24/02/2005
NEWS STORY
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Indian F1 debutant, Narain Karthikeyan, has been ordered to change the design on his crash helmet.
At present, the Jordan driver's helmet features his country's national colours - orange, green and white - however, the Indian government decrees that no sportsman is allowed to feature the 'tricolour' on his clothing.
With less than 24-hours to go before the public launch of his team's 2005 contender in Moscow, Karthikeyan admitted that he is baffled by the decision.
"If that is what the government wants, it is their loss," he told reporters. "We as sportsmen are only doing the country proud by performing well.
"I have the tricolour on my helmet," he continued, "but I can probably sell that space to sponsors and make a lot of money. I love India and I am proud to be an Indian and that's what I want to portray. But if I can't carry the tricolour on my helmet, it is the government's loss."
The reason for the Indian government's decision is unclear, and unique, most race drivers - at levels - attempt to incorporate their national colours into their helmet design. In F1, the helmet livery is one of the few areas in which drivers have an input, though many gradually bow to corporate pressure.