Sparco

A helmet is an absolutely essential piece of protective equipment, and that’s why we’re constantly working on designing and improving them.

Motorsports is a dangerous activity, and the most important part of the body has to be kept safe at all times. Sure, if it’s comfortable at the same time, that’s a bonus.

The WTX J-5i helmet is a rally helmet from the new WTX line, specifically developed to be above all safe, and comfortable too.
 It has a double thickness fibreglass shell that’s approved to the rigorous Snell SA2010/FIA 8558 – 2010 standards.

It has an interphone and anti-noise earmuffs. The microphone arm is fully adjustable and the interior is fully removable and washable.

It’ll only be available from March onwards, so if you’re thinking about buying one it’d be a good idea to order now.

The other day after work I stopped to chat with Marco Pierini, Sparco’s R&D Manager, to get some info about the new helmets we’ve been developing.

Why the name WTX?
WT stand for Wind Tunnel, where our testers test the new helmets. In the tunnel we study the shape with a view to making the helmets more stable. It’s an incredibly important element: when they’re in a turbulent airflow, drivers have to dedicate part of their concentration to keeping their heads straight, so a helmet that saves them this effort is a great help in any race.

What are the three new features of the new helmets?
1) The weight. We’ve called one of the new models the WTX-7-Air because it’s as light as air. It’s a helmet made entirely of carbon fibre, so extremely light. We’ve made huge leaps forward in this field and we’re all really proud of the result: a helmet that weighs next to nothing and that makes our drivers safer and more competitive. Safer in case of a crash because it’s lighter, and more competitive because being lighter helps them shaves that little bit extra off lap times.

2) The ventilation system. For drivers, the environment inside a helmet isn’t one of the friendliest. To give you an idea, just imagine sticking your head in a 60°C oven. To get round this problem we’ve developed and wind tunnel tested the FAD system (forced Air Duct), that gives the helmet perfect air circulation and stops the visor from steaming up. They’ve got a dual air intake system: two at the rear to extract heat and two at the front that force fresh air in. We’ve fitted the WTXJ-7-Air with this system, making it the only jet helmet in the world with a forced air ventilation system.

3) Function. The WTX range is developed to meet every driver’s needs. The design is modular, so that you can add all kinds of interchangeable accessories according to what you’re doing with the helmet. Like the EDS (Easy Drink System) for example, a “case” to fit to the helmet that lets drivers drink effortlessly. It’s a very important feature especially in endurance races, but still very useful in all kinds of other competitions. Or the FCR (Fast Connection Radio) system: we’ve fitted all our helmets with a microphone kit and all the necessary attachments, so there’s no need to drill holes in them anymore. Then there’s the composite helmet, with every part you can remove for washing.

So, comfort and safety?
Exactly. We’ve strived to combine these two basic ingredients in our work. We’ve even included different shell shapes in the project