Face to Face with Paul-Loup Chatin

"It’s a brand new helmet for Le Mans, and it will be in the team colours. I wanted it like that because I'm proud to be in this team and it is important to show them that we, as drivers, are pleased to be part of it.  So I have kept my original design and added Panis-Barthez Competition’s colours. Even if I use it for the whole season, I wanted this helmet specially for Le Mans because it’s the greatest race of the year and, if there’s one place you want a beautiful helmet, it’s for the 24 Hours of Le Mans."

To create a helmet design is a long process between the driver and his designer, and Paul-Loup Chatin explained how he prepared for this new design.

"I worked with Eric Amato. I gave him carte blanche so I'll have plenty of surprises when I first see this helmet. Olivier Panis, who knows Eric well, advised me to contact him. Then we agreed on the principle, I sent him ideas and a basic mock up with the "C" for Chatin and "PL" for Paul-Loup behind. I also asked to have the team’s No.23 included on the green of Panis Barthez Competition. It's a helmet which anyone will be able to see is a real nod to the team. I also explained to him that I wanted it for Le Mans and therefore, if he wanted, he could add elements specific to that race. It'll be a huge surprise and I can’t wait to see it.

"Helmets are becoming real works of art and drivers are having fun with their aesthetics. I think Sebastien Vettel has had some excellent helmets which really stuck with me, just like those of Olivier Panis or Michael Schumacher.”