Carlos Sainz fears long-term health issues for F1 drivers due to porpoising

Carlos Sainz believes F1 needs to consider the potential long-term health effects drivers could suffer as a result of porpoising. 
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 6, Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona, Spain, Preparation
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 6, Spanish Grand Prix,…

The re🍎turn to ground effe🦹ct technology amid the 2022 regulation shake-up has led to some team’s cars suffering from the high-frequency bouncing phenomenon known as porpoising on the straights. 

Seeing F1 drivers’ heads violently bounce up and down inside the cockpit has become a theme of the 2022 season. Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Gran𝄹d Prix, Sainz raised concerns abo🍷ut possible side effects. 

“I think as drivers and F1 we need to consider how much of a toll a driver should be paying for his back and his health𓃲 in an F1 career with this kind of car philosophy,” Sainz said. “I think we👍 need to open the debate more than anything.

"I think the ⛄regulations are great - they are doing exactly what we need it for racing - but do we need to run as stiff for our necks and back as we are having to r🦹un lately with this car mass?

"For meꦛ, it's more a philosophical question that I p💃ut out there for F1 and everyone to rethink about how much the driver needs to actually pay a price in his career with his health in order to combat it. I'm thinking more long term.”

Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari F1-75. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 5, Miami Grand Prix, Miami, Florida, USA, Race
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari F1-75. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 5, Miami Grand Prix,…

While Sainz admitted he has not sought expert advice about his health worries, the Spaniard bꦚelieves it is a topic the drivers should be open to debating. 

"I haven't had expert advice," he said. "I've done my usual checks on my back, neck tightness, and I see this year I'm tighter everywhere and I'm already feeling it. ꩵ;

“I don't need expert advice to k🃏now that 10 years like this it's going to be tough, and you're going to need to work a lot in mobility, flexibility. I'm 🎃going to need to invest in overall body health.

"It's probably a question that as drivers we don't like talking about much because we don't like sounding, let’s 🌸say weak. I'm strong, I’m actually very fit, I co💖nsider myself one of the fittest drivers, and I've never struggled in an F1 race at all.

"Itও's more long-term, and for the benefit of all of us that maybe we should put it out there to talk about, and s𒅌ee what options do we have.

“Then t🌌here is the interest of the teams, o🐈f overtaking, of the show you need to factor in the equation. But what if we, for the first time ever, also factor in a bit of the driver? It could be interesting.

“It will get to a point that if we decide to go in certain directions the FIA needs to get involved, for sure. Let’s see in the future. It’s still very early days – it was pretty much a thought that I’ve been having in the first five races when I’ve been suffering with porpoising, and this situation that I’ve neverღ really brought up in a meeting yet.

“I was probably thinking out loud and it’s still very young in my head, and I need to talk to other drivers like George [Russell] or others that are struggling with🍎 the same phenomenon. We need to pretty much sit together to see what we 𒁃can offer or propose.”

Read More