Formula 1: Daniil Kvyat blasts absurd helmet design rule

Daniil Kvyat has blasted an FIA rule not allowing him to wear a helmet with a special design for his home Formula 1 race this weekend, the Russian Grand Prix.

Daniil Kvyat returned to Formula 1 driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso this season after he was axed by the team before the 2017 season ended, and he is set to compete in his home Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom this Sunday, September 29.

The 25-year-old Russian last competed in the Russian Grand Prix when it was held in April of 2017. In fact, it was during last year’s Russian Grand Prix race weekend when Toro Rosso confirmed his second chance opportunity within the organization for this year.

But ahead of this year’s running of the 53-lap race around the 18-turn, 3.634-mile (5.848-kilometer) Sochi Autodrom road course in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, Kvyat was restricted from commemorating his return to his home race with a special helmet design.

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Kvyat wanted to run a special white, blue and red color scheme on his helmet for this race to represent the Russian flag.

According to Article 9.1 of F1’s Sporting Regulations, “In order for drivers to be easily distinguished from one another whilst they are on the track, the crash helmet of each driver must, with the exception of one Event of the driver’s choice, be presented in substantially the same livery at every Event during a Championship season. A change to helmet livery will also be permitted if a driver changes team during a Championship season.”

Kvyat already used up his one “exception” for the 2019 season, as he raced with a different design on his helmet in the Italian Grand Prix at Autodromo Nazionale Monza just three weeks ago. In this race, his helmet was more red than it was blue, and he usually races with a predominantly blue helmet.

Drivers have gotten around this rule before, most notably Max Verstappen, who regularly changes the colors of his helmet but with the same overall design, and Sebastian Vettel, who has run multiple designs with multiple different colors this year.

But according to Motorsport, Kvyat was told that the change to his helmet for the Russian Grand Prix was “too much” after submitting his plans to wear this helmet to race director Michael Masi.

Kvyat was none too pleased.

"“It is a good helmet. Hope you saw it. I don’t know…I put it there in the garage, just to show it to everyone. It is a joke – but anyway, the rule is a rule. We just worked with my designer [Jens Munser], [on] something unusual. Russian flag theme, I guess. Just something a bit different, but simple at the same time, so yeah. Very happy with design.”"

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Daniil Kvyat has already stated that he may choose to wear this helmet for his home Formula 1 Grand Prix anyway. The Russian Grand Prix is scheduled to take place tomorrow, and it is set to be broadcast live from Sochi Autodrom beginning at 7:05 a.m. ET on ESPN2.

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