Vettel marks fourth title with gold helmet

Sebastian Vettel’s helmet for the Abu Dhabi grand prix this weekend features 24 carat gold, the German newspaper Bild-Zeitung reports.

Not even a week after the German notched up his fourth consecutive drivers’ title in India, he has travelled to the Persian Gulf with a special helmet livery to wear in celebration.

Bild correspondent Frank Schneider said the Red Bull driver’s helmet painter Jens Munser only needed two days to prepare the design.

But surely the gold leaf made the helmet much more expensive than usual for Vettel, who has reportedly been paid a EUR 5 million bonus by Red Bull for winning the title?

"No, it costs EUR 5000, with or without the gold," said Peter Burger, of Vettel’s helmet manufacturer, Arai.