© Getty ImagesMax’s Magical Lids In AustriaMax’s special designs for his helmets in Austria have become a successful tradition.
ThisSundayMaxwillbewearingaspecialcrashhelmetdesignedfortheAustrianGrandPrix–OracleRedBullRacing’shomerace.SincehisfirstF1raceinAustriabackin2016,MaxhasmadeahabitofsportingauniquelookfortheRedBullRing.
It’s become a tradition that Max has a special lid for the race, and not only that, but it’s also been a successful stomping ground for the Bull - out of the eight races the World Champion has raced there, he’s walked away with four wins and two further podiums. Here’s how his one-off paint schemes have been successful for the Bull.
Although Max didn’t have a special lid for his first race in Austria, the Team did have a stylish surprise in store. Both his and Daniel Ricciardo’s driver’s suits were designed to look like Austria’s traditional dress, a pair of lederhosen. Max started the race in P9, but was able to battle his way up to finish in P2, thanks in part to Mercedes teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton battling it out for the lead and colliding, causing Rosberg to fall back to P4 and Max to move up.
Max And Daniel Sport A Rather Special Race Suit For The 2016 Austrian GP© Getty Images
Back in 2018 Spielberg saw Max racing in a mainly blue helmet, but with the top painted a bright yellow and his lion outline painted black. The yellow was in honour of Jumbo, the company who has sponsored Max since he was karting. It was a strong choice of colours and proved to work out well for Max.
Starting on the third row of the grid Max had a lot of work to do, but the Bull was on the charge and when the team decided to pit Max under the safety car it proved a masterstroke as the other leading teams didn’t. Later in the race the other front runners either had to pit or had to retire from the race ensuring Max brought home the win – the first for Oracle Red Bull Racing at their home Grand Prix.
2018 - The Start Of Max's Austrian Helmet Tradition© Getty Images
2019–ShineWhiteLikeADiamond
2019 saw Max’s lid with the, now standard, white as the main colour and the lion once again in yellow and black (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it).
The race didn’t start well for Max, as he encountered an issue with his anti-stall system and dropped from third on the grid to P8. Max was, however, able to get to the front of the pack as others pitted around him. When he entered the pits, he re-joined the race in P4. He then began to chase the leaders down and with the laps counting down Max was able to take the lead from Charles Leclerc and claim his second win in Austria and the first for a Honda-powered car since 2006.
2019 - The Same But Different, Max Sticks To A Colour Scheme That Works© Getty Images
2020 saw two races at the Red Bull Ring, in a compacted season Austria was to host the first two races of the season, the Austrian Grand Prix, followed by the Styrian Grand Prix. Max’s lid had flashes of blue through it along with his now mainly white lid and an orange and yellow lion emblazoned on the top. Unfortunately, the season opener didn’t go well for Max as he had to retire on lap 11 due to electrical issues. A week later for the Styrian Grand Prix, Max bounced back and was able to claim his fourth podium in Austria, a P3 behind the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
2020 - Another Unique Rendition Of Max's Iconic Lion© Getty Images
In Max’s championship-winning year he raced at the Styrian Grand Prix in a lid that was again predominantly white, but still featuring that famous Jumbo yellow. It seems to be a successful colour choice because Max not only won the Styrian Grand Prix, but the Austrian Grand Prix as well. Which made it win numbers three and four and the most successful driver at the Red Bull Ring. With that in mind, Max said to track owner Dietrich Mateschitz: “If I win there for a fifth time you should rename it the Verstappen Ring!”
2021 - Onto The Next...© Getty Images
Now we don’t know yet, how successful his 2022 Austrian Grand Prix race will be, but we do know his 2022 lid will wow the crowds. And why wouldn’t it? The Orange Army is always in full swing at the Red Bull Ring and Max could become the most successful driver in F1 history at the Austrian Grand Prix. So, his lid is something special. Max said about his Schuberth helmet: “As you can see, I have used quite traditional colours: yellow and blue. There is also some chrome involved. The blue padding on the inside is a nice touch. My Austria helmet is looking really nice and fresh and I am definitely looking forward to wear it.”
2022 - The Latest Of Max's Special Lids In Honour Of The Austrian GP© Getty Images
