The race arrives at Lusail Circuit for the Qatar Grand Prix, marking the first of the two final races of this 2024 Formula 1 season. From bespoke helmets designed by Qatari artists for Pierre Gasly’s 2023 helmet to an exclusive livery in a class of itself (trust us, it’s definitely something you wouldn’t ever expect), this particular circuit was always set to stun fans with a blend of racing, culture, and artistry. We’ve listed down our top four favourite special designs for the Qatar Grand Prix—and really, the last on the list isn’t something you’d ever expect.

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Pierre Gasly - 2024 Special Helmet

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Collaborating with Pierre Gasly for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, Qatar Creates unveiled another special helmet design. Crafted by Qatari artists— Visual artist Mubarak Al-Thani’s helmet design is inspired by his art in the streets of in Morocco, blending Qatari and Moroccan architecture. This is a celebration of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture.

Artist Mohammed Al Emadi draws inspiration from the Qatari shal, a symbol of heritage and tradition worn by citizens around their heads, reflecting the undulating dunes of the desert. Through a video posted earlier this week, Gasly mentioned his desire to showcase the digital art submitted to his helmet design. While we have yet to see a glimpse of how it will look, we know that it will embody the shared values of culture and racing.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell - Mercedes - Special race suits and helmets

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Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell announced their all white race suits and helmets for this year's 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. The helmets feature key sponsor IWC Watches with the concept "out of this world", while the race suits are an homage to years past for the Mercedes team (also sponsored by IWC Watches! We particularly love the threads running up and throughout both designs, adding a pop of color and excitement to the clean, white suits.

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Valterri Bottas - Special Helmet

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Valterri has once again showed up to a GP with a special helmet design by his partner, Tiffany Cromwell! This helmet is an homage to the deserts and nature of Qatar and features many vibrant colors of the desert-scape. Our favorite part, though, is on the back! There is a large camel wearing a Valterri Bottas, #77 Stake hat that crosses the entirety of the back of the helmet. How creative!

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Honorary Mention: Qatar Airways

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You and us, both, know that one-off designs are popular within the F1 teams on track—but what could be cooler than a special F1 livery on a Boeing777? The special livery was a tribute to the sponsorship of the Qatar Grand Prix and Formula 1, as the Doha-based airline is the Official Global Airline Partner of Formula 1 and also the title sponsor of the Qatar Grand Prix. To rev up the excitement, the airline even had a Qatar Airways Holidays’ Ultimate F1 Fan Package that included the Geneva International Motor Show in Qatar. For a month in 2023, select Qatar Airways flights offer delicacies inspired by their partnership, such as F1-themed branded desserts for Business and Economy Class. We might see special liveries in Formula 1 as normalcy—but hey, it’s not every day that we get to see a unique aircraft livery!

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