Anatomy of a race car driver

[garyshell]

I saw this article, in print in the latest Wired magazine and found a link to it now on line.

http://www.wired.com/special_multimedia/2008/pl_motor

A nice read, keep it handy for the next time you hear someone say that race car drivers aren't athletes.

Gary

[F1boat]

I think that during F-1 race a driver loses 5 kg of his weight. I amn not sure, though, heard it somewhere.

[dataman1]

I recall when Dr. Olvey was CART medical director in the mid to late 90's that a few drivers were wired for several parameters like heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, etc.. If memory serves me well for 500 miles at MIS I recall extended periods of heart rates around 160 beats per minute while cruising, peaking at >200 with pit stops. FYI, the maximum predicted heart rate for a 20 year old is 200, for age 25 - 195, age 30 - 190. Translation: During normal racing on a big oval the heart rates were 80 - 85% of their maximum predicted rates and they met or exceeded that maximum during pit stops.

I would like to see similar data from a marathon runner for comparison.

[!!WALDO!!]

I recall when Dr. Olvey was CART medical director in the mid to late 90's that a few drivers were wired for several parameters like heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, etc.. If memory serves me well for 500 miles at MIS I recall extended periods of heart rates around 160 beats per minute while cruising, peaking at >200 with pit stops. FYI, the maximum predicted heart rate for a 20 year old is 200, for age 25 - 195, age 30 - 190. Translation: During normal racing on a big oval the heart rates were 80 - 85% of their maximum predicted rates and they met or exceeded that maximum during pit stops.

I would like to see similar data from a marathon runner for comparison.

They did that to Graham Hill in 1968 while turn record speeds at Brands Hatch and his heart rate was lower than when he was outside the car.

For what it worth....

(NO REFERENCE, IMPLIED OR REAL TO ANY POSTER, LIVING, DEAD, or NOT YET BORN.)

[GP-M3]

They did that to Graham Hill in 1968 while turn record speeds at Brands Hatch and his heart rate was lower than when he was outside the car.

That sounds really suspect, and flys in the face of prevailing views... do have any semblance of proof on that one.

Here's a study I just found:
http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=4285

[markabilly]

I have seen another "study" somewhere that talked of a driver who had a very slow heart rate while driving an F1 car in a race, but most others who had very high rates. There was one done in motogp a few years ago, the Rossi to have a relatively slow heartbeat, esp given the physical activity involved in the race.

[AAReagles]

I have seen another "study" somewhere that talked of a driver who had a very slow heart rate while driving an F1 car in a race, but most others who had very high rates...
Not to get sidetracked on F1, but I remember reading about such tests being conducted on Ferrari drivers back in 1981 at Monaco, and their results varied. Of course, one of those drivers happened to be G. Villenueve... so I'm not sure if that would have been a fair comparison.

[!!WALDO!!]

That sounds really suspect, and flys in the face of prevailing views... do have any semblance of proof on that one.

Here's a study I just found:
http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=4285


So I am making up something that occurred 40 years ago this month. Do you also realize that Graham did not even know how to drive a car until age 21. He had ice water for blood and never got nervous.

Jim Clark chewed his fingernails before a race. Graham took a nap in the cockpit.

(NO REFERENCE, IMPLIED OR REAL TO ANY POSTER, LIVING, DEAD, or NOT YET BORN.)