From today comes the future. Having celebrated 70 years of history in the production of racing helmets, Bell maintains its leading position in the industry with sporting and technological successes. The year 2024 was full of achievements for the brand, starting with the historic triumph in the World Rally Championship. Twenty-three years after Richard Burns’ victory, and just five after Bell’s full return to the discipline, Thierry Neuville won the WRC title by wearing the HP10 helmet, the most advanced in the range.
In Formula 1, Bell also reaffirmed its leadership, coming to equip up to 70 percent of the drivers on the 2024 grid and securing 15 victories with Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Oscar Piastri, as well as 16 pole positions. Norris and Piastri led the McLaren F1 Team to capture the Constructors’ Championship after a 26-year wait, with the pit-stops mechanics protected by our helmets too.
Other world titles came thanks to Kevin Éstre and André Lotterer, winners in the Hypercar category of the FIA WEC, in Formula E with Pascal Wehrlein, as well as in karting with Giuseppe Palomba, Christian Bertuca and Kenzo Craige, with different models such as the HP7, the HP77, and the RS7-K.
For Bell, it was also a special year in the United States, where it all began in 1954, but this time with the special combination with the OMP racewear. In May, Bell enlarged its triumph tally at the legendary Indianapolis 500 thanks to Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden, along with further 12 victories in INDYCAR; in the NASCAR Cup Series, Joey Logano, also of Team Penske, took the title by sprinting ahead of teammate and defending champion Ryan Blaney. Finishing third was William Byron, also equipped with Bell helmets.
Bell, by winning the Indianapolis 500, as well as the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix with Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen of the Ferrari AF Corse team, was the only brand in its fields able to achieve the legendary “Triple Crown of Motorsport,” which encompasses the three races considered to be the most prestigious in motorsport.
In parallel with the sporting triumphs, the brand has strengthened its foundation for the future under Racing Force Group’s control, thanks first and foremost to the completion of expansion work at the Sakhir plant, where all helmets and mini-helmets have been made since 2015. With the construction of a second floor of the building, the total area of the plant was doubled to 12 thousand square meters, with the goal of further increasing production.
Production now also includes diversification projects, in which the know-how acquired in motorsport is applied to other cutting-edge fields. In 2024, for example, large-scale manufacturing of carbon fiber helmet shells for LIFT Airborne Technologies’ Next Generation Fixed-Wing Helmet (NGFWH) for the U.S. Air Force began. The AV2.2 fixed-wing aircraft helmet model has raised the standards of aviation helmets to a new level in protection, comfort and performance for jet pilots thanks also to Bell’s expertise.
The iconicity of the Bell Racing brand also became so significant that helmets became true cult objects. For example, this led to a collaboration with Richard Orlinski, one of the world’s most renowned contemporary artists, who created a limited series of sculptures in which he reinterpreted the design of Bell helmets in his celebrated style.
After resuming a fantastic 2024, our journey through Bell’s 70-year history comes to an end. A new year is already around the corner with its challenges, which we are ready to face with the usual attitude that distinguishes us since the beginning. We are preparing for the future by aiming for excellence in serious head protection, and much more.
