Vettel's helmet pays tribute to an unexpected driver

©Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel is sporting a different helmet design for his home race at Hockenheim which pays tribute to a countryman who enjoyed a stellar career in motorsport, but not in F1.

Vettel's lid honors the achievements of five-time DTM champion Bernd Schneider, a man who ran briefly in F1 with Zakspeed in 1989.

It's perhaps a surprising choice as a tribute, but not for Vettel who - as a man who knows his motor racing history - greatly values Schneider's credentials.

"Bernd Schneider, touring car legend," said Vettel when asked to describe what his German GP helmet was all about.

"He turned 55, I've got number five on the car, I thought it was a good time, a nice time, he's a close friend and I think he's one of the best German drivers in history.

"Obviously a shame he didn't make it [in F1] – he was in Formula 1, but with a really poor car. I think he had the potential to do a lot more, but what he did in touring cars was pretty impressive."