The Shanghai E-Prix double-header this weekend will mark the return of Sam Bird to Method E, having been compelled to take a seat out racing for a month because of a damaged hand.
The McLaren driver suffered the break in his left hand having crashed at Sainte-Commit in follow forward of the Monaco E-Prix – turning into the most recent driver to affix a rising listing which have suffered an analogous destiny.
Within the final two years alone there having been a number of drivers throughout a number of disciplines who’ve suffered damaged arms, to the purpose that it has now develop into the predominant damage in motorsport.
Each Method 1’s Daniel Ricciardo and Method E’s Robin Frijns required operations and a restoration interval of roughly two months after crashes at Zandvoort and Mexico Metropolis respectively.
And though not sidelined, Fernando Alonso admitted to racing with damaged bones in his hand after struggling a crash throughout qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix in 2022.
Hen himself was already compelled to overlook the Method E season finale the identical 12 months after breaking his hand in London, the identical bone he then broke once more in Monaco, and believes a mix of things is inflicting the elevated variety of accidents.
Sam Hen, McLaren
Photograph by: Andreas Beil
“I feel the steering wheel design, cockpit structure, no energy steering [in Formula E], all these three issues mixed imply our arms can get virtually karate-chopped by these agency carbon fibre wheels,” Hen tells Autosport in Shanghai.
“I’ve tried to look at the replay of my crash and I can’t freezeframe it fast sufficient. The steering wheel goes from left-hand all the way down to it being utterly the opposite method inside one body.
“So I don’t know the place my arms goes, I don’t know what it hits, and it was the identical in London. I don’t know what broke my hand, whether or not it’s the cockpit or it’s the steering wheel.”
Hen believes that energy steering “ought to assist”, with Method E’s Gen4 machine set to have the know-how when it’s launched for the 2026-27 season because the load by means of the steering of contemporary racing automobiles continues to extend.
Having returned to the UK within the wake of his Monaco crash, Hen underwent an operation to the break which consisted of becoming extra steel plates to the present work that had been carried out after his first incident.
The damage has left him with pins and needles down that aspect of his hand, which “hasn’t gone since I’ve had the operation as a result of they’ve needed to go in there and there’s a number of nerves they usually’re placing plates round nerves.”
Sam Hen, McLaren
Photograph by: Andreas Beil
“It’s by no means what you need as a driver, to get an damage and then you definitely fear about how lengthy it’s going to be [to return].
“ that should you don’t get operated on, it’ll heal however it’ll take 6-8 weeks. You probably have an operation, [it] is extra difficult however then the restoration time could be shorter, so I clearly went for the operation.
“There’s been instances when it’s been actually sore however now the ache is manageable, beneath management. I’ve managed a whole bunch and a whole bunch of laps on the sim, so we’re good.”
A choice on whether or not Hen would race in Shanghai was solely made on Monday after he accomplished 200 laps on McLaren’s simulator, which was delayed by three days to supply him as a lot time as attainable to heal.
He added: “If I felt like I wasn’t prepared, I’d have advised the workforce.”