New concussion tests for drivers planned

Formula 1 medical staff will be able to make clearer judgements on the fitness of drivers who have suffered concussion, thanks to a new system expected to be in place by the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring this month, according to this week's AUTOSPORT magazine

Jun 11, 2003, 3:07 PM

Motor racing's governing body, the FIA, is in the process of adopting the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) system, developed by the University of Pittsburgh in the United States, and widely used in American sports such as NFL, baseball, Champ Cars and IRL IndyCar racing.

It works by testing various mental attributes of drivers when fit, then comparing them with those after a crash to assess his mental state. Working alongside the typical personal examination, which Jenson Button will undergo tomorrow (Thursday) after a practice crash at Monaco rendered the Englishman on the sidelines with concussion, it provides an objective verdict of the health of a driver.

BAR team boss David Richards suggested that new systems should be put in place in order to make decisions on concussed drivers in the aftermath of Button's crash.