Steve McQueen F1 Replica

Steve McQueen F1 Replica

This custom painted Steve McQueen F1 replica helmet was painted for Ari Berger. Ari and his dad Rob are from Nashville, Tennessee. This was the second custom painted helmet I had the privilege to paint for them, and it was even better than the first in my opinion. Ari is a fast kart racer, and he needed a custom painted karting helmet that would match his style and show off his love for racing, as well as match his kart graphics. They picked a theme based on the famous Steve McQueen, of course.  The coolest man on the planet to ever to live.

For this Steve McQueen custom helmet, I used bright orange and deep blue—just like the colors from McQueen’s classic racing and show days. We made sure to include Ari’s special number, #20, just like McQueen used. The design was bold and sharp. Even when the helmet isn’t moving, it still looks super fast, the power of good helmet painting and strong design.

This was a fun project because I got to do some creative helmet airbrushing, and even moreso, got to visit with Robbie a few times. I used custom helmet airbrushing to make the colors pop and the lines look smooth and clean. Robbie wanted it to have a little more than the first helmet, so we made this one a little more complex, a cool addition to the first in my opinion, leaving so much more to keep with the theme in the future if they chose to… We added Porsche logos and some racing patterns to match the look of a real custom Steve McQueen F1 helmet.

Doing this kind of custom helmet painting is always exciting. I love when I get to paint something that means a lot to someone, especially the Bergers.  I appreciate their hospitality, and letting me tag along with them at the races.  It’s a total blast.  I get a real kick out of seeing Ari race, and it’s such a relief to get away from paint fumes sometimes… I hope Ari’s custom airbrushed McQueen helmet helps him feel fast and focused every time he gets in his kart. This custom painted karting helmet is more than just protection—it’s part of a memorable style, a fun theme, project, and a kick ass tribute to Steve McQueen.  It’s just so cool that Ari, as such a young man, appreciates Steve McQueen, so long after the fact.  That’s just bad ass.

Every detail mattered. As always, the helmet airbrushing got fades and shadows just right. It’s a truly sharp, custom airbrushed helmet, and I made sure it was near perfect, at least I thought so… I wanted Ari’s custom race helmet to shine, and to look just as cool as any pro driver’s lid. With the Porsche logo pattern and the McQueen theme, it looks like something you’d see in Formula 1…

Hundreds and hundreds of custom painted helmets through the past 3 decades, these Steve McQueen custom painted helmets for Ari are some of my favorites. The colors, the design, the number, and the feeling of Steve’s memory—it all comes together just right. I hope Ari and Rob are happy with their custom painted Steve McQueen replicas…  When you get to do something for a family like the Bergers, it doesn’t feel like work. It feels like painting something special for friends.

I’ve done many custom painted auto racing helmets, and each one tells a story. This one tells the story of a young racer who looks up to Steve McQueen and his Dad, and wants to carry on that fearless racing spirit. It’s a fast looking custom painted Steve McQueen helmet, and it’s made to race, crash, and retire as a trophy one day…

If you ever see a bright orange and blue airbrushed karting helmet with the number 20, it might be Ari flying by you. That’s his custom Steve McQueen F1 helmet, and it was painted, and reassembled with care, color, and lots of love for racing. I hope he wins many races wearing it this year…