Here Is Why F1 Drivers Are Weighed – One-Stop Racing
Have you seen the results of an F1 race and observed the racers thronging around the scales after the race? It’s not something done to make a point; it is vital for many reasons.
F1 drivers are weighed following every race to fulfill two purposes. One is to know the amount of weight they shed in a race. The second step is to ensure their vehicles and drivers stay within the weight limit set in the rules.
This article will discuss why F1 cars and drivers are weighed following each race. We will also look at why weight is important in F1, the weight limits in F1, the weight average of drivers, and how much weight a racer can lose in a single race. Therefore, continue reading to learn everything you need about drivers’ weight in F1. There is no need to weigh to understand the weight of a driver, So let’s get the pedal to the floor.
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Why Are F1 Drivers Weighed?
F1 drivers are assessed for technical and medical reasons. These are described below.
Medical Reasons: It is essential to determine exactly how much weight a racer has lost after the race to ensure appropriate steps can be taken following the race. It is common for drivers to lose 4 and 5kg in each race, and we will discuss the reasons in greater detail later in the post.
This is a substantial amount of weight loss in just two hours, and the majority results from sweat. Thus, health and fitness staff must be aware of this fact to assist drivers in picking the weight back up.
It is also essential to be aware of the weight of a driver because the event they’ve lost more weight than normal during a race, the next training session week should consider this and may be less intensive.
Technical Reasons: F1 cars with the driver on board must weigh at least 764 kg (1684 lbs). The drivers and cars are measured after each race to ensure they stay within that weight throughout the event. F1 cars have become heavier in recent years, principally because of improvements in safety equipment. It is, therefore, crucial to ensure teams do not compromise on vital safety features to reduce the weight of their cars.
Drivers are not weighed with their vehicles since they can be weighed more quickly than the cars. This means that they can swiftly begin the celebrations after races and interviews or other obligations.
Does Weight Matter in F1?
Weight is one of the most crucial aspects of F1, and the connection between speed and weight is fairly simple to understand. Consider if you need to run 100 meters on a track. If you’re running with a backpack filled with bricks, you’ll be significantly slower than if you completed the same distance without a backpack full of bricks.
With F1, It is the same. The heavier the car is and the heavier it is, the more the engine can push ahead. It is crucial to minimize any extra weight on the car, which could affect the car’s lap time. In a competition such as F1, where drivers could be separated by just a couple of milliseconds, it’s crucial to ensure the car’s speed is as high as possible.
However, the weight of the driver (within reason) doesn’t matter anymore because of new rules being put into place in the year 2019. Learn more about these rules and how they can benefit the sport.
What Are The Rules Regarding Driver Weight In F1?
Following the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), who manages Formula 1 and creates the sport’s rules, the minimum weight for both the seat and driver is (176lbs). If a driver weighs less than that weight, ballasts must be added onto the cockpit to boost the weight up to 80kg.
This law was introduced in 2019 to lessen the drawbacks of having large, heavy drivers. Before implementing these rules the small and light driver had the greatest benefit.
For instance, Alpha Tauri’s driver, 2021’s Yuki Tsunoda, only weighs in at 54kg (119 lbs), while Kimi Raikkonen is around 70kg (154 lbs). The difference in weight is more than fifteen kilograms (33 lbs).
Before this, it could have been a significant benefit for Alpha Tauri due to being able to claim that the motor is smaller and, therefore, lighter. But the new rules clarify that this won’t be an issue and makes the playing field.
This rule change was crucial for larger drivers who needed to eat less to maintain a competitor’s weight. This meant they weren’t in top physical condition due to poor eating.
In addition, several drivers favored these rules since they needed to reduce their weight as they were in the past. Valtteri Bottas, a Mercedes driver, said, “I think the regulation is a good thing, particularly for taller drivers. It makes life simpler.” He further stated, “Many drivers had to be at or below their natural weight, and it’s extremely easy to fall ill or get sick. The first time in many years when I didn’t have any flu or sickness .”
Average Weight Of Formula 1 Driver
The weight statistics for most Formula 1 drivers are not publicly accessible. This year, drivers from F2 have reliable weight statistics because their weights are available on the F2 website. However, their weight for F1 drivers isn’t published in the F1 website; therefore, the publicly available numbers are only sometimes 100% reliable.
The fastest driver in 2021 is probably Yuki Tsunoda, with a weight of 54kg. The most hefty driver is believed to be Lewis Hamilton, who is 73kg. Most F1 drivers are between 65-70kg (143-154lbs); however, some smaller drivers weigh a little less.
But, drivers must stay within this weight since when racing suits (which are very heavy because it’s fireproof) and the helmet (about 1.2kg) along with the seats, drivers do not need to exceed 80kg. So, drivers must weigh between 75 and 76kg to avoid adding unnecessary weight.
How Much Weight Do F1 Drivers Lose During A Race?
Formula 1 is a physically demanding sport for drivers. Due to the extreme forces that the drivers endure when racing, the strain on their bodies is huge. Like any other sport requiring extreme physical effort, racers sweat a lot.
In contrast to other sports in which athletes wear shorts and a T-shirt constructed from lightweight materials, F1 drivers wear thick, heavy race suits that are fireproof and helmets. The race suits weigh about 1kg, and drivers also wear undershirts, underwear, and a balaclava made of the same fireproof material. To this, temperatures inside the driver’s seat inside the F1 car can be as high as 50 degrees Celsius (122degF).
This is a sign of how hot and exhausting for drivers when they participate in the course of an F1 race. In the end, drivers typically lose around 2-3kg during a race. The loss can be as high as 4kg when conditions are hotter, for instance, in racing held in Singapore and Malaysia. This is because the outside temperature is significantly warmer than in other places, which means that the cockpit’s temperature increases.
Conclusion
The weight of a car is crucial in F1. Weight can slow cars down, but too much weight could compromise the safety of drivers. Finding the ideal proportion between speed and the safety features required to safeguard drivers is essential.
It is, therefore, crucial to ensure the rules are followed, which is why F1 racers and vehicles are tested after every race.
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