Formula 1 drivers that completed races despite their injuries 

During the Q3 at the 2022 Australian GP, Fernando Alonso broke both hands after a hydraulics failure occurred onboard his Alpine.

The skills needed to participate in Formula One races have made it the pinnacle of motorsports and built its reputation as a competition enjoyed by fans from all over the world. The performances are exhilarating for both the drivers and the spectators, as they are not just about the sport and the racing. Much of it concerns the cutting-edge technology involved in F1, the commitment required to race a car, and the aptitudes drivers need to have. Formula One puts a lot of strain on the body, as the drivers have to deal with high-speed G-forces, rapid deceleration, and extreme temperatures. The forces experienced during a race can be five times more elevated than the driver’s body weight, and they predominantly affect the neck and core muscles. 

An F1 vehicle might look somewhat similar to a standard car but is, in fact, a completely different thing altogether. For instance, steering an F1 car requires a lot of arm strength, not just because of the incredibly high speeds but also because the vehicles are not power-assisted in the same way. Drivers have very complex workout routines, including neck training and strengthening exercises performed to build the neck muscles, improve stability and prevent injuries. But in spite of all these precautions, accidents still can and do happen. Some of them are so extreme that they can lead to death or permanent disabilities, but there are also instances in which the injuries are deemed minor, so the driver can continue taking part in competitions in spite of not being fully healed. This shows the dedication these athletes have for their craft. 

A red race car is on display in a showroom

Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-red-race-car-is-on-display-in-a-showroom-aE5UJVEHdEA 

Appendicitis 

If an accident leaves a driver unable to compete in future races, they can make a personal injury claim that will allow them to receive compensation for their injury, money that can go toward treatments and support recovery. However, there are also instances in which the health damage occurs prior to and independently of the driving but can nonetheless impact performance. Spanish racing driver Carlos Sainz Jr., who has won four F1 Grands Prix across ten separate seasons, experienced this first-hand. During the practice sessions at the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP, Sainz started feeling unwell and described the day as one of the most difficult in his career as a driver. 

The following morning, Ferrari announced that Carlos Sainz had been diagnosed with appendicitis and would not be in the car for the rest of the weekend. He underwent surgery later the same day, which was successful, and he returned to the Australian Grand Prix soon after, qualifying second. 

Wrist and toe fractures

Two weeks ahead of the beginning of the 2023 season, Canadian Lance Stroll crashed his bike in Spain, an incident that resulted in fractures to both his wrists, as well as his left hand and right big toe. He underwent surgery two days later but was told that he would most likely miss the first two races of the year but that he should be able to participate in the third race of the season that was set to take place in Australia in April. Stroll had to complete a rehabilitation programme to regain his full range of movement and arrived at the season opener in Bahrain. 

Despite still being in pain, he went inside his Aston Martin to compete, but the extent of his injuries became plain to see when he could not use different racing lines during the practice. Fans noticed him flinching during the national anthem, and he described the discomfort he had to endure after running into the back of his teammate, Fernando Alonso, during the first lap. He nonetheless succeeded in overtaking both Mercedes vehicles and finished in sixth place. 

Broken hands 

During the Q3 at the 2022 Australian GP, Fernando Alonso broke both hands after a hydraulics failure occurred onboard his Alpine. As a result, he went into the wall at Turn 11 and broke several bones in his hands. However, Alonso refused to miss a race and competed in the Australian GP the next day with bandages securing both his wrists. It took until August for the injuries to heal completely and for the full effects of the fractures to disappear. He confirmed that he experienced quite a lot of pain as a result but that his love of driving kept him focused on the races. 

Lung disease 

Thai-British driver Alex Albon had to miss the 2022 Italian Grand Prix after being diagnosed with appendicitis for which he was set to have surgery. However, it was later revealed that Albon had developed respiratory failure due to the anaesthetic used during the surgery. Despite the condition being severe enough that he had to be moved to the intensive care unit and put on a ventilator, Albon managed to make a full recovery. In fact, he recovered considerably faster than was initially expected, as his lungs cleared in twelve hours, not forty-eight to seventy-two as the doctors had initially estimated. 

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His recovery was just in time for the Singapore Grand Prix, which took place three weeks later. However, he had to retire with damage after a collision with the barriers. During the opening lap of the Japanese Grand Prix, he was involved in another collision, this time with fellow racing driver Kevin Magnussen. 

Shoulder injury

Australian former racing driver Mark Webber retired from racing in 2013, but only three years prior, he had completed four races with a broken shoulder as a result of a mountain bike accident. The injuries were only revealed in his book, where he also confessed to keeping them secret from the team principal. A few years before this event, he became injured during a pre-season test session, which resulted in a broken rib and damaged cartilage, but he carried on and competed in the first two races of the season after being treated with painkillers to make the discomfort of the injuries easier to manage. 

Formula One is an incredibly intense sport, and this is precisely what the drivers and fans love about it. The fact that the athletes had the stamina and sheer will to compete despite their injuries or right after receiving treatment shows the level of dedication needed to succeed in this field.