Heidfeld picks winner from 9000 helmet designs

Tamás Simon from Hungary is the winner of the helmet design competition on Nick Heidfeld's website. The BMW Sauber F1 Team driver will wear the new design on his helmet for the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.

Simon's design was selected by Nick and his long-term helmet designer Jens Munser from over 9,000 entries. "This helmet stood out from all the others. I had a feeling after the first look through that this could be the winning helmet," says Nick Heidfeld. "The first impression when I saw it was just: Wow."

The design is made up exclusively of circles. Munser finds the colouring and division into lighter and darker sections particularly effective. "The design has a technical influence. It reminds me of the spheres assembled on the arms and joints of industrial robots," he says.

Simon is now looking forward to the helmet presentation in the drivers' paddock on Friday, ahead of the first free practice session at the Nürburgring. After the race, the helmet will be handed to TV station RTL, who will then auction it in aid of children's charity "Wir helfen Kindern e.V." as part of this year's charity TV marathon.

The auction starts on Friday 10.07.09 at the Golf Grand Prix evening event in the new Eifeldorf at the Nürburgring. From then on, you can submit your bids for the helmet via E-mail: auktion@spendenmarathon.de