GoKawiilIf you've ever been close to a Formula One race car, you'll know you can feel it before you even hear it. The best way to describe it is vibrating pressure that moves through your chest and reaches the back of your eyes. An F1 car nowadays can peak at about 140 decibels.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, exposure to 85 weighted decibels can cause hearing damage if prolonged. To put things into perspective, 85 decibels is roughly the level of noise you can expect at a busy restaurant or from a hair dryer. At 140 dBA, permanent hearing damage can occur within seconds.
Formula One drivers spend a lot of time exposed to that level of noise during race weekends, but they're not the only ones. Pit crews work within inches of loud engines during practice runs, qualifying races and race day, not to mention the thousands of fans who stand along the track, often over multiple days, and many of whom have no hearing protection at all.
Before heading to Miami for this weekend's Grand Prix, this is how doctors recommend attendees prepare their ears. Plus, how F1 drivers protect their own hearing.
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The cumulative noise risk of a Grand Prix weekend
Motorsports is one of the loudest sports. While a car at full throttle ranges between 130 and 140 dBA, according to a study published at Science Direct, the noise you're exposed to extends beyond the engine -- it's also the cheering crowds, the loudspeakers and the music sustained throughout the weekend. A fan attending will be exposed to this noise during Friday's practice, Saturday's qualifying and Sunday's race.
The cumulative exposure to that type of noise is where the real risk lies. In traditional exposure models, noise at 85 dBA should be limited to 8 hours or less, safe exposure drops to 2 hours for 91 dbA; and at 100 dBA, safe exposure drops to 15 minutes or less.
The type of noise you're exposed to at an F1 race is well outside any safe exposure window.
"The more time someone spends around loud noise, the greater their likelihood of developing noise‑induced hearing loss," Tricia Ashby-Scabis, senior director of audiology practices at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, tells CNET. "While it is uncommon, it is still possible for someone to sustain damage from a single, very loud exposure -- especially if they are close to the noise source. Proximity and duration are key risk factors."
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