Formula 1 returns to Austin, Texas this weekend for the United States Grand Prix. The race was one that was scratched off the 2020 calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic and the drivers are ready to be back in action. There's lots of energy surrounding the only race in the United States and plenty of cowboy hats. But several of the drivers will be bringing the swag to the track with a different type of headgear in the form of special helmet designs for the race.
Take a look at some of the special helmet designs for the United States Grand Prix below:
Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri Bottas' helmet design is a tribute to the city of Austin as the live music capital of the world and an homage to the Historic 6th Street that features bold graphics in red, blue and orange. It's designed by the Mercedes driver's girlfriend, Olympic cyclist Tiffany Cromwell.
Lando Norris
Lando Norris pays tribute to the United States with a helmet design that incorporates the Star-Spangled Banner. A shiny blue top with white stars is accompanied with a red and white striped base that has a vintage feel to it. Perfect for the young driver with an old soul. The helmet is based on the one Peter Fonda wore as Wyatt in the 1969 film "Easy Rider." German-based company Jens Munser Designs is responsible for painting the McLaren tribute, which was designed by MDM Designs and you are about to see a handful more of both of their creations.
Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo always fully embraces the culture of Texas and has even gotten his accent down pretty good. The Honey Badger's United States Grand Prix helmet design is a tribute to his favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt Sr. This one is another Jens Munser Designs piece and features a black base with the number 3 in the same format as the NASCAR driver's iconic branding. Ricciardo is set to drive the seven-time champion's blue and yellow Wrangler car during the United States Grand Prix weekend as a gift from McLaren CEO Zak Brown for winning Monza, his first race with the team. His thoughts of the prospect of driving his hero's car: "That will certainly be a 'pinch me' moment."
Mick Schumacher
Mick Schumacher continues to follow in his father's footsteps with some swagger of his own. The Haas driver — and son of Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher — also received a Jens Munser Designs helmet for the United States Grand Prix. His features a rustic design with the Texas flag and his number 47 on an Insterstate sign. The paint actually feels like it's peeling off.
Nikita Mazepin
Nikita Mazepin also paid tribute to the Lone Star State with a rich red color featuring a snakeskin design. The Haas logo has horns on the front and a cowboy hat on the side and there's a horseshoe on the top for good luck. This design is crafted by MDM Designs yet again.
George Russell
George Russell continues the Texas theme with a Western-inspired helmet design. It has a cozy burnt orange color to look like wood with a stark chrome sheriff's badge on top and the Williams' driver's number inside. So everyone knows who runs the town. This one is also done by MDM Designs.
Charles LeClerc
While Austin isn't the flashiest city on the Formula 1 schedule, Charles LeClerc reminds everyone that this is the elite racing sport with his United States Grand Prix helmet. The Ferrari driver chose a design that pays tribute to 20 years of Richard Mille. The black and white design features the gears inside a watch and some red striping to add a lil flair. LeClerc just celebrated his 24th birthday and has been sponsored by the luxury watch company for 10 years. That's a pretty nice deal for a 14-year-old.
Yuki Tsunoda
Yuki Tsunoda pays tribute to his home country of Japan with his United States Grand Prix helmet. The Alpha Tauri rookie says that the leafy design was intended for the Japanese Grand Prix, which would have been two weeks ago had it not been canceled due to ongoing coronavirus precautions. But that's ok. "[The] #usgp is as cool as any place to use it!" Tsunoda wrote on Instagram, crediting Takuma Onishi for the colorful artowork.
Lance Stroll
Lance Stroll's helmet design was chosen by Aston Martin fans. While they had the option to go with the trend of a Texas Wild West-inspired helmet, they threw a bit of a curveball and gave their young driver a space-themed design by Mark Antar Design. The dark blue shell has a Canadian leaf on top honoring Stroll's home country and features the planets around it in the very same celestial positioning that they will be on the day of the race. Pretty cool stuff.
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso has been making fashion statements with his Kimoa brand and even opened his first store in Miami this week. His statement for the United States Grand Prix has meaning to it as his helmet design expresses solidarity with the victims of the La Palma volcano eruption, which first exploded on September 19th and forced more than 6,000 people to be evacuated. The design, which raises awareness for the Spanish Red Cross, features a blue and yellow backdrop for a volcano exploding with the lava forming a heart.
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