From the very beginning, the motorsport world has been distinguished by the quest for continuous technological improvement, innovating or knowing how to seize change to find more performance and greater safety. In the 1970s, the first significant studies of composite materials, derived from the aviation sector, capable of combining great weight savings with superior strength, were also initiated in the automotive industry. By the end of the decade, Bell confirmed its pioneering role in helmet manufacturing by experimenting with different combinations of materials, including Kevlar and fiberglass, to decrease weight and increase shell strength.
As a result of these studies, Bell launched the XFM-1, the first helmet made with the co-weave material, combining Kevlar and fiberglass in construction. Thanks to these features too, the XFM-1 became one of the most popular helmets of the 1980s in single-seater racing. In Formula 1, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna wore the XFM-1 to win their first successes and establish themselves among the top drivers in the category, battling with opponents such as Niki Lauda, who in 1982 surprised all with a sensational return to racing, Nelson Piquet, Patrick Tambay, Gerhard Berger and Teo Fabi. In Indy Car, Mario Andretti, Kevin Cogan, and Derek Daly, are some of the names to choose the XFM-1.
The XFM-1 also has a strong symbolic value, being the first helmet launched by Bell after Roy Richter’s decision to retire at age 63 in 1978, having been inducted four years earlier into the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Hall of Fame. Retirement, but without too much rest: the employees’ gift for this occasion is in fact a trial bike. Sadly, Richter passed away on July 28, 1983, due to complications during the second heart surgery he underwent. His legacy, however, is that of a brand that is constantly growing and always at the forefront of its industry.
Bell in the following years set itself up for further growth by moving production of car helmets to Rantoul, Illinois, while maintaining its headquarters in California. It was in Rantoul where, for example, the AFX-1 was born in 1989, pushing the technological envelope even further by becoming the first helmet made entirely of Kevlar.
The AFX-1 is also the first helmet with vents in the chin bar and top, to create forced ventilation inside the helmet. This ensures higher comfort – and therefore performance – for the driver, even in the hottest races. The AFX-1 turns out to be a key model in the transition of Bell to the challenges of the 1990s, which we will tell you about in the next episode.
