Lewis Hamilton can hardly get out of his car and takes painkillers. Other drivers also report problems. The world association intervenes, many pilots think that’s right. It’s about health.
The topic of long-term consequences does not let Formula 1 go for the time being. It’s about nothing less than the health of the pilots.
“It’s a risk that’s not under our control,” says Australian McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo: “I think we probably already have enough risk in our sport.”
Heavy hitting at top speed, drivers report that they can’t even read the pit board. Others heave themselves out of the car with the last of their strength and with great effort and need almost a week to recover from the extreme physical exertion that comes with the other strains.
Vettel’s clear position: Health comes first
How dangerous is that? “It cannot be that we drivers suffer short-term or long-term damage,” emphasized Sebastian Vettel. The four-time world champion, who has not yet decided on his own future with Aston Martin after this season, added: “We can’t go on like this for four or five years. Health comes before performance.»
The point of contention is the hobbling of the latest generation of Formula 1 cars. At high speeds, the cars on the straights are pressed onto the ground until they briefly touch the asphalt and are then pushed up again. This exposes drivers to severe vibrations. In addition, the cars are extremely stiff, which also has an effect on the strain on the body, for example when driving over the curbs.
Hamilton with a headache
The new Mercedes is particularly badly affected by the effect. Superstar Lewis Hamilton had recently only got out of his cockpit with his last strength and a lot of effort. When asked if he could have done it in less than ten seconds, as in an emergency, the 37-year-old Briton, known for his fitness and model figure, replied: “No, I don’t think so.”
He definitely feels a bit smaller this week, the seven-time world champion joked, looking at the blows that his spine in particular had to endure. Hamilton also reported significantly more headaches in recent months. “I just took painkillers. I hope I don’t have concussions.”
First Fia step just a “healing plaster”
The drivers had therefore turned to the Fia. And the world association reacted. “In a sport in which participants routinely drive at speeds in excess of 300 km/h, it is assumed that a driver’s entire concentration must be focused on this task,” it said in a statement. “In the interest of safety”, the Fia requires the racing teams to “reduce or eliminate this phenomenon”. This decision was made “after consultation with the doctors”.
Hamilton’s Mercedes colleague George Russell, who said he could no longer read what was on the pit board in Baku, spoke of a “cure patch” but not a “sustainable solution to the problem”. In addition, according to media reports, no sanctions are imminent in Canada at the weekend. It should therefore initially only be a test.
Verstappen warns against too much drama in the debate
World champion Max Verstappen doesn’t seem to really get into the discussion about safety and health. “There are many sports where you damage your body. And when you end your career, you’re not like you were 20 anymore. That’s just how it is, »said the 24-year-old Dutchman. Footballers have problems with their knees. “We should not overdramatize what is happening at the moment,” said Verstappen. «There is no need for action. If you have a problem, you should put your car higher, »emphasized Red Bulls motorsport consultant Helmut Marko.
Rule changes in a season are not in order. Hopping is not nice and not correct, but some teams simply deal with it better than others. He only sees one car that really has problems with it, said team boss Christian Horner on Sky Sport. He and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff agreed that monitoring the measures using data figures and metrics is extremely difficult.
Sainz radios: “Boys, the hopping is really bad.”
It remains an emotional issue, on which Ferrari’s World Cup competitor Charles Leclerc tends to agree with Verstappen: “I don’t completely agree with that. It’s the team’s responsibility to give me a car to drive.” His colleague Carlos Sainz radioed to the Ferrari pits during the second free practice session on Friday: “Guys, the jumping is really bad.”
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
