The lower back of the F1 driver is the most exposed area to injuries
Many safety devices are put in place in F1 so that drivers neither kill themselves nor injure themselves. However, the risk always remains, and according to Bradley Scanes, Verstappen's former coach, the lower back is now the most susceptible part of the body to injuries.
From fire-resistant suits and full-face helmets for drivers, to crash tests for single-seaters, as well as the introduction of the halo, safety in Formula 1 has continued to improve over time. Up until the mid-2000s, when a driver suffered an accident, they often had to withdraw from the next race.
Among the recent terrifying crashes, we remember Fernando Alonso in 2016, during the Australian Grand Prix, where the Spanish driver barrel-rolled after a collision with Esteban Gutierrez. Not to mention Romain Grosjean’s Haas catching fire after crashing into the metal barrier at the Bahrain circuit.
Even though these accidents are becoming increasingly rare and the danger will always be present, the injuries to the drivers are less severe than in the past. Daniel Ricciardo was the most recent driver to be absent for several Grand Prix races due to a fractured wrist at Zandvoort after a steering wheel impact on his left hand.
Many people think that the most injured area is the neck, but that’s not the case.
In 2022, with the new generation of ground effect racing cars, a phenomenon of strong bouncing in a straight line occurs. The “porpoising” has caused back pain to many drivers, particularly to Lewis Hamilton during this year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “My back is really hurting,” shouted the Mercedes driver on the radio.
Bradley Scanes, former physical trainer of Max Verstappen, confirmed in the Redflag podcast that this part of the drivers’ body is the most exposed to injuries.
« The lower back is the most injured area in pilots. Many people think that they get injured in the neck, but that’s not the case, unless they have an accident. They are well-trained athletes. The strength of the neck increases as you drive, so after trials and pre-season, you are pretty much ready to go, explains Bradley Scanes.
« The comfort of the lower back depends on the surface of the track, whether it is an urban circuit or a permanent circuit. But also on how the drivers are positioned in the car, says the former coach of the Red Bull driver.
