Hats off: Narain helps out with helmet loan

However, the last-minute test put the Euro 3000 champion in a fix: He was without car and kit. So while Tiago Monteiro parted with his EJ15 car, Narain gave up his crash helmet.

Of course, it’s not just another crash helmet. Only three days ago, when asked what the helmet design — with the Ashoka Chakra on the top — meant, Narain had told the official F1 website that the helmet was a personal interpretation of the Indian flag. ‘‘To signal at first sight where the heart belongs.’’

The gesture moved Pastorelli to thank Narain ‘‘as we did not anticipate the test.’’

Typical of the man, says Narain’s long-time friend Karun Chandok. ‘‘Narain has always been a helpful human being.’’

Helmets are more than mere safety accessories, they can become personal statements. Most famous of all in recent times was, of course, Aryton Senna’s golden yellow helmet with two horizontal green stripes. It was part Brazilian flag, part statement of intent — ‘I’m coming through’.

When the flash of yellow appeared in a rival’s rear-view mirror he knew instantly who was behind him and that keeping Senna back was going to be a struggle.