Vettel wins the 2012 Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix
Formula one racing is a sport that is
not only associated with speed but also with the oomph, glamour and
the style quotient!! As the build up towards the race day for Indian
Formula One at the Buddh International circuit, we take a round-up of
the celebrities and the events that are planned around the racing
extravaganza.
'Fit': And How, For Some, It Means Much More Than Style
There’s little doubt that the most important element of the style discussion is fit. It has developed from nice bonus to absolute requirement. I’m fortunate that my relatively short torso and long arms are privy to man high-profile menswear labels off the rack. But many, many others feel the opposite; finding it difficult to to track down items and brands that suit their shape.
The typical person doesn’t have to worry about fit affecting their day job. If I were to put on 10-15 lbs, I could still fit in my office chair just fine. But for Formula One drivers, keeping their fit spot-on is part of the job description. As such, most drivers are under 5’10” and weigh less than 160 lbs, quite literally to fit in their “office space.” They’re small, slight and light, so they have to translate their custom-fitted jumpsuits to their off-the-track routine. Fortunately, there are a select few who regularly nail it.
Former McLaren teammates and Englishmen Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button
Hamilton is 5’7”, 145 and Button is 5’9” 158. But each help to prevent looking it in different ways. Hamilton prefers to draw the focus to his upper body, highlighting broader shoulders with larger lapel (though he should downsize the jacket above). Button keeps it slim from top to bottom, tightening the break in his trousers—the usual trick to appear longer.
Fernando Alonso of Scuderia Ferrari is 5’6”, 149 and of a bit stouter build, so his heftier tie knot and wider shirt collars accent his square jaw and sharper features. He also throws in a strong peak lapel to broaden out his shoulders and show the authority that he is the best driver in the world.
All-around driving talent, Kimi Raikkonen comes in at 5’7”, 136 lbs and seen here in formal gear is one of the smallest men on the circuit, but his aggressive driving—and lapels here don’t show it. He flatters his small frame by accenting the shoulders and nailing the sleeve length on the tux.
The gaunt Mark Webber of Red Bull Racing, seen here at Wimbledon, is the most normal-sized driver at 6’0”, 165 lbs. He opts for a longer silhouette with a three-button suit in a soft neutral, that fortunately isn’t very boxy. His proportions are solid and he syncs his long face with long collar points on the shirt that don’t seem out of place.
While these guys are mostly against the odds in the realm of size, they make it work. I hope that men with wallets the size of theirs (Raikkonen made $45 million in 2009) could rein in their sizing problems more often, but for now, these diminutive drivers have the basic tenant of fit in check.
