You might know me as a huge car and motorcycle guy and a Formula 1 racing fan. I’ve been following the sport for some time now and have had the chance to experience race weekends at incredible locations such as Italy, Mexico, and Japan. When I chat with friends and colleagues about Formula 1, there’s usually a baseline understanding of the sport. However, one common misconception that inevitably comes up is typically posed as a question regarding the physicality of it all.
“Don’t they just sit in a car and turn the steering wheel?”
I definitely understand why folks would think that. After all, there are thousands of professionals in sports ranging from football to basketball, and even more enthusiasts that play those sports. But there are only 20 active Formula 1 drivers in the world at any given season, and Formula 1 activities aren’t exactly accessible the way many other sports are to the larger public. For most of us, the only point of reference we have to racing is driving our own cars, or if we’re lucky, doing several rounds of legit go-karting or track days.
So there’s frequently a vast misunderstanding of just how physically and mentally fit Formula 1 drivers have to be. I thought it’d be fun to do a bit of research and share some interesting bits of info to make this case. Before we continue, check out a video showcasing the sheer speed of these cars. The tracking cameras on TV broadcasts usually make these cars look slower than they are, so seeing more of the actual speed shown here is otherworldly.
It’s the G-Force
Formula 1 drivers are in some of the fastest cars in existence. We’re talking cars that hit over 220mph on straightaways and slow to nearly nothing in seconds. Cars that will take corners at over 100mph. These insane speeds equate to massive lateral and longitudinal g-forces, sometimes over 6Gs. This is similar to the g-forces that fighter pilots experience, except fighter pilots experience this on a vertical axis, while Formula 1 drivers experience it side to side and front to back.
Translation: imagine an invisible force, several times your body weight, squeezing your body and organs whenever you accelerate, brake, or corner. Imagine hitting a turn and suddenly needing to support 6 times the weight of your head and helmet with your neck. Then repeat this over and over again for up to 2 hours, while trying to intensely concentrate on the smallest track details and simultaneously battle heat, exhaustion, and other drivers. You’d probably have to be somewhat strong and fit, right?
Neck, Core, Arm, & Leg Strength
Unsurprisingly, all Formula 1 drivers go through intense strength training regimens. Let’s start with neck training. Formula 1 drivers have massive necks to withstand all the cornering g-forces. They have specific exercises and machines to build those muscles. Some drivers will add weights to their helmets during training sessions.
Of course, there’s the more typical strength training targeting the core, arms, and legs. Turning and braking at those speeds involve unimaginable more forces compared to everyday driving. The added challenge is building strength without building a lot of bulk, since extra weight could cost milliseconds and a potential podium finish. This video should give you a pretty good idea of some of the strength exercises the drivers do.
Race Endurance & Cardio
In addition to strength, Formula 1 drivers exhibit incredible cardio. Many have resting heart rates of 45-50 bpm, which shoots up to an insane 170 bpm average over a race. That’s almost 3 beats per second! With all the g-forces, it’s also difficult for drivers to breathe, and sometimes they even have to hold their breaths while cornering. This older video shows a driver’s heartbeat and breathing during a drive. It’s astounding.
During a typical race, drivers will sweat up to 3 liters (a large soda bottle is 2 liters). During the hottest race of the season, they battle heat north of 100 degrees F in 80% humidity. It’s pretty clear that they need to be in marathon shape. Actually, Formula 1 drivers have become triathletes, among many other cross-over sports and physical activity.
Mental Stamina
Perhaps the biggest differentiators of the best racers are the mental fortitude and concentration they display. Think back to the last time you concentrated intensely during physical activity. Chances are you had moments of intense concentration and moments of rest. Formula 1 drivers have to be at 100% the entire length of the race, which typically last over an hour and a half. There’s no break from the action, no timeouts, and no time to step back and reflect. Sometimes, there’s barely any time to blink, as four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel shows in the video below.
Not only are these drivers concentrating on their driving, but they’re also communicating with their racing engineers, monitoring track conditions, battling other drivers, and avoiding gnarly crashes. Let’s not even get into the post-race drama and politics. Actually, Netflix’s Drive to Survive does an amazing job showcasing that, along with lots of the behind-the-scenes workouts, backstories, and challenges.
If anything that I wrote here piqued your interest, then I’d highly recommend checking out Drive to Survive to get into the world of racing. The cinematography, editing, and narratives are top-notch, and you don’t need any background in the sport to fully enjoy.
I hope this little write-up has convinced you that Formula 1 drivers can hold their own when it comes to physical and mental strength. Former F1 driver Heikki Kovalainen sums it up best with his quote on the sport:
Our job is to drive on average one-and-a-half days a week throughout the year, but the rest of the time is spent preparing for that. If we were not athletes, we’d just turn up and race, but if you are not physically and mentally prepared you cannot be successful in Formula 1.
Well said!
