly different, even though it retains the familiar ‘arrows’ on the top.
Worn when he was slalom ski-racing, and go-karting, with his teammates Felipe Massa and Giancarlo Fisichella in the Italian Dolomites, the new helmet has a light blue top.
The yellow and red of the Spanish flag remains, and in fact the helmet is a near reversion to his title-winning design of 2006.
In 2007, Alonso fielded an entirely different black, red and silver livery for his ill-fated McLaren outing in 2007.
Michael Schumacher will race a new helmet livery to coincide with his return to formula one in 2010 with Mercedes GP.
The seven time world champion began his GP2 test at Jerez on Tuesday wearing his customary bright red livery, which had become synonymous with his successful career at Ferrari.
Some observers had expressed surprise that, although the Jerez-spec helmet featured a three-pointed star at the front, Schumacher did not elect to unveil a new colour-scheme for his Mercedes career.
But Bild reports that the helmet manufacturer Schuberth is currently building Schumacher’s 2010-spec prototypes, and “in the meantime Schumi uses the model of 2009″.
“The paint scheme is also (going) to change,” the German newspaper added.
Prior to Schumacher’s debut of the all-red colour scheme in 2000, at Benetton he won his first two world championships with a predominantly white and blue helmet design.
Related posts:
- Alonso: “Ferrari will 100% be my last team”
- Schumi’s neck is fine, new helmet for 2010
- Ferrari boss on Schumi, Alonso and 2010
- The tale of Sebastian Vettel’s helmet designs
- Jenson Button unveils bright yellow helmet
