The 2019 Monaco Grand Prix, Round 6 of the FIA Formula One World Championship, gave Charles Leclerc something no race result could: the chance to carry two people he had lost onto the Circuit de Monaco. Driving the Ferrari SF90 (Project 670) as car number 16 for Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow, Leclerc wore a helmet that compressed a lifetime of mentorship into a single, split graphic — one half for his father, one half for his godfather. Bell produced this 1:2 scale replica in an edition of 300 pieces, making the piece as singular as the event it documents.
The Ferrari SF90 at the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix
Powered by the Ferrari 064 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 hybrid capped at 15,000 RPM, the SF90 was a 743 kg machine measuring 5,712 mm from nose to tail. At Monaco, Leclerc's race unravelled early: a crash at the Swimming Pool section in Q1 left him starting P15, and contact with the barriers at Rascasse on lap 18 brought a puncture and floor damage that ended his afternoon. Lewis Hamilton won that day; Sebastian Vettel brought the second Ferrari home in second place.
A Helmet That Carries Two Lives
Under 2019 FIA regulations, each driver was permitted exactly one bespoke helmet design across the entire season. Leclerc committed his allocation to Monaco. The left half of the helmet reproduced the design of his father Hervé Leclerc, who competed in Formula Three at Monaco between 1986 and 1988 and passed away in 2017. The right half carried the design of Jules Bianchi — Leclerc's godfather, who died in 2015 following the injuries he sustained at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. Monaco colours across the top united the two halves. Leclerc stated plainly: "Half of this helmet is Jules' one and the other half is my father's one. Without these 2 I would not be here."
Bell's 1:2 Scale Helmet Replica
Bell produced this 1:2 scale replica using construction methods and materials analogous to those of a full-sized race helmet, assembled in the same factory by the same craftsmen. The shell is a polycarbonate-composite structure, not cast resin — the same approach applied to Bell's actual competition helmets. Detail is concentrated on the exterior graphic, faithfully reproducing the two-tone split livery with its distinct colour fields for each of the two tribute designs. The edition is confirmed at 300 pieces.
In the Display Cabinet
A 1:2 mini helmet of this type typically measures approximately 16 cm wide, 12 cm tall and 11 cm deep — compact enough for a standard shelf but substantial enough to read clearly at distance. The piece sits naturally alongside Ferrari SF90 1:18 or 1:43 scale model cars from the 2019 season, or within a dedicated Leclerc helmet sequence. Collectors focused on the Monaco Grand Prix, on Ferrari's 90th-anniversary season, or on the Bianchi legacy will find this 300-piece edition occupies a distinct position that no open-run release can replicate.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the 1:2 scale helmet replica?
A full-sized Bell racing helmet is roughly 32 cm wide. At 1:2 scale the replica shell measures approximately 16 cm wide, 12 cm tall and 11 cm deep — based on comparable Bell 1:2 Monaco mini helmet dimensions. Plan for roughly 20 cm of shelf width to accommodate the piece comfortably.
Does the replica have any opening parts?
No. The visor and shell are fixed. All the collectible interest is concentrated on the exterior: the split livery reproducing Hervé Leclerc's design on the left half and Jules Bianchi's design on the right, joined by Monaco colours across the top.
How is the helmet constructed — is it resin?
No. Bell builds these mini helmets in the same factory as their full-sized race helmets, using a polycarbonate-composite shell construction with materials closely matching those of an actual competition helmet. This gives the piece a direct manufacturing lineage to the helmet worn by Leclerc on 26 May 2019.
Why was the 2019 Monaco GP significant for Leclerc's helmet design?
Under 2019 FIA regulations, each driver was allowed only one bespoke helmet design for the entire season. Leclerc chose Monaco — his home race as a Monegasque and his first Monaco Grand Prix as a Ferrari driver — to honour his late father Hervé, who raced at Monaco in Formula Three from 1986 to 1988, and his godfather Jules Bianchi, who died in 2015.
