IndyCar – Solutions to reduce hand injuries

These are three mechanisms that are tested by engineeringIndyCar to try to reduce possible injuries to the hands and wrists, which undergo very high stress when running. The first is a steering damper, which was recently installed in the car of James Hinchcliffe (Andretti Autosport – Honda) during a test session in July at Mid-Ohio. A system which was used again by Charlie Kimball, still at Andretti in Sebring, for another test session. Dallara was responsible for developing this solution.

“I think it is important for IndyCar to continue its research, explains Ryan Briscoe, resident of the Ganassi team, victim of a broken wrist in a collision in Toronto in 2013. I like the fact that there is no power steering in our cars. So, you have to be strong to drive. But this shock absorber could be a good solution. When you have contact, nothing absorbs in the direction, and you feel everything. »

Other solutions such as a wrist orthosis, as found in motocross for example, could be used. “It's a completely new concept because no one has ever done it, says Terry Trammell, safety consultant for IndyCar. The idea is to make something thin enough, light enough and flexible enough so that drivers can activate all the buttons on their steering wheel. The thumb is the most commonly affected part of the hand, and designing a brace that supports the thumb is a challenge. » A prototype is expected to be tested in the Honda simulator in Brownsburg, Indiana.

Finally, a shock-absorbing coating, affixed to the steering wheel, could be a final alternative, which the officials of the American series are considering.