F1 racer Sebastian Vettel’s new ‘rainbow’ helmet at the Turkish Grand Prix salutes global diversity and harmony with rainbow colours and a quote from aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, reported news agency AFP. The four-time world champion, who is in his final four races with Ferrari before joining Aston Martin next year, has introduced it as a one-off statement of hope for humanity.

“The focus of this new helmet design is a rainbow as a symbol of the diversity of people in a united and harmonious world,” said the helmet designer Jens Munser on Twitter.

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“The colour spectrum is embedded in the basic colour of the helmet which flows from white into black without separation.”

The helmet carries the slogan ‘Together as One’ on top and includes a quote from Earhart, the first woman to complete a solo flight across the Atlantic in 1928.

The words “No borders, just horizons. Only freedom” were visible on his helmet during opening practice on Friday morning.

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Vettel’s traditional helmet carries the colours of the German flag. American Earhart began flying in 1921 and set numerous records and firsts for female aviators.

She disappeared during an attempt to fly around the world in 1939 and was declared dead in absentia, believed to have crashed in the Pacific Ocean.

Earlier, Max Verstappen led the times ahead of team-mate Alex Albon as Red Bull slithered to top the times in Friday morning’s cold and damp opening practice.

The Dutchman produced a best lap in 1min 35.077sec to outpace the London-born Thai driver by 0.241sec in difficult conditions that saw nearly all of the drivers spinning and grumbling.

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Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton ran for only the final 30 minutes and contented himself with 15th place. He is bidding this weekend to seal his seventh drivers’ world championship, equalling Michael Schumacher.

The Istanbul Park circuit has not hosted Formula One cars at a Grand Prix since 2011 and the ‘skating rink’ experience produced little to signal what may lie ahead.