More than 60 per cent of top motorsport drivers have come to rely on Bahrain-made helmets to ensure their safety on track, with 14 out of 20 Formula 1 drivers competing this weekend at the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix set to don headgear manufactured in the kingdom.
Bell Racing Helmets, a subsidiary of Racing Force Group (RFG), is manufacturing 70pc of Formula 1, 54pc of F2, 57pc of F3, 73pc of Formula E and 56pc of F1 Academy driver helmets, in addition to pit crew and miniature memorabilia in the past year.
“Last year, we produced 74,000 helmets in total and this year, we are hoping to reach at least 95,000 and above, maybe even 100,000 if possible,” RFG chief business officer and Bahrain managing director Aref Yazbek told the GDN during an interview earlier this week.
“We are also seeing a lot of interest and orders from teams for mini helmets, to be sold as merchandise, with some drivers and teams ordering the minis for unique helmet designs that may only be used for one race.”
Since 2015, the Bell Racing Helmets factory in Sakhir has been manufacturing the headgear around the corner from the BIC, and last year, the GDN reported that it completed an extension, which will enable the company to double its production capacity, with a facility now covering a total of 15,000sqm.
Known for its cutting-edge designs and commitment to safety since 1954, Bell Racing Helmets are trusted by numerous top tier drivers, including Thierry Neuville who won the 2024 World Rally Championship.
At last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, the Bahrain-owned McLaren team’s driver Oscar Piastri wore a specially designed helmet highlighting Bahrain’s heritage and its cultural ties with Japan.
“The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) worked with local design company Shepherd Studio to come up with a design inspired by the deeply rooted maritime heritage of the two countries, and approached us to manufacture the helmet and work with a driver to bring it to the track,” RFG marketing head Mohammed Albareeq explained.
“Oscar wore the helmet, produced and designed in Bahrain, at the Japanese Grand Prix and used the helmet, which will now be on display at the Bahrain Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka.”
The GDN previously reported that the helmet design was inspired by traditional Japanese sumi-e ink paintings, adding that expressive brushstrokes create dynamic waves, while a Bahraini wooden dhow sails forward – symbolising traditional craftsmanship, progress, and exploration, in line with the Pavilion’s theme of ‘Connecting Seas’.
“Both nations are home to two of the sport’s most iconic circuits – Japan’s Suzuka Circuit and Bahrain International Circuit, the latter recognised as the home of motorsport in the Middle East and the first in the region to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix,” Baca said, in a statement.
“Visitors to Expo 2025 Osaka are invited to discover this special edition and engage with an experience that reflects the values of connection, craftsmanship, and innovation – values that originate in the heart of Bahrain and resonate around the world.”
As Bell Racing Helmets and RFG look to next season, when a slew of new rule changes and car design are set to be introduced, they have already developed a new innovation to make helmet visors more secure yet easy to operate.
The SmartLock side-positioned visor locking system for full-face helmets was developed by the research and development team in Sakhir and was first tested during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend last year by two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.
“We used a side-mounted system for better strength and stability in the event of a high-speed crash,” Mr Yazbek explained.
“It also ensures that ventilation and defogging are not disrupted even when the visor is fully locked in.
“The field of vision is free from any obstruction caused by a component placed in the centre of the visor, whether fully-closed or open.
“Its one-handed operation for both locking and unlocking while wearing racing gloves, streamlines functionality for drivers, minimising distractions.
“The unlocking mechanism is also more convenient for rescue teams in the case of a crash.”
It is set to be rolled out in phases for the 2026 F1 season.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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