Niki Lauda Helmets

    Helmets have always been a key element since the 1960s when it comes to distinguishing single-seater racing drivers from afar even as they were driving at breakneck speeds. 

 When the sponsors arrived in competition and began to decorate the drivers' suits and helmets, this made it possible to situate from a historical point of view the year of use of the helmet without altering the identity of the latter. Thus F1 fans can more or less say from what year a helmet worn by Niki Lauda or Nigel Mansell dates when the latters only changed their design on details.

Niki Lauda

 

 Graffiti painting by DRAutoArt

 Available here on GPBox

 Helmets from the time and up to the beginning of the 21st century remained easily recognizable while improving the quality of designs which became less simplistic. But during the last 10 or 15 years, we have seen an overbid in terms of decoration that modern means allow now as well as an abundance of creativity. The concern is that it is difficult now for a spectator to identify drivers from a distance behind the wheel of their cars just based on the design of their helmet. Not only have the designs become so baroque and loaded, but it seems that some drivers have discovered artistic vocations. To make things worst, the halo does not help matters. 

 Hence perhaps the decision of the FIA ​​to award lifetime numbers to Formula 1 drivers, with an identifiable and artistic visual aspect inspired by an old NASCAR tradition.

 The shapes and models of the helmets also contributed to a certain easily recognizable visual identity. Who doesn't remember Elio de Angelis 'awesome "Star Wars" Simpson that fitted in perfectly with his early' 80s metallic white ESSEX overalls? Or Niki Lauda's AGV he wore during his Nürburgring accident in 1976, with its characteristic shape reminiscent of medieval knight's helmets. 

 Talking about the latter, I still can't understand why they didn't reproduce that impressive AGV helmet for the RUSH movie... It's one of the few criticisms I could address to this film. 

 

It's incomprehensible especially when you know that for quite some time now, some helmet manufacturers, craftsmen or simple specialized designers, have started to create more or less faithful replicas of the former F1 drivers helmets like those presented below in this post. 

Creating a Ferrari 312T replica or a perfect continuation of the Tyrrell P34 for the movie purpose, but not being able to make a helmet copy... an unforgivable and disappointing oversight... Especially for a so iconic and unique helmet that marked a key event in Lauda history. Replicas of this specific helmet are available for sale online anyway.

 Visual artists have also produced superb works of art focused on this vital accessory. The one that personally impressed me the most is Tamara Ivancova, (a very talented artist and engineering student that had already worked with Alfa Tauri F1 team) who had created a stunning Quilling portrait of Niki Lauda.

Look at this amazing piece of art. It's not a painting, not digital art...

...it's Quilling artwork !

Quilling is essentially "painting" with paper, it involves thousands of thin paper strips bonded to a backpiece along their edge to build up the artwork. 

 Look closely!

A more detailed picture makes you realise the quality of the artwork and how hard it must have been to create...

 

 

For more details, just check out this page at The GPBox store

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 Niki Lauda 1976 Replica Helmet / Ferrari F1

 

by GPHelmet

Available here on GPBox

Niki Lauda 1976 Replica Helmet / Ferrari F1

 

by GPHelmet

Available here on GPBox

 

Niki Lauda 1977 Replica Helmet / Ferrari F1

 

by GPHelmet

Available here on GPBox

 Ferrari 312 T2 – 1976 – Niki Lauda

 

by Kloobik Digital Art Store

 

 Available here on GPBox

Niki Lauda 

 

 by Sean Wales Art

 

 Available here on GPBox

Ferrari 312T

 

 Without doubt, the Ferrari 312T is on of the the greatest successes in Mauro Forghieri's long career as a racing engineer at Ferrari. 

Most of the time, when talking about the 312T chassis, people think 1st about the 1975 car, the 1st version that won the drivers and constructors championship, but the 2 following evolutions, the 312T2 and 312T2B of the following years are actually the same car with minor modifications.

If you are wondering what 312T means, it stands for: 3 for 3 liters ; 12 for the flat 12-cylinder ; T for transversal gearbox.

This architecture allowed better weight distribution and therefore better behavior on the track and performance. Niki Lauda's fine-tuning skills combined with Forghieri's magic hit the mark, resulting in three world constructors championships, two world drivers titles for Lauda, 17 wins, 16 pole positions, 40 podiums and 18 fastest laps in 47 Grand Prix starts.

