HOW F1 DRIVERS STAY CALM AND COOL DURING RACES

Formula One is one of the most hotly contested games in the world. With a mad dash to the chequered line in a hot cockpit and a high chance of a dangerous fender bender, F1 drivers must stay calm and cool during races.

Sweating through a 200 mph drive for 120 minutes in tight spaces requires nerves of steel. The kerb could be in your face within a millisecond of miscalculation.

F1 drivers stay calm and cool during races by lowering the temperature of their bodies. Too much heat could lead to light-headedness while driving at dizzying speeds. 

Drivers wear breathable Nomex suits. They also drink from a bottle of cool electrolyte drink while in the cockpit. Fans blowing cool air through tubes connected to their helmets make for cool heads during races.

HOW THEY PREPARE BEFORE THE RACE

F1 drivers do conditioning exercises to stay calm. These exercises train the abdomen, lumbar, buttocks, arms, legs, and other parts they use to maintain sharpness. They ride bicycles, engage in canoeing, and take part in racing for long periods outside the race season.

Formula 1 drivers use a simulator modeled after a real F1 cockpit. The simulator recreates racing scenarios like low fuel level, changing aerodynamic drag, and broken wings to help prepare for life on the track.

F1 drivers also scout tracks before race days to learn about nasty kerbs, run-off strips, pit lanes, and tire maintenance on the tarmac.

Drivers receive routine psychological evaluations to teach them how to stay focused for long hours.

STEPS F1 DRIVERS DO BEFORE A RACE TO STAY CALM

Formula 1 drivers follow different steps to stay calm before races. 

• Less than three hours before the race, drivers rely on electrolyte-charged drinks to keep them hydrated and sharp.
• One hour before the race, Formula 1 drivers engage in reaction drills and stretch their limbs and muscles to prepare their minds.
• About 40 minutes before the race, F1 drivers do a flying lap to get first-hand experience of a circuit and shed last-minute nerves.
• Some F1 drivers listen to music for inspiration and keep their minds on the race.
• Drivers may take power naps to keep them relaxed mentally.

CAN THEY TAKE SEDATIVES TO STAY CALM? IS IT ALLOWED?

Sedatives and performance enhancement drugs are banned in Formula One. Drivers take unexpected tests in hotel rooms, at home, and on race days to check for substance abuse.

In a sport that requires apt concentration, steroids could lead to vision impairment and lax reflexes. Some, like amphetamines, remove the perception of danger. 

Beta-blockers that improve motor-handling skills can negatively affect how the heart responds during an accident. It is, therefore, in the best interest of F1 drivers to police their diets and avoid sedatives.

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