What's up with Fred?

[journeyman racer]

The year I intend to go at least one of the days, Alonso won't be there. Bummer!

[Bagwan]

There are so many theories on what happened that it is pretty hard to sort them all out .
Vettel said "strange" , and Button said "strange" , and just about every other living F1 driver has given an opinion .

Retrograde amnesia , but absolutely nothing wrong , physically or neurologically is the word from the docs , so to sit out is normal , for a little longer apparently .

But , "strange" comments have lead some to question whether the amnesia was a result of the crash , or a cause , as Fernando cannot remember the moments before the impact at all .

What I'm lead to wonder is whether the regular G forces experienced in an F1 car could result in what might be described as tiny concussions .
And , could these accumulate and result in a more fragile overall condition , in regards to further concussion ?

The F1 cockpit is a violent place , where braking , or even just lifting crunches you into your belts .
It's a place where the speed of a corner multiplies the weight of the head , often to the point where the driver can no long hold it up , himself , even with necks that make the head look small , even with the helmet on .

The brain is inside there .
I guess what I'm wondering , is if a driver can get a bit "punch drunk" from regular racing circumstances , without any serious meetings with walls or other hard objects .

I remember a few years ago , when drivers were testing in the States at Texas motor speedway , and were blacking out , doing 4Gs for a sustained period .
They called NASA and were informed that jet pilots were wearing G suits for working anything over 2.5Gs .

F1 , albeit for less duration , gets over that in braking , about a zillion times every race .
Does it add up ?

[Tazio]

Still all seems a bit strange.

Makes you wonder about drivers of the past. I mean if Fernando is recommended to miss Australia after all that time, think about drivers in the past who have had massive shunts in Quali or Race part 1 and got straight back in the car.

They either were majorly at risk or today the Doc's are too cautious

They were majorly at risk, and in this instance Fred's Dr's are only too cautious if he didn't bump his head again in Australia.
An interesting bit from ESPN:

the fact it was Alonso in Spain may have heightened the level of caution and intrigue - a McLaren spokesperson initially told the media they would not name the hospital because "half of Spain would be outside". But the prevailing reason for the caution afforded to the Spaniard is much easier to understand.
The McLaren statement, which made it clear Alonso is otherwise perfectly healthy, said doctors want to eliminate the risk of a condition known as Second Impact Syndrome (SIS). In the press conference he gave in Barcelona, Ron Dennis frequently mentioned rugby union when talking about Alonso's road to recovery. Last January SIS claimed the life of rugby player Ben Robinson, a 14-year-old from Northern Ireland who collapsed and died after being repeatedly sent back onto the field after being treated for three separate blows to the head.
SIS can occur when a first concussion has not fully healed and another is sustained, leading to the brain swelling rapidly and catastrophically. There is no defined period of how long SIS can be a cause for concern but it is usually held an athlete should not return until the symptoms of the initial injury are completely gone. Crucially, neither impact has to be considered severe for SIS to occur. BrainandSpinalCord.org states: "Second impact injury can result within a matter of days or weeks, or it can occur in the same game or competition if the athlete isn't removed and treated after the first concussion. Neither impact has to be severe for second impact syndrome to occur. Symptoms usually occur immediately following the second impact and progress rapidly."

And this "risk" point is crucial when dealing with any head injury. Alonso's crash did not lead to serious injury but he was unconscious after his crash and his lengthy stay in hospital reflected that. He is perfectly healthy in every sense of the word but a risk - a minute risk, but a risk all the same - remains and he will miss the first race of the year. It will frustrate his fans, McLaren and the Spaniard himself, but his well-being is and always should be the most important part of this story.

Read more at http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/s...ZJKZBLFjlmz.99

[Nem14]

Now that we know he is concussed can we give that side of the story a rest?

Get Well, Fernando.

Yes. Get well Fernando.
We do not know that Alonso was concussed.
It has been reported that Alonso had some symptoms of a concussion, but those symptoms left room for doubt.

Martin Brundle also thinks the situation is "very strange".
A person using logic and critical thinking could wonder "whether Alonso crashed and was then injured, or if he suffered a medical issue prior to hitting the wall."

If the medicos were convinced Fred had suffered a concussion and were giving advice regarding exposure to a second concussion the announcement Fred would miss the season opening first race could have been made many days sooner.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/br...a-very-strange
"There is no concussion, anything. He had the symptoms at one stage but nothing that shows," said Dennis at the time.

"Something is amiss," former McLaren driver and now leading British commentator Brundle told the Telegraph.

"Something doesn't add up.

"It's a very strange situation. There's a lot of smoke and mirrors around."

According to Brundle, the question to answer is whether Alonso crashed and was then injured, or if he suffered a medical issue prior to hitting the wall.

"Is it cause or is it effect? We don't know," he said.

"Everybody is a little bit coy about it so something isn't quite right."

[raybak]

They were majorly at risk, and in this instance Fred's Dr's are only too cautious if he didn't bump his head again in Australia.
An interesting bit from ESPN:


Read more at http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/s...ZJKZBLFjlmz.99

I have actually been off motorsport for a month due to knocking myself out in a hang gliding accident. My doctor basically explained about this Second Impact Syndrome and what damage I could do if I was involved in a big impact or hard landing in a rally.

I will have a checkup tomorrow to see if I am allowed to compete again.

Ray

[Roamy]

yeah that mclaren was so fast it just shocked the sh!t out of alonso

[Doc Austin]

They either were majorly at risk or today the Doc's are too cautious

In the US, the National Football League just paid off a class action lawsuit over concussions that was somewhere in the $200 million range. I don[t follow football and don't really know the details, but I do know there was a huge stink over it and the NFL really got slammed. Maybe the FIA is trying not to get caught up in anything like that.

[CNR]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/31732315
"However, if the FIA's investigation into the accident throws up any issues of concern, they have the right to ask further questions, including to demand the driver's full medical records"

Could a medical issue have caused the crash?
Apart from one exception, Hartstein says the chances are "extremely slim" of the crash being caused by Alonso suffering some form of cerebral or physiological abnormality.

Of the possibilities that could cause a driver to act in such a way in the car, he says: "Hypoglycemia? He's never had it in his life before, so why would it happen on his second flying lap?

"Epilepsy? The fact he was braking is inconsistent with that.

"Some kind of loss of vision that meant he could not see but could still use his limbs? A bit of a stretch; really hard to imagine."

That, Hartstein says, leaves arrhythmia - an irregular heart rate - which can be tested for. And something called corotid sinus hypersensitivity.

This is where pressure on a certain point of the corotid artery - the main one in the neck supplying the brain - causes an extreme drop in heart rate and therefore blood pressure, and can cause someone to pass out.

This, Hartstein says, is "surprisingly common", and certainly could not be ruled out for someone going through a high-G corner wearing an F1 driver's head and neck support.

[COD]

Hmm, if this is true the other team seem puzzled too

http://www.worldcarfans.com/11503058...crash---report

[AndyL]

Hmm, if this is true the other team seem puzzled too

http://www.worldcarfans.com/11503058...crash---report

Sourced from Sport Bild, which I know nothing about... is it a reputable organ, or a gossip rag? Threats of a boycott if more transparent information is not forthcoming do sound a little overblown.