Original Painting of 312T Ferrari 1975

  by AdrielArizon

Available here on GPBox

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FERRARI 312T

 

Graffiti Style Print by SmartArt Digital Prints

Available here on GPBox

Gordon Murray's Brabham F1 Cars

   When the South African engineer Gordon Murray arrived at Brabham, the team had the reputation of being a rather conservative constructor. But when Bernie Ecclestone bought out the team and placed Gordon Murray as chief engineer, the young South African had more freedom to shake up habits and displayed creativity and elegance in style, while showing his ability to exploit the loopholes in the regulations. 

 His early Brabhams were distinguished by an elegant and almost futuristic design and, coincidentally, were always well dressed by beautiful liveries.

Brabham BT45

Giclee print by Kieran Roberts Art

Available here on GPBox

The most beautiful Murray's Brabham of this period was undoubtedly the BT44.

Brabham BT45 | John Watson

by printlane

Available here on GPBox

But his most spectacular creation was the surprising Brabham BT46B fancar from 1978 which exploited a clever ground-effect vacuum system inspired by Jim Hall's Chaparral CANAM prototype but in a more clever way. This weapon would have been formidable against the unbeatable Lotus 78, but the competitors did everything to ensure that it was banned, which was done just after its 1st race which was also its first and only victory. 

Murray's efforts were finally crowned with success three years later, in 1981, with the BT49. He developed a hydropneumatic suspension system that sticked the Brabham to the ground right when it left the boxes, and allowing the car to regain its legal ground clearance when stationary. This device bordering on legality took advantage of a regulation that was poorly written and subject to interpretation. Respecting the letter of the latter but not the intention of the legislator, it was subsequently copied by the rest of the competitors. 

 When the controversial ground effect was banned at the dawn of the 1983 season, Gordon Murray was the fastest to release a new chassis perfectly suited to the new rules and performing. The new Brabham BT52 with its sweeping shape which was to become the main 1983 trend won on its first outing in Rio, still with Nelson Piquet at the wheel. Despite only 3 victories during the season, the latter won the title again with his superb arrow shaped F1 even though the constructor title went to Ferrari.

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 In 1986, Murray again surprised the F1 world with his BT55. Its objective was to obtain a very low chassis to reduce drag and allow maximum air circulation to the rear wing in order to tame the overpowered BMW 4-cylinder turbo which was extremely wearing out the rear tires. To achieve this, Murray had the radical idea of ​​tilting the engine to 72° lowering by the way its center of gravity. Visually, the result was of rare elegance. To achive the maximum air circulation toward the rear wing, the position of the driver was also lowered. Patrese and De Angelis position was more lying down than usual as in the good old days of the 60s with the shoulders protruding from the cockpit giving the new chassis a unique aspect compared to the F1 of its time. 

The car was admittedly very fast in straights, but suffered from insoluble reliability problems, largely due to difficulties in adapting the BMW engine which suffered from lubrication problems and gearbox issues. Alas, this car is also the only creation of Gordon Murray at the wheel of which a driver was killed. It was the excellent Italian driver Elio De Angelis. This failure eventually prompted the South African engineer to leave Brabham for McLaren where his improved ideas about the BT55 were less radical and more successful on the McLaren MP 4/4.

 BRABHAM BT49 1981 – FORD COSWORTH V8 ENGINE NELSON PIQUET

 by Atr-Lab

 Available here on GPBox

Racing is Life Style - Motorsport Art Chairs Collection

 Here's a series of Round Art Chair made by "Racing-Emotion". Inspired by legendary motorsport liveries designs.

 

N° 20 Gulf Porsche 917 design

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1971 N° 22 Martini Porsche 917 design

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 Gulf Oil Racing design

 

N° 12 Senna's Marlboro McLaren-Honda design

N° 12 Senna's JPS Lotus-Renault design

Rothmans Racing design

 

N° 21 Martini Porsche 917 LH design

N°8 Jim Clark's LOTUS 25H design

Walter Wolf Racing Team

   One of the most elegant car liveries in all Formula 1 History, after the Lotus's black and gold John Player Special, is undoubtedly the beautiful combination of dark blue, red and gold of the Walter Wolf cars.

Wolf racing team is also famous for being one of the rarest to have won its 1st Grand Prix since its first appearence, with its only driver, Jody Scheckter. That was at the 1977 argentinian Grand Prix at Buenos Aires.

