F1 helmets have become increasingly personal in recent years, with drivers making conscious design choices to represent themselves. Whether it’s Aryton Senna’s iconic Brazilian colors, or Daniel Ricciardo’s beloved honey badger, helmet designs have a habit of becoming iconic.
One design that has remained consistently, but quietly symbolic is the red star on Carlos Sainz Jr. ‘s helmet. Sainz has had an incredible journey in F1 thus far, rising through the ranks from Toro Rosso to Ferrari. In the 20th episode of the podcast, F1: Beyond the Grid, Sainz referred to instrumental figures in his racing career, and attributed his early years to his mentor, Maria De Villota. She remains immortalised in the star on his helmet.
De Villota first coached Carlos at the Madrid Drivers’ School founded by her father Emilio De Villota (himself an F1 driver). In 2012, Maria met with an unfortunate accident during straight line tests for Marussia in the Duxford Aerodrome. It resulted in severe head injuries which she was thankfully able to recover from, but not before losing the slight in her right eye. After the accident, Maria worked closely with the First Star Foundation which strives to help children with neuromuscular and mitochondrial diseases. She worked closely with the foundation, and was later named Vice President of the Young Sport Foundation by the Sports Superior Council in October 2013. Just days afterwards, Maria suffered a freak cardiac arrest, a year on from her recovery, at the age of 33.
Before her passing, De Villota represented a glimmer of hope for women in F1 at the time. As any young driver, she started out in karting, and moved to Spanish Formula Toyota in 2000. She then completed three seasons of Spanish F3, followed by the Ferrari Challenge Europe series between 2005-2006. After four races in the World Touring Car Championship, and one stint in the Spanish GT Championship, she was successful in closed-roof racing in the 2007 German ADAC Procar Series. De Villota won at Nurburing for Maurer Motorsport, then finished seventh in Spa during the 2008 Euroseries 3000. Between 2008-2009 she completed three rounds of Formula Palmer Audi, and joined the Superleague Formula Atletico Madrid shortly afterwards. This impressive resume earned her a Renault test drive in 2011, and she ultimately joined Marussia as a test driver in 2012. De Villota thus joined Susie Wolff in a new era of female test drivers, being the first to test drive since Katherine Legge in 2005.
In her first press conference after the 2012 accident she stated:
“What I would like now is for women to have their place, and talented women, working women, to be on the starting grid of F1. It is vital that young women in karting today can have something to aspire to. I don’t want them to think they can’t make it because right now they can’t see a woman there. We cannot let that happen”.
Since her death, a foundation has been established in her name: Legado Maria De Villota. In 2016, Sainz was appointed as its ambassador by the Sports Superior Council (CSD, Madrid), and works alongside the former F1 driver, Pedro de La Rosa, in representing the foundation in motorsport. In an emotional speech, Sainz recalled his first laps in a single-seater:
“I think I did 10-20 laps behind Maria, I keep them like gold in my mind. I have had a tremendous relationship with her ever since. I made the personal decision to wear Maria’s star on my helmet since 2014. It’s not carrying the legacy but I do carry my personal Maria De Villota inside the helmet.”
Maria De Villota was influential both to Sainz, as her mentee, and to the movement of women entering motorsport. Although it may not be obvious, if you look close enough the star for her First Star Foundation will remain a symbol of her legacy on the #55 helmet.