A look into Michael Schumacher’s $20,000 Schuberth Helmet prototype that ended up saving Felipe Massa’s life

The carbon fiber plays a vital role in Formula One, it often minimises the consequences of an accident.

<strong>A look into Michael Schumacher’s $20,000 Schuberth Helmet prototype that ended up saving Felipe Massa’s life</strong>

Felipe Massa's 2009 helmet. Image via Twitter

Micheal Schumacher broke several records in 2004. He won 13 races and bagged the Formula One world championship for the fifth consecutive time. It was the German’s record-breaking seventh title. It was an amazing year for Schumacher. During this season, he used a Schuberth RF 1.5 helmet. It is a German brand known for head protection. Little did Schumacher know while sporting the helmet that it would save Felipe Massa’s life someday. 

In the words of Vincenzo Landino, Michael Schumacher’s Schuberth RF 1.5 helmet was a prototype made of multi-layered carbon fiber. The helmet cost a staggering amount of $20,000 back then. It was strong and served its purpose. To check its tenacity, they rolled a tank over the helmet, and it stayed intact. 

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This double-carbon feature was implemented in other helmets later on. It played a significant role in reducing the consequences of accidents, especially in the case of Felipe Massa in 2009 at the Hungarian Grand Prix. During the qualifying, Felipe Massa, the Ferrari driver, had a serious accident on turn four. There was a lot of debris striking his Schuberth helmet, including a steel spring that had come off Rubens Barrichello’s Brawn. It just missed his eyes, the accident was severe, and Massa fell unconscious. 

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Thanks to Micheal Schumacher, a carbon layered technology saved Felipe Massa

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Micheal Schumacher, Felipe Massa. Image via Marca.

Felipe Massa was grateful for this helmet and revealed that he keeps it on display at his home. After all, it contributed to saving his life. Carbon fiber is a strong (five times stronger than steel) and light material. Hence, it fits perfectly in the Formula One world. The teams rely on this material to build their cars. 

Thanks to the legend, the seven-time world champion Micheal Schumacher for employing the helmet during his race. This led to the incorporation of the Caron fiber in other helmets eventually. There are a lot of benefits to using this composition. It brings performance and is quite stiff. And most of all, it protects the drivers. 

The relevance of the tank rolling over the helmet was to show its capacity to withstand a heavy object. While this is one perspective, the other is nothing but a mere marketing ploy. Either way, the helmet is a godsend, it helped save Felipe Massa’s life. Over the years, Formula 1 has developed many technological innovations for the safety of drivers. It is the sport’s primary concern.

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