Balancing Fitness and Motor Racing
Motorsport is more than just driving in circles. Maintaining relationships with sponsors. Travelling to race meetings. Practicing on the simulator. Team briefings. Maybe even working a full-time job on the side. These are just some of the commitments every racing driver makes to keep racing.
But there is one vital part missing in that list - Fitness.
With everything else drivers need to do, where does fitness fit in the schedule?
I don't blame you for not making fitness a priority, though. Seasons that span 7 to 10 months with races every 1 to 2 weeks leave little time for motorsport athletes to make time to improve fitness. I'm here to explain why making time for fitness is critical as a racing driver, and how to realistically do it sustainably for the rest of your career.
Why training is important for Racing Drivers
Although racing may seem like we are just sitting down and pushing the pedals, your body takes a beating in every category. And if you don’t prepare for the stressors that come with racing, you will suffer.
Yes, all you are doing is sitting in a seat, turning a wheel and pushing pedals, but controlling the car over a race weekend involves repetitive and strenuous manoeuvres.
Research in IndyCar shows that forces can reach 157 N (roughly 16kg) per turn. The cumulative effort required for steering and braking, with brake pedal forces ranging from 600 to 1200 N (61kg to 122kg), puts significant strain on hand, arm, and leg muscles, impacting the physical ability required for precise car control.
Additionally, the impact of gravitational (g) forces further emphasises the physical challenges. Resisting g-forces, especially lateral forces affecting the head and neck demands substantial muscle strength.
Fatigue emerges as a significant concern, with feelings of exhaustion, leg weakness, and upper body fatigue after physically demanding races common.
Long-distance and endurance races covering hundreds of miles or lasting up to 24 hours pose additional challenges, promoting fatigue through sustained vibration, stress, sleep deprivation, circadian dysregulation, and thermal stress.
In essence, prioritising physical training becomes paramount for racing drivers to endure the rigorous demands of their sport and maintain optimal performance.
Drivers at the pinnacle of motorsport understand this, that’s why you’ll see every Formula 1 driver accompanied by their trainer at all times.
You know how important fitness is, but finding time for it is still difficult. Here are my suggestions.
Train Like a Racing Driver, not a Bodybuilder
With the lack of specialised motorsport fitness training information available, it can be easy for racing drivers with limited resources to settle on a generalised programme. Unfortunately for these drivers, the loudest community in the fitness community is bodybuilders. So they might pick up and follow a bodybuilding training programme. In other words, wasting their time.
It’s the easy option if you have limited resources - finding a free programme online
Prioritise your health
If you're not a healthy human, you will never be a successful athlete. Physical fitness directly impacts your endurance, reaction times, and mental focus on the track. Treat your body like the high-performance machine it is, and prioritize your fitness accordingly.
Manage your time with purpose
Time is your most valuable resource, and as a racing driver, your schedule is packed with races, sponsor commitments, and more. Try time blocking, where you allocate specific chunks of time for different activities. Use tools like Google Calendar to schedule your workouts, ensuring they become a non-negotiable part of your routine.
I live my life through my Google Calendar. If it isn't in my calendar, I'll never remember to do it.
Get someone to do the hard work for you
As an athlete, your focus should be on honing your driving skills and winning races. If you have the resources, hiring a coach or personal trainer to design your fitness programme can save you valuable time and mental energy. A coach can tailor workouts to your specific needs, monitor your progress, and adjust your training schedule as necessary, allowing you to concentrate on what you do best.
Make it fun
Above all, committing to your fitness shouldn't feel like a chore; it should be something you look forward to. Experiment with different types of workouts to find what excites you—whether it's high-intensity interval training, circuit training, or even activities away from racing like running. Incorporating variety into your routine not only keeps things interesting but also targets different muscle groups and prevents burnout.
Recap
In the world of motorsport, fitness often takes a back seat, but it's crucial for peak performance.
The lifestyle of a Racing driver places immense demands on you both physically and mentally. I've highlighted 5 areas that will help you make time for fitness and thus perform even better on track:
Train like a racing driver, not a bodybuilder
Manage your time with purpose
Hire a coach
Make fitness fun
