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Since Max Verstappen became the first Dutchman to win the Formula One World Championship in December 2021, orange smoke has become a staple at circuits worldwide. But the "Verstappen effect" goes beyond fandom; it has inspired a new generation of children to jump into go-karts, hoping to become the next Max. While this enthusiasm for sport is generally positive, clinicians at Radboudumc noticed a worrying parallel trend: more young aspiring racers are ending up in the trauma room.
Research led by Rania Farkhani, Elisa Hamer (Department of Pediatric Neurology) and Stijn Nelen (Department of Traumasurgery), in collaboration with colleagues from Pediatric Surgery, decided to investigate whether this anecdotal rise in injuries was backed by data. Their study, recently published in Children, analyzed pediatric trauma cases related to go-karting at our Level-I trauma center over a nine-year period.
The team compared two cohorts: the years leading up to Verstappen’s first championship (2015–2021) and the period immediately following it (2022–2023). The results confirmed their suspicions. While the absolute numbers remain relatively low compared to other sports, the annual incidence rate of go-kart injuries presenting at the ER quadrupled after 2021, jumping from roughly one case per year to four.
More concerning than the frequency was the severity and nature of the accidents. The study revealed that collisions were the most common mechanism, often involving high speeds (sometimes exceeding 70 km/h). Alarmingly, the youngest patient was only 4 years old and truncal injuries were frequent among the more severely injured children while often not wearing seatbelts. The data suggests that as the sport’s popularity accelerates, safety measures and experience levels haven't quite kept pace.
This research serves as a crucial red flag, but identifying the problem is only the first step. To make a significant impact on child health, the team aims to move from observation to prevention. For this reason the Center of Expertise for Pediatric Trauma and Burn Care is now collaborating with the Dutch National Autosport Federation (KNAF (2) KNAF: Overview | LinkedIn) to ensure that the only thing the next generation of Verstappens breaks are lap records—not bones.
About the publication
Farkhani R, Hamer EG, Hermans E, Backes M, Nelen SD. New Max Verstappen's on the Rise?: Go-Kart Incidents in a Level-I Trauma Center in the Netherlands. Children (Basel). 2025 Nov 4;12(11):1492. doi: 10.3390/children12111492.
