The physiology of F1, and what we can learn from it
F1 is a sport that requires a perfect type of body composition, strong technical skills and it´s just as much a mental game as a physical one. In this article I will focus on some of the thermodynamical & aerobic challenges the F1 drivers has, but also give some sports scientific insights in how we can learn and adapt to the physiological challenges.
the endurance part of it
During a race, an F1 driver's heart rate sits above 170 beats per minute — sustained, for an hour and a half. All this while handling 20 inputs, being in marginal situations and talking with the tactical team leaders.
Teams test the riders capacity with a VO2max test or with a brutal three-minute all-out sprint — not jogging, full sprinting — with the goal of covering 900 meters. Norris described it as one of the hardest things he’s done. This isn’t sadism; it’s maximal aerobic power testing. The protocol maps to specific energy system stresses that mirror what the body faces under sustained G-forces while the cognitive load of a race runs in parallel.
In some ways, the VO2max test is not the most relevant test a F1 driver could do to asses his performance