30 replies to this topic

[Nomad]

I was wondering if there are any long term health effects for F1 drivers.
I not talking about those that result from accidents but from the general wear and tear of driving an F1 car.
Does pulling all those G's cause gradual damage to the internal organs? Does the brain rattle around inside the skull, killing a few thousand brain cells for every braking and cornering maneourve? Does sitting in front of an F1 engine for days on end, even with earplugs, cause hearing damage?
In short will all those superfit men end their days as cabbages?

[Richard Jenkins]

i dunno that any real evidence has been found to prove it - unlike with football & the sad fact that many 50's players have alzheimers because of heading the old style ball. Brabham went deaf as he never wore ear-plugs, but generally, now the days of death on the grid are over, we are seeing many old drivers getting older & older & in good health. I know of only five ex-drivers who are seriously ill, all caused by smoking or just general ill health due to age.

[birdie]

Does sitting in front of an F1 engine for days on end, even with earplugs, cause hearing damage?

We get that in karting (108dB noise limit), so they must feel an effect in F1

[bear]

What about exhaust fumes? I know NASCAR has had problems with some of the older drivers. Now they are wearing different Helmets and air filters.

mark

[Hendy]

I know that Jackie Stewart has back problem for all the compression that one receive driving a highly sprung car with no or little padding in the seat.

[birdie]

What about exhaust fumes?

good point, what's the rules about fuel additives like tolulene and benzene?

[pRy]

I picture of Rubens Barrichello taken some time ago led to fears that the constant G-Forces may well cause shrinkage, but apparently they where put to rest when it was commented that "hes always been like that".

[david_martin]

I am sure Eddie Irvine would like the world to think that his bad back is as a result of excessive coital activity, but I am equally sure that 15 odd years of lying semi prone while being pounded in stiffly sprung mono posti is a far more plausible explanation

[Rob G]

I vaguely remember seeing something about a study being done to see if paddle shifters might contribute to a repetitive stress injury in the wrists (like carpal tunnel syndrome). Does this ring a bell with anyone?

[scokim]

one could only imagine what the repetitive G-forces does to the body, especially the brain (which is largely fluid) and even the blood vessels in your eyeballs

[andy_bee]

the only real one I am aware of is hearing problems, but that is more with the mechanics. Lots of mechanics end up partily deaf

[Zawed]

Originally posted by Nomad
[B Does sitting in front of an F1 engine for days on end, even with earplugs, cause hearing damage?
[/B]

I think Sir Jack Brabham is nearly stonedeaf, and this is (naturally) put down to sitting with your back to a V8 for most of your racing career.

[AdrianM]

Sir Jack is nearly deaf. Here in Australia he is a spokesmen for a hearing aid company.

[andy_bee]

Lauda

[Clatter]

Wasnt there something recently about vibrations through the steering causing possible damage to nerves in the arms and/or hands?

[orange]

posted by andy_lee
-----------------
Lauda
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I don't get the humour

[rdrcr]

The Lauda comment isn't funny... but the referrence is to a long term health effect being brought on by having half of your head and both lungs suffer third degree burns.

I've often wondered about the hearing an vibration effects upon the driver. Karting especially is hard on the hearing and the body. The pounding around all but the smoothest of circuits leaves one tingling after the weekend's over.

There was a ban on fuel additives and only spec fuel is allowed in the SCCA. Tests are run before and after events for violatiors.

In addtion, bans have in place in the IKF for sometime now. In the early 90's complaints were heard from competitors about tearing eyes and breathing problems after trailing another entrant for a lap or two.

[RiverRunner]

As far as G loads go,it's been proven in a study by the US Air Force that the high G loads and stress involved in flying fighter aircraft has a effect on Y chromosomes.
They die.
Hence the overabundance of girl children born to Fighter pilots.

[jetsetjim]

The biggest injury to mechanics in motorsport is ear damage..... caused by repetitive excuses being made by the drivers when they cock up.... AGAIN!

