The FIA has launched a concussion awareness campaign which is designed to educate and raise awareness of concussion, including signs, symptoms, and red flags to further protect motorsport competitors. Full details can be found in this edition of the Driver Development Roundup. I also have details on how a spreadsheet can keep you on track to fulfill your race driver career goals, advice from Bobby Rahal and the role of families in motorsport. All this and more in this week’s edition of the Driver Development Roundup on Motorsport Prospects.
In the video above, Enzo Mucci explains how his Maxi Attack System using a free Excel template will help you keep your racing career on track.
Francesco Simonazzi spoke to the Feeder Series Podcast back in May about why he feels the Euroformula Open calendar is helpful to him. “Simonazzi believes that larger gaps in the calendar are only going to driver errors more likely, especially if you are unable to race in other series in these gaps. “If you have such a big gap between two races, you sure is going to lose something in between them – some mistakes in the car, some mistakes on the setup.””
Autosport explains why Jamie Chadwick’s journey towards IndyCar isn’t her only mission. “As pressing as continuing to progress her career is for Chadwick, it’s evident that ensuring this equality push continues is just as important. To this end, Chadwick partnered with karting company Daytona Motorsport earlier this year to create a scheme that celebrated International Women’s Day by offering free karting to young girls.”
Motorsport Magazine looks at the new FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship. “In recent years there’s been lots of debate about the rights and wrongs of a women-only road-racing championship, even though a women’s motocross world championship has been going for twenty years. Many female road-racers would prefer to continue racing with men, but they also see the benefits of having their own series, because it increases visibility, which should encourage more women to have a go at bike racing.”
In the first edition of the new RRDC Legends series, Bobby Rahal tells the story of his 1986 Indy 500 win and his relationship with team boss Jim Trueman advice for young drivers and more.
The FIA’s decision to allow 17-year-old drivers to enter Formula 1 at its “sole discretion” undermines both its own rules and junior single-seater racing overall argues Alex Kalinauckas in Autosport Plus. But there’s another power playing the game that must be considered in the rapid rise of new talents, such as Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
“But the cost reduction drive also hurts young drivers. In the most visible junior categories – F3 and F2 – two-year budgets are now typically required for a driver stepping up the ladder. Only after such a period can they accrue anything like the experience levels of in the past. This boosts drivers with wealthy backers.”
The FIA has launched a new concussion awareness campaign which is designed to educate and raise awareness of concussion, including signs, symptoms, and red flags in an effort to further protect motor sport competitors.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President and driving force behind this project, said: “I have experienced concussion firsthand, away from the race track. I have felt the symptoms and dealt with the aftermath. I understand the critical importance of this issue.Thanks to the FIA Medical and Safety team, we will provide an educational and accessible approach to identifying and combating concussion in our sport, ensuring the safety of all current and future competitors.”
Concussion is a mild brain injury that needs to be taken seriously, and by educating on how to spot it, the steps to take if concussed, and how to return to racing, this knowledge sharing will help keep motor sport as safe as possible.
The best concussion is the one you don’t have, and prevention is the first line of defence.
Signs of concussion to watch out for include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Problems balancing
- Amnesia or forgetfulness
- Irritability or changed emotional state
Competitors with symptoms should present themselves to the medical team who will assess and advice. Remember, if in doubt, sit out.
On returning to racing after a concussion, international competitors should follow the regulations in Appendix L of the FIA Sporting Code. National competitors should follow the advice of their ASN medical department, with all competitors declaring concussion instances to the Chief Medical Officer at the start of their next race.
Eric Kunz has kicked off a blog new series called Getting to the Grid, a blog series dedicated to young race car drivers with solid track performance but looking to master the off-track essentials. As it was Father’s Day last weekend, Eric’s first post is about Celebrating the Role of Fathers and Families in Motorsports.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.
