101FlyingDutchman wrote: ↑03 Aug 2021, 13:03
Haven’t got much time for a lot of the stuff that’s being brought up. But I take issue with you mentioning “too ill to be racing” as part of your delusional bullshittery list. I think I’ve outlined my reasoning, it’s cogent and NOT based on fandom. I am concerned for him. Always easy to say afterwards what the right call is as it’s a risk based assessment. Either way I don’t want to be a championship decided by something like that. It would be tarnished.
But I would HATE to see a nasty accident because a driver is clearly unwell. And with ANY top level athletics, if you’re not 100% mistakes happen. You just aren’t as sharp.
And being unstable on your feet, I’d not be flying my airplane, I’d be sent home by other pilots and not allowed to be near any machinery.
I agree. Your approach was valuable in that you raised the question of whether he should be racing and outlined your reasoning (which was consistent and neutral). Sadly, not everyone else makes the same careful case nor uses qualified statements.
Is there a physical (and mental?) fitness test that drivers have to pass before each GP? If not, should there be? I don't even know if there is a concussion protocol (I assume there must be)?
We've seen drivers, in the past, have to be helped out of the car due to exhaustion/dehydration. Whilst it looks heroic (and probably is, given the conditions under which they've just performed), I think you are right to raise the point that having people driving in such a condition is fundamentally dangerous. Would it be possible to have in car monitoring which would allow the course /team doctor to be able to track the condition of the driver?
Matthew Carter mentioned something, in the recent Missed Apex podcast, on a parallel line of thinking around having a more health-focussed approach when he was managing Lotus (e.g. mandatory gym sessions, scheduled electrolyte refills, etc).