Driver weight

[Ranger]

Do you think it is right that weight loss is as important as it has become for F1 with KERS?

I'll use Michael Schumacher as a benchmark. He is 5'8" and weighed 75kg in 2004.

Nico Rosberg is about 5'9" and weighs 77kg. He is now losing weight.
Fernando Alonso is 5'7" and weighs 68kg. He is now losing weight.
Kimi Raikkonen is 5'8" and weights 68kg. He is now losing weight.
Rubens Barrichello is 5'7" and weighs 79kg. He has lost weight and is still doing so.
Sebastian Buemi is 5'8" and weighs 63kg. He is losing 5kg.
Robert Kubica is 6'1" and weighs 68 kg after last years weight loss.
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The only people who are blunt about losing weight are the Red Bull drivers:

Sebastian Vettel is 5'8" and weighs 68kg. He has gained 4kg from last year.
Mark Webber is 6'1" and weighs 75kg. He isn't losing weight.

Personally I'm not so keen on the idea of jockeys driving F1 cars and think something should be done regarding ballast placement.

Discuss.

[Garry Walker]

With KERS coming to f1, drivers have to weigh less than 70kg and KERS will immensly help the lighter drivers. So Massa and Heidfeld, because they are so small, will be advantaged, whereas drivers like Webber and Kubica, because they are so tall, are disadvantaged.

There is no way Schumacher ever weighed 75 kg. No way. 65 is more likely. The other weight statistics you have are probably wrong as well.

[leopard]

Alonso is trying to lose some weight in compliance with more benefit driver gained from KERS system.

Which part of Barichello makes him that weight? Montoya was probably a useful comparison.

[Ranger]

With KERS coming to f1, drivers have to weigh less than 70kg and KERS will immensly help the lighter drivers. So Massa and Heidfeld, because they are so small, will be advantaged, whereas drivers like Webber and Kubica, because they are so tall, are disadvantaged.

There is no way Schumacher ever weighed 75 kg. No way. 65 is more likely. The other weight statistics you have are probably wrong as well.

MS's personal website says 68kg, everywhere else says 74-75kg.

Webber is definitely 75kg - self admission the other day.
Alonso is definitely 68kg - Press release.
Kubica is definitely 68kg - self admission last year
Buemi is definitely 63kg - link (http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090211091614.shtml[/URL)

Pardon, Vettel is 64kg, 68 with suit and all.
Kimi is a lot lighter than I thought at 62kg. :\
Nico is 70kg, not 77kg.

Don't ever remember information from planetf1.com fact page!

The point, however, remains the same.

[Daniel]

I agree. There should be a 90kg weight for driver+ballast and that should be that. So there will be no incentive for drivers to lose silly amounts of weight.

[ioan]

There is no way Schumacher ever weighed 75 kg. No way. 65 is more likely. The other weight statistics you have are probably wrong as well.

While he was still racing in F1 he was reported at 68kgs for 173 cm (have no idea what that is in non-standard measuring units).

[ioan]

MS's personal website says 68kg, everywhere else says 74-75kg.

75 kg for 173 cm means you are overweight unless you are seriously into weightlifting, bodybuilding or any other sport that needs higher than usual muscular hypertrophia (or whatever it is spelled).

[Ranger]

75 kg for 173 cm means you are overweight unless you are seriously into weightlifting, bodybuilding or any other sport that needs higher than usual muscular hypertrophia (or whatever it is spelled).

I know, but for Michael that wouldn't surprise me.

One several-year-old site I saw stated that his weight on his official website was 73kg.

If you were really curious I suppose you'd have to ask his personal trainer for clarity on that one.

[gloomyDAY]

USF1's future driver.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/stinkfist01/WeeMan1.jpg

Seriously, I like the image that F1 is now portraying. Anorexics and bulimics ONLY. (/sarcasm) But seriously, the FIA should do something about the ballast before we get jockeys as F1 drivers. I really can't look at Mark Webber and say 'fatty' with confidence.

[blito]

wee man is great :)
but what about my chances? 97kg at 183cms! rules me out of anything lighter than truck racing :(

[jens]

Considering that many teams may not run KERS in 2009 at all, I don't think the driver weight issue will be so notable this year.

[jso1985]

I agree. There should be a 90kg weight for driver+ballast and that should be that. So there will be no incentive for drivers to lose silly amounts of weight.

Agree, certainly an "era" of anorexic drivers isn't really something F1 needs, plus the unnecesary risk some drivers could be put on

[call_me_andrew]

I think KERS will help the heavier drivers. Engergy is going to be stored either electronically (thus employing torquey eletric motors) or with a flywheel (pure, unadulterated torque). A car with a lot of torque is less sensitive to weight than a car with just a lot of horsepower.

[leopard]

Until the drivers prove themselves at the track whether the heavier or lighter driver will gain more benefit from Kers system I think the compromise between how much energy stored more by torque resulted by the heavier driver than how much energy needed to restore to reach the same speed as that of the lighter which usually requires less energy than the heavier. Yeah it just may be a guessing Andrew ...

