Formula One loves Austin, Texas. That was the case long before the Drive to Survive phenomenon made the U.S. Grand Prix one of the most well-attended events in the sport’s history. Last year, the Circuit of the Americas welcomed 400,000 spectators through the gates over the three-day race weekend, and this year that number is expected to rise to 440,000 (Watch the U.S. GP on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET; stream live on ABC).
A trip to the Texas capital is circled on the calendars of so many throughout the paddock. Not only is Austin home to some of the best crowds of the season, it boasts a cuisine and certain culture that resonates with the drivers, engineers and most everyone who make up this traveling circus.
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Ask any driver on the grid, and COTA will inevitably land high up the order of their favorite races, but you don’t need to take their word for it. Look back at the history of this race, and every year you’ll find drivers celebrating their stay in the Live Music (and BBQ) Capital of the World.
This year is no different. Drivers up and down the grid have been revealing fresh helmet designs for the U.S. GP all week, almost all of which with a local flavor that’s unmistakably Austin. So let’s round up each and every striking new lid at COTA in 2022.
It doesn’t matter if you grew up in the plains of Texas or the banks of the Seine, what little kid doesn’t grow up dreaming of being a cowboy? The gold Lone Star State badge set against the patinaed white base lends Gasly a look that carries plenty of early-seasons “Westworld” vibes.
The 26-year-old French driver is hardly the first tourist to visit Austin and play up the aesthetic, but that doesn’t mean his artists at BS Designs haven’t pulled off a strong motif that will resonate with the locals.
There is a long, long history of racers coming to the U.S. decked out in red, white and blue, recreating the looks of Captain America and Evel Knievel, but this offering from our newly minted two-time world champion is something different. The idea behind it is fresh, new and fun.
The shapes and designs are the same as Verstappen features at practically every race he contests, but what Jens Munser Designs have done to celebrate Austin is to feature the bold red, white and blue lines that border…
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