Several drivers in the royal races may be forced to conduct pre-season tests without the use of new helmets certified to the new FIA standard.
From 2019 onwards, in royal races, helmets made to the new standard must be used, in which the frontal part is significantly reinforced for additional protection of the riders.
All four F1 helmet suppliers - Stilo, Bell Racing, Schuberth and Arai - have been involved in the research and development of the new 8860-2018 standard.
However, Arai has so far passed only part of the FIA inspections and has not yet received certificates of conformity for their helmets.
As it became known to the journalists of the publication Motorsport.com, the company will not have time to pass all the approvals before the start of the pre-season tests, since we are talking about a meticulous verification of a product that must meet the highest standards.
According to the publication, Arai helmets are worn by Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel, both Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly, as well as Renault driver Daniel Riccardo.
The company expects to get the necessary homologation before the new season in Australia starts on March 17th.
However, customers from other manufacturers are also not convinced that they will be able to use the new helmets during testing.
Only the Stilo, which made its first copy last summer, has the homologation of the new ST5 helmet for all sizes.
According to information from the FIA, Schuberth, which supplies helmets to four riders, is only mid-sized.
Bell, which will provide helmets for ten other riders, has homologations up to size 56, but options up to size 61 are available on the company's website.
This may affect the choice of riders who would like to use Bell's services, but they are currently not the correct size on the homologation list.
The use of helmets of the required homologation during tests is in the gray area of the rules.
Teams and riders in test sessions must comply with the Royal Races sporting regulations, but there are no helmet requirements.
It is not yet known what kind of helmets the riders will use: those made last year, or simply helmets that have not yet received homologation.
When asked if riders would be allowed to wear last year's helmets, Arai replied, “The prototype of the new helmet has already been made. We have not yet received homologation, but after internal tests we are confident in the quality of the product."
The main risk is that pilots who use a non-homologated helmet could be injured in test accidents.
In the new helmets, the top edge of the visor has been lowered by 10mm to reduce fragility vulnerability and improve energy absorption from impact.
