Bone dome kerfuffle

Mezzer

A fine chap if ever there was one.
Contributor
And so, in the way that it seems only the FIA can do properly, a fine muck-up has been made with regard to driver's helmets for 2015. As we're all aware in recent-ish years drivers have taken it upon themselves to play around with the designs on their helmets for various reasons and the public, largely it would seem, couldn't give a monkey's. However, in a show of bravado and clear forethought, plus possibly a couple of triples, the FIA have decided to update Article 21.1 to state “In order for drivers to be easily distinguished from one another whilst they are on the track, the crash helmet of each driver must be presented in substantially the same livery at every Event during a Championship season”. As is the FIA's wont, they don't (and probably can't) define exactly what "substantially" means but what the hell. I'm left wondering whether they've been feeling left out recently at the relative freezing of specs and have been looking for something to remind of their outstanding prowess at regulation writing. I doff my hat to you, FIA, you have indeed reminded me of what is important in F1, as well as reiterating the clarity of your regulation writing. Bravo!! More triples all round!! :cheers::goodday::rolleyes:
 
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You can almost bet your weeks wages that this regulation, which let's be honest came completely out of the blue, has nothing to do with fan recognition of drivers. We are supposed to have bright yellow and red strips on cars to do that for us.

Normally, the only reason a regulation like this would have come out is due to some sort of financial reason.
 
Vettel has already said that he intends to violate the edict. That should prove interesting.

C_A_T: I agree with your reasoning. I just wonder what the financial motivation is.
 
Yeah, I'm not sure either. It's so "out of the blue". You know you only get rules like this when someone has had a word in Bernie's ear.

It's like the yellow card that football players get in the English leagues for removing their shirts if they score a goal. This was brought in for no good reason until you think about what happens when a player scores. The camera zooms in on the player who scored displaying the sponsors name for all to see. That's no good if the player takes his shirt off and waves it around his head at the time. So, the referee now cautions the player.
 
I'd love it if one of the drivers paints his purple, and then has to have it for a whole season, fnarrfnarrfnarr

purple.jpg
 
I've always considered it an affectation and highly annoying.
Vettel is the worst for it.

Glad to see it's being clamped down on, if not being stopped altogether.
 
"Affectation", First time I've had to look a word since "invective" which was some time ago now.

:D
 
considering the lid costs around 20 grand and a driver will have two of them available for each race to change them for all 20 races adds up to a shit load of wasted money for no good reason....
 
Does F1 have the rights to market replicas of the drivers helmets? If so, I can understand why they wouldn't like them being changed every race!
 
An affectation yes, annoying ... not sure I can be bothered to burn the energy it would take to call it annoying. Frankly I think the edict is beneath the FIA, but what do I know. The reality is that they're going to need to have a number of bail-out clauses built in in case a helmet is damaged and no other of "substantially similar" appearance is available etc. I can see it now, Helmetgate!!!!! Already a farce and the season's not started yet ...
 
Ok. So if Vettel decides to purposely break the rule, what will be the outcome? Banned from the race? 10-spot grid penalty? 25k Euro/Dollar fine?
 
I don't see why this is a big deal, or why this rule was even put in place. Let the drivers do what they want. If they (and their teams, presumably) want to shell (no pun intended) out the money for new helmet designs every race, then let them do it. I don't see why the FIA/Bernie/whoever the hell is in charge at this point is stepping in to enhance their brand image and recognition, it seems like that should be a lot more important to the drivers than it is to those in charge, and not having that brand continuity doesn't seem to affect the drivers too much.
 
Just on the helmet debate, there was something on Sky about Red Bull taking off the little wings on their drivers helmets to improve air flow into the engine. Unfortunately this meant that the driver feels like he is being strangled as the helmet lifts at high speeds. Have McLaren done the same? Could this explain the Alonso incident?
 
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