Though it’s nearly impossible to imagine this today, crash helmets weren’t required in Formula One before 1953. Prior to that, most drivers wore a fleece-lined leather cap that offered little protection from debris and zero protection from impact. It took an incident with Formula One star Rudolf Caracciola to open the eyes of F1 drivers on the dangers of driving sans helmet.
In 1946, Caracciola was invited to drive in the Indy 500. Stewards wouldn’t let the German driver on the track without a helmet, so his sponsor scrounged up a surplus tankers helmet. While practicing for the race, Caracciola took a bird strike to the head, which left the driver unconscious and in a coma for several days. While his injuries were severe, they most likely would have been fatal without the helmet.
From 1953 through 1969, drivers generally wore open-face helmets. In 1970, Lotus driver Jochen Rindt took a stone to the face at the French Grand Prix, and soon after began wearing a full-face helmet. The concept soon won acceptance from other drivers, who quickly realized the safety benefits of a full-coverage helmet.
Today, helmets protect from both impact and fire, per FIA regulations, and are designed to prevent buffeting at high speeds. Built primarily of carbon fiber, the helmets are generally changed out three or four times per season in the interests of safety, since even the slightest damage can compromise the overall strength of the helmet.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