 

Initially, Walter Wolf, the owner, was the main Williams team sponsor during the previous season. Its coulours were covering a Hesketh chassis, and the package was under Frank Williams management. 

 At the end of that 1976 season, Wolf bought the whole team from Frank Williams, and raced the following seasons under the Wolf name while williams went to build a new team that became later one of the most successful in Formula 1 History.

 

 

 

During the rest of the 1977 season, Jody scheckter went on to win two more Grand Prix at Monaco and Canada. But that was everything. This fantastic 1st year of racing wasn't about to repeat itself the following years. Their only driver left them for Ferrari in 1979 to win the world drivers championship, while Wolf recruited the 1976 world champion, James Hunt. The latter was no more the fighter he used to be only a couple of years before. He stopped his career in the middle of the season, and was replaced by Keke Rosberg.

At the end of 1979, Walter Wolf left Formula 1 by selling the remains of his team to Copersucar, the Fittipaldi family's F1 team.

 

The team had also an experience in 1977 in CANAM racing with its Wolf Dallara WD1 raced by Chris Amon and Gilles Villeneuve.

 

- WOLF WR1 - TAMIYA 1/12:

Racing is Life... Style - Decoration ideas for Petrolheads - Ball Chairs

 

I couldn't help but share with you these splendid works of functional art.

It's called "Racing - Emotion", and it's a typical 60s/70s style Bubble chairs!

 

Porsche 917 LM20 GULF Custom Made Art Ball Chair 

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Martini Racing Bubble Chair 

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Shelby Cobra Ball Chair

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Alitalia Stratos Ball Chair 

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BASF BMW M1 Ball Chair

 

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1970 Le Mans Winner, N°23 Porsche 917K Bubble Chair

 

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 Niki Lauda's Ferrari 312T2 Bubble Chair

 

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  Maserati Birdcage Bubble Chair

 

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Extreme Wing-cars

   Lotus 80, Brabham BT48, Arrows A2. Three examples of Formula 1 chassis which perfectly illustrated the aphorism: "Perfect is the enemy of good".

  After the crushing domination of the Lotus 79 during the F1 1978 season, thanks to their concept of "wing-cars", Colin Chapman, the brilliant Lotus engineer who was at the origin of the introuction of ground effect in Grand Prix, as well as his rival from Brabham, the ingenious Gordon Murray and finally the Arrows engineers, Dave Wass & Tony Southgate, decided to push the ground effect principle applied to F1 a little further by trying to create cars which almost literally illustrated the concept of "Wing-car". F1 cars that would be practically wings on wheels.

In the case of Brabham, Godon Murray understood very quickly that this would be a dead end, and redesigned slightly the BT48 chassis making it more "conservative".

 

 

The Arrows A2 was entered first time in France at Dijon. Its design was spectacular, some called it the missile due to its shape, and its golden Warsteiner livery made it even more attractive. But on track the car was a huge disappointement for the team and drivers Riccardo Patrese & Jochen Mass. 

 In the case of Lotus, the debut of the 80 chassis was made in Jarama, starting the European campaign. Despite a podium for its first appearence, that design turned out to be a bad idea for Chapman. The car faced some handling and aero problems due to the peculiarity of its curved skirts which were too flexible, slid badly and got stuck making driving uncertain and dangerous. Even Carlos Reutemann refused to drive it. Only Mario Andretti agreed to do it. It was a failure despite the good will and professional approach of the latter. The Lotus 80 ended up being retired from racing after the French Grand Prix. In fact, no one knew at the time that this would be the start of the Lotus team's downfall. 

 

 The radical design of these three F1s was characterized in common by the reduction of the height of the rear wing, its lowering to the point of almost touching the bodywork above the gear box, and the absence of the front wings. The lotus, for its part, had skirts that extended from the nose and up to the rear end, and the shape of the sidepodes arched in front of the rear wheels in the shape of a Coca-cola bottle (another Colin Chapman invention which was to be copied much later after the ban of wing-cars).

Thankfully,  we still can see this car running druring F1 historic races around the world.

LOTUS 80 . FORMULA 1 digital file

 

by Ilya Avakov

 

 Available here on GPBox

 

- Miniature diecast, scale models, slot cars:

 

And that's how the Lotus 80 would have looked like if Lotus team didn't change his sponsor...