[PolePosition_1]

One of the drivers (I think Rosberg) suggested that the drivers weight in the car should be taken into account, and to have variable weight limits so that all drivers are equal with regards how much they weigh.

I thought it was good idea which could be simply implemented.

[Mark]

One of the drivers (I think Rosberg) suggested that the drivers weight in the car should be taken into account, and to have variable weight limits so that all drivers are equal with regards how much they weigh.

I thought it was good idea which could be simply implemented.

But they already do don't they? The minimum weight limit includes the weight of the driver. Or is that not what you mean?

[Daniel]

But they already do don't they? The minimum weight limit includes the weight of the driver. Or is that not what you mean?

Not really. With the current system weight loss is advantageous as any weight lost on the driver can then be translated into ballast to give more favourable weight distribution for the driver.

[Garry Walker]

I think KERS will help the heavier drivers. Engergy is going to be stored either electronically (thus employing torquey eletric motors) or with a flywheel (pure, unadulterated torque). A car with a lot of torque is less sensitive to weight than a car with just a lot of horsepower.

You are WRONG.

[jonas_mcrae]

so its no longer anorexic catwalk models, its anorexic F1 drivers!!

[PolePosition_1]

But they already do don't they? The minimum weight limit includes the weight of the driver. Or is that not what you mean?

As Daniel said :) .

The total limit should be variable.

[ioan]

As Daniel said :) .

The total limit should be variable.

That would be nonsense, because the teams with heavier drivers would have a weight handicap compared to those with light drivers. It is well known that a few kgs can amount to a loss of a few tenths per lap.

[PolePosition_1]

That would be nonsense, because the teams with heavier drivers would have a weight handicap compared to those with light drivers. It is well known that a few kgs can amount to a loss of a few tenths per lap.


I ain't explained myself well - http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2009/01/30/rosberg-criticises-f1-weight-rules/

"Rosberg argues that a variable weight limit, based on the weight of individual drivers, should be installed so that the heavier drivers are not disadvantaged."

That way all drivers have same amount of ballast which they can put where they want. As pointed out, there is a good case for saying at moment heavier you are more disadvantaged you are.

[ioan]

I ain't explained myself well - http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2009/01/30/rosberg-criticises-f1-weight-rules/

"Rosberg argues that a variable weight limit, based on the weight of individual drivers, should be installed so that the heavier drivers are not disadvantaged."

That way all drivers have same amount of ballast which they can put where they want. As pointed out, there is a good case for saying at moment heavier you are more disadvantaged you are.

Well so be it, if he wants to have a higher limit for himself I bet that the other teams wouldn't complain about it. He certainly will not have a chance to be competitive with the ones driving lighter cars.
IMO Rosberg's point is not well thought.

[Ranger]

I think the best solution is to have an 80kg or 90kg driver and ballast limit and re-assign the ballast positions close to the driver, so that weight differences among drivers are minimal.

[PolePosition_1]

Well so be it, if he wants to have a higher limit for himself I bet that the other teams wouldn't complain about it. He certainly will not have a chance to be competitive with the ones driving lighter cars.
IMO Rosberg's point is not well thought.

I understand that all cars have got a limit of 600kg, but they're made as light as possible rest being made up by ballast. Why not just have a system where you only have so much ballast available, and those lighter drivers are required to put the rest under there seats, so that the heavier drivers are not disadvantaged.

[PolePosition_1]

I think the best solution is to have an 80kg or 90kg driver and ballast limit and re-assign the ballast positions close to the driver, so that weight differences among drivers are minimal.


Great minds think alike :)

[Bagwan]

Wow , dude . You must be fast , because look how big you are !

Yeah , that guys over there is that quick , but it's only because he's so light , the whole car is ballast so he doesn't float away .

I'm six foot three , and I had to give up my dream of F1 long ago .My only option was to wear heavy weights on the top of my head , so as to crush my spine down to a more suitable height .
Now , it just crushes me that these guys who eat a few cheeseburgers too many are going to be denied the chance to live the dream .
It's just not fair .

[trumperZ06]

Wow , dude . You must be fast , because look how big you are !

Yeah , that guys over there is that quick , but it's only because he's so light , the whole car is ballast so he doesn't float away .

I'm six foot three , and I had to give up my dream of F1 long ago .My only option was to wear heavy weights on the top of my head , so as to crush my spine down to a more suitable height .
Now , it just crushes me that these guys who eat a few cheeseburgers too many are going to be denied the chance to live the dream .
It's just not fair .

;) Hey Baggie,

The boys in Indy car racing have complained about Dancia's "unfair advantage".

Being a woman, she has more "body mass" located below her hips.

:D I don't know that your "weights"... would help you out in Indy Car.

:s mokin:

Cya @ the track,

Trumper