Max Verstappen, the three-time Formula 1 World Champion, has had countless different helmet designs over the last few seasons.
So, to help him find inspiration for future designs, I asked AI to design some more helmets for the Dutchman.
The results are… interesting!
Max's real helmets
Ever since Max has been involved in Formula 1 he’s been sponsored by Red Bull. So the majority of his helmet designs have been dominated by Red Bull logos and colours, plus a few other sponsor logos.
His helmets normally include a hat-tip to the colours of the national flag from his home country of Holland, as the red, white and blue theme of his 2024 helmet design below shows.
Helmet design of Max Verstappen for 2024 season.
— F1 Helmets (@F1HLM) February 13, 2024
Nearly identical to his last year's Italian GP helmet design.#mv1 #mv33 #verstappen #f1 #formula1 #redbullf1 #motorsport pic.twitter.com/xv6sGqjTus
He often has specific designs produced for individual races, just like his 2022 Miami GP helmet below that featured palm trees and the Miami colours of blue and pink.
New helmet design of Max Verstappen for the #MiamiGP #mv1 #verstappen #redbull #f1 #formula1 pic.twitter.com/WqFN1Udweh
— F1 Helmets (@F1HLM) May 3, 2022
His 2023 Qatar GP helmet was also one of the most popular designs from the 2023 F1 season:
Max Verstappen's 2023 Qatar GP helmet design has been voted the best Red Bull helmet design of this season with 57/155 votes (36,8%)!#mv1 #verstappen #f1 #formula1 #redbull #redbullf1 https://t.co/ewJUmbmDKy pic.twitter.com/FbRnHn39yi
— F1 Helmets (@F1HLM) December 11, 2023
AI helmet designs
With Max having already used so many different helmet designs, I thought he could probably do with some inspiration for future designs.
So I turned to AI. I asked it to produce helmet designs for the fast Dutchman and hoped that it would be a little more adventurous than some of his real designs.
I was not dissapointed.
This was the first design AI came up with, and I like it. The orange swooshes on the dark background make it look super racey.
The Red Bull branding is obvious but pretty seamlessly integrates with the rest of the design. Good to see his original racing number of 33 on the top of the lid too.
I think AI was trying to give this helmet an aero peak at the back, but instead it looks like it’s got a square box on it.
A nice design, but I think we’re playing it a little safe. Let’s see what else it can do.
Now we’re getting somwhere. 33 still features, as does some slightly more subtle Red Bull branding and this time the colours from Holland’s national flag make an appearance.
But the best part is the Very Lovely writing in big text on the front. I’m stoked to see Max’s well-aired catchphrase make an appearance, even if it’s at the expense of his name being misspelt on his visor.
But what is up with that head of hair on top of the helmet? Perhaps AI is predicting Max will be wearing a wig in his future.
This is a flamin’ hot design. I love the red firey flashes, but it’s a shame to see the Red Bull logo on the side has grown again.
Max’s motto makes another appearance. This time it’s there twice; once on his visor and once on the helmet itself where it seems to read ‘Very Lolily’. Maybe he’s got a hankering for an ice loly when racing in the heat of Qatar.
Gone is the hair from the top of the top of the helmet and in its place is a small depiction of Max himself, looking pretty freaky. WEIRD.
This design has a lot going on. It’s a little too busy for my liking. But I am a fan of the red white and blue of the Dutch flag around the top of the helmet.
But what I like even more is Max’s face on the very front. In case the other drivers were ever in doubt about who was coming up behind them, now there’ll be no mistaking who’s in their mirrors.
Maybe this should be customary for all drivers’ helmets.
What on earth is this. Why AI decided to paint a creepy image of Max with a distorted, disfigured and tiny eye on the side of this design is beyond me.
If ever there was a sure-fire way to creep out your competitors starting alongside you on a Formula 1 grid, this is probably it.
But a big shout out to AI for the genious ‘Very Lov€ly’ logo on the side. Obviously there’s nothing more lovely to Max than the amount of Euros he’s getting paid to race for Red Bull.
You know what, if there was one AI helmet design so far that could actually be put forward as a contender for a real helmet paint job, this could well be it.
Max’s national colours blend pretty seamlessly with the Red Bull logos, and the Very Lovely text in big on the top of the lid is pretty perfect. I’m a fan.
Now AI is getting adventurous. And I must commend it on painting a damn good depiction of Max on the side of this lid. He’s even wearing his favourite Red Bull cap with the flat peak.
The Very Lovely is more like Very Lvielly, but I’ll forgive that rookie spelling mistake. I’m a fan of the drawings of the F1 car and it’s good to see #33 return.
I think we’re almost at the optimal design.
Oh my goodness. This is the one.
AI has stuck with the theme of designing a helmet for Max with his own face on it. This time it’s depicted him as a dreamy high-school sweatheart gazing off to the horizon, doing his best blue steel with some curly blonde surfer hair. His female fans aren’t ready for this.
I’m not sure what the flowers or the pigeon-like bird are doing on the helmet, but at least the colours fit the theme.
The 33 is perfect, and finally AI has got its spelling of Very Lovely very right.
I know having your face on your own helmet is a pretty out-there thing to do, but Max please can you do it for just one race. Self-indulgent, yes, but I’d love you for it.
