17 replies to this topic

[Kompressor]

Schumacher's neck injury kept him out of one comeback, will it stop him yet again? Felipe Massa complained of a sore neck after his recent test session. Other drivers have suffered with the same problem after time away from F1.

There has to be some way to simulate the g-force and the stress put on the neck. I've often wondered if a weighted helmet and a go-kart would be sufficient to simulate the stress of the F1 cockpit. Maybe the added weight of the helmet would mimic a high speed corner. I'm sure they could hook sensors to a crash test dummy and measure the forces applied to the neck. Does anyone know how drivers prepare themselves?

[SeanValen]

I remember Schumi attaching weights to his helmet, doing extra exercise in the winter of 2006, the neck needs to get used to certain punishments, but nothing helps better then regular lap sessions in the car, the neck collar size gets increased.

Edited by SeanValen, 16 December 2009 - 19:29.

[harrows]

Schumacher's neck injury kept him out of one comeback, will it stop him yet again? Felipe Massa complained of a sore neck after his recent test session. Other drivers have suffered with the same problem after time away from F1.

There has to be some way to simulate the g-force and the stress put on the neck. I've often wondered if a weighted helmet and a go-kart would be sufficient to simulate the stress of the F1 cockpit. Maybe the added weight of the helmet would mimic a high speed corner. I'm sure they could hook sensors to a crash test dummy and measure the forces applied to the neck. Does anyone know how drivers prepare themselves?

I recall reading about McLaren having a gym machine to simulate such forces.

EDIT: something like this

Edited by harrows, 16 December 2009 - 19:31.

[gm914]

Most drivers' trainers/conditioners insist on working with special neck-muscle machines as far as i know.
Schumi just gave his old one to Nico Hulkenberg, and bought himself a new one.
What on Earth for? Hmm.
Also remember Alonso or was it Montoya) a few years back talking about a contraption wherein the steering wheel was connected to the helmet, so as the driver 'steered' each way to work out the forearms, the helmet would put force on the drivers head in the opposite direction, effectively simulating G's.

[223]

Brazilian drivers go to the beach and get a neck workout watching all the girls.

[Hairpin]

Adding weights to a helmet and actually drive with it would make it dangerous in case of an accident. Instead of strengthening the neck it breaks it.

[kr964]

Schumi just gave his old one to Nico Hulkenberg, and bought himself a new one.
What on Earth for? Hmm.

The old machine was red.
The new one is silver.

[ZZMS]

The old machine was red.
The new one is silver.

and Nico is colorblind?

[glorius&victorius]

Brazilian drivers go to the beach and get a neck workout watching all the girls.

[Imperial]

Schumacher's neck injury kept him out of one comeback, will it stop him yet again? Felipe Massa complained of a sore neck after his recent test session.

Does anyone know how drivers prepare themselves?

The best way to prepare yourself is to not retire a few years ago or be sidelined for several months after being hit by a spring.

In reality you rarely hear even new drivers complain about problems other than during their first tests and/or first race and when they get to the first anti-clockwise circuits. It isn't a big issue.

[pingu666]

The old machine was red.
The new one is silver.

nico might just have paint

its probably first day in the saddle thing

[Craven Morehead]

I think these two images are kinda telling..

Edited by Craven Morehead, 17 December 2009 - 00:29.

[marcm]

It's hard to appreciate the forces the drivers necks are subjected to in F1. I'm sure most of us look at F1 on TV and think "I could do that" .... but the reality is that you'd be lucky to complete 3 laps before your neck gives up (if the rest of your body hasn't already).
Modern karts have a lot of grip - as anyone who races Rotax or something similar will be well aware. At a circuit with a few long quick corners most armchair F1 fans would struggle to do 10 laps before again their neck has completely given up. It's a really pathetic feeling when it does - try as you might to hold your head up it just flops around like one of those nodding dog toys!

Most drivers use a combination of special machines (as posted above) to work their necks and plenty of karting. This goes a long way to building their neck muscles sufficiently for the F1 car ... but of course 70 odd laps in one of those is something else altogether! Nothing beats driving the car regularly to train the neck for racing. Even then - just watch some of the drivers at places like Brazil or Turkey - Someone like Vettel relies on his head rests for a big chunk of the race.
Of course this isn't a new thing in F1 - watch a video of Piquets head flopping around in the 82 brazilian GP. F1 cars back then were just as brutal to drive - albeit in different ways (less G force, but for example no power steering). I saw Johnny Herbert down at Buckmore park in a kart with big weights attached to his helmet training his neck muscles. Back then karts didn't have a fraction of the grip they do now - but clearly he benefited from the training.

[Arion]

I think these two images are kinda telling..

Looks like he put on a few pounds elsewhere too. I want to pinch his cheeks. I think he also trimmed his eyebrows.

[Simon Says]

Schumacher's neck injury kept him out of one comeback, will it stop him yet again? Felipe Massa complained of a sore neck after his recent test session. Other drivers have suffered with the same problem after time away from F1.

There has to be some way to simulate the g-force and the stress put on the neck. I've often wondered if a weighted helmet and a go-kart would be sufficient to simulate the stress of the F1 cockpit. Maybe the added weight of the helmet would mimic a high speed corner. I'm sure they could hook sensors to a crash test dummy and measure the forces applied to the neck. Does anyone know how drivers prepare themselves?

Get a plane and do some flying. Or get in one of the G-simulators the airforce uses. Both methods will generate far higher G-forces a F-1 car ever will.

Or probably there is some machine that can train your neck muscles. I believe I saw Lewis on such a machine during a tour at Mclaren I believe.

[Simon Says]

Brazilian drivers go to the beach and get a neck workout watching all the girls.

But Massa is married and has a child now

[undersquare]

Get a plane and do some flying. Or get in one of the G-simulators the airforce uses. Both methods will generate far higher G-forces a F-1 car ever will.

Or probably there is some machine that can train your neck muscles. I believe I saw Lewis on such a machine during a tour at Mclaren I believe.

Just as a quibble you don't get lateral g in a plane or an airforce simulator, it's all vertical.

They do use machines don't they, I suppose they're just too uninteresting to use enough to represent 60 laps, nothing to think about but the pain . Like all those excerise machines "as new" on eBay .

[Clatter]

Get a plane and do some flying. Or get in one of the G-simulators the airforce uses. Both methods will generate far higher G-forces a F-1 car ever will.

And would be totally pointless as the G-forces experienced when flying are not the same as when driving.