FIA allows unrestricted variations to driver helmet designs

Published on 07 March 2020 by Kees-Jan Koster

The FIA responded to the criticism of drivers to the rule which restricts helmet design changes. The World Motor Sport Council announced that a regulation change was approved, allowing for unrestricted variations to driver helmet designs during a season.

The FIA believed previously that a fixed helmet design would contribute to the recognisability of a driver. Therefor in advance of the 2015 Formula 1 season it was forbidden to change the driver helmet design. In the 2016 season this rule was relaxed by allowing drivers to use a different helmet once a year.

Many drivers, including Max Verstappen, got away with using multiple special helmet designs by changing only the colour. This caused ambiguity, with the result that Daniil Kvyat was not allowed to use his special helmet for the Russian Grand Prix because he already had used a different helmet design in Italy.

Coming season, Max Verstappen will use a different helmet design for the first time during the Zandvoort Grand Prix.