Valtteri Bottas to use Mika Hakkinen helmet for Monaco Grand Prix
Valtteri Bottas will compete in this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix with a crash helmet bearing Mika Hakkinen's old Formula 1 design
F1 drivers often adopt special helmet designs for Monaco and ahead of Thursday's opening practice session Bottas unveiled his own inspired by his double champion compatriot.
It bears Hakkinen's classic stripes down the side in three shades of blue, atop a white base.
Hakkinen won in Monco for the only time 20 years ago, and Bottas said he wanted to honour to that success and the Finn's first world championship the same year.
"He won here 20 years ago exactly and that year he won the title," said Bottas, who works with Hakkinen's former manager Didier Coton.
"So, I wanted to pay a tribute.
"I respect him as a driver, as a guy, and I always loved the paint as well."
Stoffel Vandoorne and Brendon Hartley have already revealed special crash helmets for this weekend's race that feature a Monaco theme, while Charles Leclerc has opted for a design based on his late father Herve's that also carries a memorial to family friend Jules Bianchi.
Share Or Save This Story
The driver who can wreck F1's "super exciting" 2020 silly season
Red Bull's Verstappen now has basis for first F1 title challenge
Ferrari: Mick Schumacher a good candidate for seat in Formula 1
How McLaren picked up each of its record 12 Brazil F1 wins
What history tells us about Verstappen’s F1 title race turnaround
Why criticism of Monaco is often wide of the mark
Title-winning BTCC Peugeot and Harvey in an MG among Touring Car Rewind: North highlights
MotoGP Barcelona test: Acosta fastest as rain curtails running early
Why this year's Indy 500 isn't as straightforward to call as you might expect
Will Mercedes or McLaren land the next punch at F1's Canadian GP?
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments