The hand injury to Sam Bird in Monaco, which will keep him out of the McLaren team for at least three races, marks the fifth injury of this kind for a Formula E driver in the last 16 months. This comes after incidents involving Robin Frijns in Mexico City in January 2023, Sebastien Buemi in Sao Paulo in March 2023, Pascal Wehrlein in Rome in July 2023, and Nyck de Vries in Tokyo in March of this year. Bird also previously broke his hand at the London E-Prix in July 2022. While injuries are not uncommon in motorsport, the frequency of hand injuries in Formula E raises concerns and questions about the underlying causes.
There appear to be two main scenarios that lead to these accidents. In one scenario, the driver’s hand is crushed against the monocoque in a collision between wheels or between a wheel and a barrier. In the other scenario, the driver’s hands come off the wheel and then hit the wheel itself upon recovery, causing injuries. The Gen3 car poses a challenge in terms of providing adequate clearance between the wheel rim and the strong composite cockpit sides of the survival cells. The FIA has taken steps to address this issue, allowing for the use of padding for the cockpit rim and internal walls, as well as consulting with teams to gather information on hand clearance. Additional protection measures were introduced in time for the Valencia test in October of last year.
However, further protecting the drivers is a complex task. The design and homologation of the car limit the possibility of relocating the driver and steering wheel further back. Currently, extra padding for drivers is not mandatory by regulation, and different teams have implemented varying levels of protection in their monocoques. Robin Frijns, who suffered a serious hand injury in Mexico City, has spoken out about the need for more measures to protect the drivers. He highlighted the difference in approach between drivers who have suffered hand injuries and those who have not, with the former exercising more caution. This raises concerns about drivers choosing to release the steering wheel instead of getting involved in accident scenarios, which is not ideal for the category.
Implementing a reliable torque limitation system for the Gen3 steering represents a significant challenge for the FIA in the short term. Developing a system that can handle large impacts on curbs in chicanes, while also being practical for street circuits, would require substantial resources. A more viable short-term option could be the introduction of a more detailed and permanent protection structure, similar to the headrest collar in cars with high-density foam. Another potential solution could be the use of MotoGP-style gloves with carbon or rigid plastic elements to protect the knuckles and hands of the competitors. However, the certification process for such changes may take time.
Mestelan Pinon, Chief Technical Director of the FIA Formula E Championship, stated that there is no obvious reason for the recent string of hand injuries. The FIA has conducted thorough checks on various aspects, including suspension design, tire robustness, and resistance. While some updates have already been introduced, the focus is on two main improvements that can be implemented before the end of the current season. The goal is to propose effective solutions to mitigate the issue and prioritize the safety of the drivers.
Both Sam Bird and Robin Frijns understand the importance of addressing this issue, with Bird recovering from his second hand fracture in 20 months and Frijns racing while being aware of the ongoing risk. Actions such as testing new gloves can be taken by the end of the current season to further increase the protection of the drivers.
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