[TheD2JBug]

I'd agree with the posts here ..

Back troubles .. perhaps chronic neck strain , hearing loss ...

[berge]

Originally posted by andy_bee
the only real one I am aware of is hearing problems........

yes.

RS "I can't hear you Patrick, I'll assume you're saying 'DON'T let Montoya pass'. OK."

Alesi " Hey guys, when am I supposed to come in for fuel? Oh look, z mechanics are waving at me, how nice. Ello fellas!"(Alesi waving back to pits as his Benetton coasts to a stop, out of gas.)

MS "WHAT black flag?"

JPM "What do you mean "take it easy, it's a long race" Monaco and Canada 2001

;)

[ludlum]

Originally posted by berge


yes.

RS "I can't hear you Patrick, I'll assume you're saying 'DON'T let Montoya pass'. OK."

Alesi " Hey guys, when am I supposed to come in for fuel? Oh look, z mechanics are waving at me, how nice. Ello fellas!"(Alesi waving back to pits as his Benetton coasts to a stop, out of gas.)

MS "WHAT black flag?"

JPM "What do you mean "take it easy, it's a long race" Monaco and Canada 2001

;)

[Mila]

Originally posted by Clatter
Wasnt there something recently about vibrations through the steering causing possible damage to nerves in the arms and/or hands?

this does ring a bell. I imagine that a lot of guys have suffered from tendonitis as well.

Originally posted by Hendy
I know that Jackie Stewart has back problem for all the compression that one receive driving a highly sprung car with no or little padding in the seat.

ditto for the guys who drove the ground-effect cars of the late-70s/ealry 80s. I recall Tambay missing a race because his spine gave out.

I suspect that all contemporary drivers suffer some hearing loss. keep in mind that, while earplugs do work, they protect the driver only from sound that would have traveled through the ear canal. unfortunately for the F1 driver, whose workplace features an engine that revs around 17000rpm, sound (vibration) conducts through bone, soft tissue, and so forth. take a close look at the post-race press conferences, often enough you can tell when a driver has difficulty hearing the questions.

[birdie]

In addtion, bans have in place in the IKF for sometime now. In the early 90's complaints were heard from competitors about tearing eyes and breathing problems after trailing another entrant for a lap or two.

same with our kart org. dunno if it applies to other forms of racing here

[leegle]

Originally posted by birdie
good point, what's the rules about fuel additives like tolulene and benzene?

These aren't nearly as bad as the additives that have taken the place of lead many of them being known carcinogens.

[MacFan]

Originally posted by Rob G
I vaguely remember seeing something about a study being done to see if paddle shifters might contribute to a repetitive stress injury in the wrists (like carpal tunnel syndrome). Does this ring a bell with anyone?

According to an article in F1 Racing magazine earlier this year, tests have been carried out on almot all F1 drivers, and most of them are showing early signs of RSI.

[andy_bee]

Originally posted by orange
posted by andy_lee
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Lauda
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I don't get the humour

I meant "Lauda" as in Louder, its an old joke ( all mechanics still use!) that if somesays Niki Lauda, they say pardon,.

Didnt mean anything to do with his accident

Never mind

[birdie]

These aren't nearly as bad as the additives that have taken the place of lead many of them being known carcinogens.

Is that in Super Unleaded or that LRP stuff?

[stevew]

What about all that brake dust?

I've heard that the carbon-fiber brake dust is as potentially bad for you as asbestos. Would probably affect the wheel-changers more though.

[leegle]

Originally posted by birdie
Is that in Super Unleaded or that LRP stuff?

I guess it is in both and they are particularly dangerous if you use petrol for washing parts and get it on the skin. I just looked at the report I read a few years ago and it says that "Toluene Mesitylene Zylene and benzene are all declared carcinogens". Anyone got information on what ones are used in various petrols?

[Alfisti]

The back has to have probvlems eventually and i would not be surprised if hearing problems were up there too. The strain on internal organs, especially the brain is a worry but the current oldies seem ok.