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I went through testing to discover what it takes to be a Formula One driver and I was left super impressed by just how fit, strong, and fast they have to be
I went through testing to discover what it takes to be a Formula One driver and I was left super impressed by just how fit, strong, and fast they have to be
Barnaby LaneJun 15, 2022, 15:11 IST
Ouch.Sway PR/Mark Hayward
I underwent testing to highlight the fitness, strength, and speed it requires to be an F1 driver.
I had my neck strength, grip, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness measured.
"Formula One drivers don't need to be fit, they just sit in a car and go around a track!" — Soccer fan in bar, 2022.
Whether from a friend, a family member, or just a local punter you met on the town, you've likely heard something similar if you've ever found yourself in a conversation about F1.
At face value, it's not a completely unjust assumption to make. Surely, driving a racecar doesn't require you to be as fit and healthy as a tennis player, a basketball player, or a gymnast?
Well, it does, and I found out the hard way.
Courtesy of Precision Fuel & Hydration, I headed to the Porsche Human Performance Lab at Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix, to undergo a series of tests that highlight the fitness, strength, and coordination required to be an F1 driver.
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Before we started, I had my body composition analyzed.
Standing barefoot on a fancy machine, I had my weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), lean muscle percentage, and body fat percentage recorded.
My height was also measured.
These metrics were important for comparing my body composition to that of an F1 driver, as well as for comparing the results of the upcoming tests.
The first test was one based around hand-eye coordination and speed.
This was actually fun.Sway PR/Mark Hayward
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We then tested my grip.
There is literally no way to look good doing this.Sway PR/Mark Hayward
Next, we moved onto testing my neck strength.
Again, ouch.Sway PR/Mark Hayward
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Lastly was an endurance test.
"You merely adopted the dark; I was born in it."Sway PR/Mark Hayward
With testing over, I moved on to a cool down, in a heat chamber.
My face says it all.Sway PR/Mark Hayward
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To conclude the day I had a sweat test done.
Precision Fuel & Hydration work with athletes across the world.Sway PR/Mark Hayward
Sadly, the day proved I'm not cut out for F1.
Looking at the results of all of my tests, it turns out that I'm too heavy, too unfit, too weak, and too slow to be an F1 driver.
Hardly shocking news, but what the day did prove was just how impressive F1 drivers are as athletes.
Not only do drivers have to have inordinately strong grip, necks made of steel, super fast reflexes, and superb cardiovascular fitness, but they also have to be able to perform under extreme conditions unlike any other sport.
So next time you hear someone claim that F1 drivers "just sit in a car and go around a track!" – point them here.