A Canterbury local has seen his artwork rise above hundreds of others to be chosen for Liam Lawson’s latest Formula 1 helmet.
Red Bull, one of Lawson’s major backers, recently invited New Zealanders to submit concepts for a special edition helmet. The call-out drew close to 500 entries, reflecting a broad mix of styles and ideas from across the country.
The final decision rested with Lawson himself, who combed through each submission before selecting the entry from 46-year-old Christchurch company director Ian Ebbs.
“I went through every single design and honestly couldn’t believe the effort that went into them,” Lawson explained.
“The winning one just grabbed me straight away. It’s bold, it’s colourful, and it brings in so many things I love about home. I can’t wait to see it painted up and to actually wear it on track.”
For Ebbs, the journey to creating the helmet began unexpectedly.
He recalled stopping at a local dairy with his son when they noticed a poster advertising the competition.
“My boy is mad about Formula 1, and he spotted it right away. He asked how we could enter, so I figured we might as well give it a shot,” Ebbs said.
Although he has no professional design background, Ebbs leaned on his children for inspiration. He researched Lawson’s previous helmets, noting the recurring use of pink, blue, and white.
From there, the concept developed into a playful but detailed design that blended Lawson’s interests with Kiwi culture.
“At one point I joked about putting Lightning McQueen on it, but in the end I tied it back to Liam’s love of golf,” Ebbs said.
“It’s got a cartoon-like Kiwi bird in a backwards cap driving a golf cart, surrounded by nods to New Zealand like rolling hills, ferns, clouds, kiwifruit, and the shape of the country. It’s fun, but it also tells a story.”
The helmet will make its racing debut at the Singapore Grand Prix, where Ebbs and his eight-year-old son Michael will personally deliver it to Lawson as part of their prize trip.
“For a family like ours, who never miss a qualifying session or a race, this is a dream,” Ebbs said.
“The fact Liam will actually compete with my design on his head is surreal. Handing it to him ourselves will be something we’ll never forget.”
The official unveiling of the custom helmet will take place in the days leading up to the Singapore race weekend.
Header Image: Racing Bulls
