What Are The Physical Effects Of Formula One (F1) Racing On Drivers?

F1 is one of the most physically demanding sports on Earth. Over a roughly two-hour race, drivers endure lateral G-forces of up to 5–6g in corners, braking decelerations of similar magnitude, cockpit temperatures that can drive sweat losses of 2–4 kg, brake pedal forces around 120–150 kg, and reaction times near 200 ms. That is why elite F1 drivers train like top-tier athletes, with particular focus on neck and core strength.

Formula One (F1) is the elite form of single-seater automobile racing. Humans sit in little more than carbon-fibre chairs with engines that can hit roughly 360 km/h (around 225 mph) on the longest straights, and that have accelerated even faster in special qualifying conditions.

This begs the question, what are the side effects that drivers must be experiencing as a result of their high-risk career choice?

Should F1 drivers be considered athletes? After all, they just sit in a car and drive around a closed track. You would think they’d mainly require fine motor coordination for this repetitive task. It’s not like they’re running around, challenging their fitness and stamina, as athletes do in professional sports.

Well, if you think that, you are quite mistaken!

As it turns out, F1 drivers need to stay in peak physical shape, as driving these incredible cars at such breakneck speeds pushes their body to limits that go beyond some professional sports. This is why a race doesn’t extend beyond 2 hours. It is for the safety of the drivers that this time restriction is strictly enforced.

If you’re interested in learning more about the world of F1 racing, I recommend Netflix’s documentary titled Formula 1: Drive to Survive.

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What Are The Stressors Faced By F1 Drivers?

F1 racing places a great deal of physical stress on all parties involved, but naturally, it is way more stressful on the drivers than the pit crew. The stressors faced by F1 drivers include G-forces, heat stress, and muscular effort.

G-force

First of all, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess that a driver is exposed to fluctuating levels of G force (gravity force) while driving. The aerodynamic force achieved by driving a lightweight car at high speeds, coupled with an efficient braking system, result in lateral, longitudinal and vertical loads of force being applied on the driver.

Amazingly, F1 drivers can experience vertical accelerations of up to 3 g's over bumps and kerbs, comparable to what an astronaut feels during a Space Shuttle launch. The lateral and braking forces are even more punishing: high-speed corners at tracks like Silverstone's Copse, Becketts and Monza's Parabolica routinely load drivers with 5 to 5.4 g sideways, and hard braking can spike to around 6 g of deceleration.

On Earth, we experience a g-force of 1 g, equal to about 9.8 m/s². That means 5 g is five times the force of gravity, so a 70 kg driver's head and helmet (~7 kg) effectively weigh roughly 35 kg through those corners.

Research shows that exposure to such high g levels, coupled with their frequency and rate of change as the drivers take sharp turns and continuously accelerate and decelerate, consumes a large amount of the driver’s energy.

Mark Webber, a former F1 driver for Red Bull, stated that he used to hold his breath sometimes while driving, as it was very difficult to breathe at g levels >3. Studies have also found that at 2-3 g’s, drivers’ eyesight grows hazy, and peripheral vision worsens.

Heat Stress

One of the worst stressors in this sport are the high temperatures to which the drivers are exposed while driving at such high speeds. Drivers wear FIA-homologated, multi-layer fire-resistant Nomex suits, plus Nomex underwear, balaclava, gloves and socks, all of which trap heat. This, coupled with the heat radiated by the engine, can cause drivers to lose up to 5% of their total body fluids in the form of sweat within a short span of time. This can cause dehydration, which further impacts attention span and motor coordination.

A study has proven that at higher temperatures, drivers are more prone to accidents, as they show lapses in concentration in the presence of heat stress.

Muscular Effort

Furthermore, the muscular effort required to hit the accelerator or brakes of these cars isn’t the same as driving any other vehicle.

In the heaviest braking zones, a driver applies around 120–150 kg of force (roughly 265–330 pounds, similar to a one-rep max on a leg press for most amateur gym-goers) to the brake pedal, and across a roughly 100-minute race, the driver hits the brakes hundreds of times. There is no power assistance on the brakes, so all of that load comes from the driver's leg. While steering, about 35 pounds of turning force is required per turn, and this occurs around 1000 times per race. Putting all of this together, one can safely conclude that F1 drivers perform at physical levels similar to professional athletes.

The state of heightened alertness a driver is in adds to the emotional stress component of this high-octane endeavor. Research conducted on racers has found that their heart rate can reach up to 190 beats per minute during a race.

In addition to the well-documented effects detailed above, speculation is rife that the vibrations from the car and engine when driving at the high speeds these top-notch drivers achieve has detrimental effects on their perceptual, motor and cognitive abilities. However, to date, no research has been conducted to quantify the magnitude of stress caused by these whole-body vibrations.

What Are The Qualities An F1 Driver Needs?

An F1 driver needs to be incredibly fit, both mentally and physically. The need to stay sharp, focused, hydrated and alert at all times throughout these intensely competitive races is incredibly difficult. And, unlike other professional sportsmen, they have to do this while subjected to very high G loads that affect their mental faculties.

An F1 driver needs superior reflexes, especially when it comes to reaction times for quick life-saving turns to avoid crashes. At a race start, an average F1 driver's reaction time falls in the 150–250 millisecond range, with the very fastest starts dipping below 200 ms, compared with around 250–300 ms for an untrained adult responding to a visual cue.

F1 drivers hit the gym regularly and train to strengthen their neck muscles, triceps, biceps and their core. They don’t skip leg day either, as they need their leg strength to hit the brakes and the accelerator. Studies have concluded that F1 drivers have the strongest neck muscles, as compared to other types of race car drivers. This is a requirement to prevent neck injury from whiplash, which is a natural consequence of subjecting yourself to high g force while simultaneously turning at high speeds.

Conclusion

It turns out that F1 drivers are like professional athletes, and due to the physical demands of F1 racing, it is necessary for them to exercise regularly and follow a strict and healthy diet.

Millions of dollars are spent each year on developing the user interfaces of the cars so that they are better optimized to help them match the physical and mental demands of this brutal and exhausting motorsport.