F1 Drivers: The helmet is now the medium for the message

A driver's crash helmet design is something uniquely personal to him with some iconic designs like Graham and Damon Hill's London Rowing Club colours, Senna's striped helmet in Brazilian colours and Jackie Stewarts' racing tartan.

But increasingly F1 drivers' helmets are being used for messaging and fundraising and here in Monaco we have a rash of them with Fernando Alonso, Sergio Perez and Kimi Raikkonen all having something to say.

Alonso has a unique design featuring a classic F1 Ferrari, rolling dice and other Monaco themed details. The helmet is a one-off and will be auctioned after the race weekend to raise money for a children's road safety campaign backed by the Fernando Alonso Foundation.

Perez's lid is dedicated to Roberto Gómez Bolaños, the Mexican writer, actor, director, known as “Chespirito”, an idol of Perez' who is very ill. Chesperito is popular in Latin America and the United States and according to the Sauber team, "Two helmets with this special design have been made. One will be handed to Chespirito and the other will be the first item to be auctioned for the newly founded “Fundacion Checo Pérez”. This foundation will support various projects, and the money raised for the helmet will be for orphans in Mexico."

Raikkonen, meanwhile, is wearing a helmet as a tribute to 1976 world champion James Hunt, who with his wild lifestyle and free spirit is an idol to the Finn. The helmet echoes the design of Hunt's with yellow and red accent colours around the edges of the visor and James Hunt written on the side.

Hunt died on 13th June 1993 after a heart attack and has always been an idol to Raikkonen, who has entered ski mobile races under the pseudonym James Hunt