“You can drive a Grand Prix car whether you are fit or unfit but for how long you can drive, how precise, how consistent you can drive under stress, under high temperature, the difficult conditions during race is another thing. You know that’s gonna be tough, you know you gonna feel tired, gonna have some pain, you gonna lose a lot of liquids. But you know you can do it as good as anybody if not better if you are well trained, well fit. So, if you are not fit your concentration just tends to go gradually away during a race” – Ayrton Senna, 1992
Arguably, the greatest race car driver of all time said this about the physical demands of motor racing: Racing drivers must care for their bodies just as much as mechanical engineers care for the race car. Neglecting fitness training as a racing driver is like forgetting to put fuel in your car before a race – it doesn’t make sense.
But in this age of information where anything you could ever want to know is at the other end of a Google search, how do you know what works for racing drivers like you? In this article, I’ll explain how to get the most out of your fitness training to help you perform better when it matters most – on the racetrack.
Why is Training Important for Racing Drivers?
Let’s be honest. No one aspires to be an athlete because they want to lift weights or do cardio training; we do it for the thrill of the sport. However, the athletes who don’t “make it” are easily identifiable – they’re the amateurs.
There’s a reason every Formula 1 driver has their own personal trainer. You might not be a Formula 1 driver, but fitness is critical for performance and safety at all levels of motorsport.
Fitness training is crucial for racing drivers due to the sport’s intense physical and mental demands. The high g-forces during cornering, braking, and accelerating require significant muscular strength and endurance. For example, Formula 1 drivers can experience up to 5 Gs, straining neck and core muscles.
Additionally, racing in high temperatures can lead to dehydration and heat stress, affecting focus and reaction times. A strong cardiovascular system helps drivers cope with these conditions and sustain performance.
Mental stamina is also vital. Fatigue impairs decision-making and increases the risk of errors in high-speed environments.
Overall, fitness training enhances endurance, strength, and mental resilience, improving performance, safety, and longevity in motorsport.
Great. Now you know why fitness training is important for racing drivers. But how do you do it properly? Fitness training doesn’t need to be complicated, but it should be specific to your goals.
If you find and follow a generalized training program online, you’re missing the point. The physical demands of motorsport are unique, so the way you train should be unique to what you race in, where you race, your age, your gender, your facilities, and everything else.
What areas of fitness should Racing Drivers strengthen?
It’s important to strengthen your entire body, but some areas are especially important for racing drivers like you.
Muscular Strength
Muscular strength refers to the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to exert force against resistance. For racing drivers, strength is essential for maintaining control over the vehicle and withstanding the physical forces experienced during high-speed driving. Muscular strength helps racing drivers with:
- Steering Control: Cars, especially those without power steering, require significant upper body strength to manage.
- G-Force Resistance: High cornering speeds subject drivers to intense G-forces, particularly on the neck and shoulders.
- Braking Force: Drivers must apply substantial pressure to the brake pedal, which demands strong leg muscles.
How Racing Drivers Can Improve Muscular Strength
- Strength Training: Focus on compound lifts like deadlifts, squats, and bench presses to build overall strength.
- Neck and Shoulder Exercises: Include neck harnesses, resistance band exercises, and isometric holds to prepare for G-force demands.
Studies show that heavy resistance training is beneficial, especially for close-wheel racing. For the lower body, this could include movements involving the plantar flexors which are shown to play an important role. A similar approach could also be applied to the upper limb, focusing on the anterior shoulder musculature to reduce the chances of injury.
Muscular Endurance
Muscular endurance is the ability of muscles to sustain repeated contractions over time without fatigue. For drivers, endurance is crucial for maintaining peak performance during long races. Muscular endurance helps racing drivers with:
- Sustained Control: Long-duration races require drivers to maintain precise steering, braking, and shifting for hours.
- Reduced Fatigue: Improved endurance helps prevent loss of focus or errors caused by muscle fatigue late in a race.
How Racing Drivers Can Improve Muscular Endurance:
- Circuit Training: Combine multiple exercises into a sequence to build endurance and simulate race conditions.
- High-Rep Workouts: Perform exercises like push-ups, planks, and lunges with higher repetitions to train endurance.
- Motorsport-Specific Drills: Practice sustained isometric holds for the neck and grip-strength exercises to replicate race demands.
Consider braking. In an article, Dario Franchitti talked about the demands of IndyCar, highlighting braking as a huge component. The article shows that up to 135 pounds of pressure is applied to the brake in each instance. Repeating this over the course of a race can take its toll. That’s why priming your muscles to endure that effort is critical.
Cardiovascular Fitness
The demands of motorsport go beyond muscular strength and endurance; cardiovascular fitness is also vital. Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system to supply oxygen during prolonged physical activity. This is vital for drivers to handle the physical and mental stresses of racing:
- Heat Tolerance: Cockpits can exceed 50°C, and a strong cardiovascular system helps regulate body temperature.
- Mental Clarity: Enhanced aerobic capacity supports better decision-making and reaction times under pressure.
- Recovery: Improved cardio fitness aids quicker recovery between stints or races.
How Racing Drivers Can Improve Cardiovascular Fitness
- Endurance Training: Include long, steady-state activities like running, cycling, or swimming to build an aerobic base.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Short bursts of intense effort followed by rest simulate the bursts of activity in racing.
A strong cardiovascular system ensures that drivers can maintain high levels of physical performance without succumbing to fatigue. Good cardiovascular fitness helps with oxygen delivery to muscles, which is crucial for sustained performance and recovery. It also aids in coping with the physical stress of high temperatures and the mental stress of intense concentration.
Conclusion
As Ayrton Senna said, fitness is not optional for racing drivers—it’s essential.
Racing drivers must care for their bodies as meticulously as engineers care for the car. Your performance on the track is a direct reflection of the work you put in off the track.
There are a lot of factors to consider when constructing a training program for racing drivers. The sport demands a lot, and not just on-track. Marketing yourself, managing sponsorships, traveling the country/ world, maybe you even work a full-time job, too. Consider all these factors, including what you enjoy, when planning your workouts.
If you’re ready to take your fitness to the next level, visit HanscombePerformance.com. As a coach and fitness writer, I specialize in helping drivers like you optimize their training for peak performance. Whether you need tailored fitness plans, expert advice, or actionable insights, I’m here to help you perform at your best—both on and off the track.
You can learn more about my company, Hanscombe Performance, by visiting my listing in the Motorsport Prospects Directory here.
Author: Rhys Hanscombe
Rhys Hanscombe is an active karter and the founder of Hanscombe Performance, a brand that makes fitness and performance resources accessible to everyone.
