At first glance, being an F1 driver seems easy, especially compared to other high-performance athletes. They aren’t running around a 1.76-acre field for 90 minutes or hitting a ball as hard as they can for five sets. Instead, they sit in the cockpit of a $15 million bucket on wheels and drive around a loop for an hour and a half. Sounds pretty easy, right? Easy enough that you might even think you could be one. But trust me, you and I wouldn’t even last a second on that track. Here’s why:
On a track, an F1 driver can go from over 250 km/h on a straight to 150 km/h through tight corners within seconds (Keith 2026). These rapid changes in speed and direction subject the driver’s body to immense G-forces. G-force (gravitational force) is a measure of acceleration relative to the acceleration due to gravity. In simple terms, it describes how heavy your body feels due to changes in acceleration or direction (Rana 2025). For example, when you’re pushed back into your seat as a car accelerates, you’re experiencing G-force.
F1 drivers can experience anywhere from 2 G from acceleration to 6.5 G just braking (Rana 2025). To put this into perspective, the average F1 driver weighs 65 kg (Keith 2026). Using Newton’s second law (as shown in Equation 1), we can calculate the force experienced during braking.
F = ma (1)
where:
- F = force (newtons, N)
- m = mass (kilograms, kg)
- a = acceleration (m/s²)
Substituting the values for a braking force of 6.5 G, where 1 G = 9.84 m/s². We multiply 6.5 by 9.84 m/s² because G-force measures acceleration relative to Earth’s gravitational acceleration. A braking force of 6.5 G means the driver experiences 6.5 times the Earth’s gravity
F = (65 kg)(6.5)(9.84 m/s²) = 4,144.8 N
The driver experiences approximately 4,144.8 N of force during braking, equivalent to the weight of a 421 kg mass under Earth’s gravity—roughly the weight of an adult Arabian horse, just from braking.
The G-force is one thing; the temperatures drivers experience are another. F1 drivers wear multilayered, fire-resistant suits, gloves, and closed helmets for protection. Although beneficial for safety, this equipment also limits the body’s ability to release heat (Riedy et al., 2023). Due to the close proximity of a powerful engine, hot mechanical components, and a tightly enclosed cockpit, temperatures in the car can easily reach 50–60°C. This environment, resembling more of an air fryer than a cockpit, puts enormous strain on the driver’s body. This forces the cardiovascular system to be pushed to its limits, with heart rate, cardiac output, and oxygen consumption staying dramatically high throughout the race. (Reid et al., 2019)
It’s easy to watch an athlete on your screen and think you could do the same. However, the harsh reality is that whether they’re resisting immense G-forces or enduring extreme temperatures, F1 drivers push the limits of what humans are capable of. Their extraordinary abilities are a testament to years of rigorous training and should never be underestimated by the average person.
References
Holland, Justin, Megan Davis, and David Ferguson. n.d. “Physiological responses of race car drivers in authentic and simulated motor-racing.” Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1498686/full?utm_source
Keith, Paul. n.d. “How fast do F1 cars go? Top speeds and acceleration.” Red Bull. https://www.redbull.com/ca-en/how-fast-can-f1-cars-go.
Rana, AK. 2025. “What Is G-force and Why Is It Important in F1?” Medium. https://medium.com/@halleysclinic/what-is-g-force-and-why-is-it-important-in-f1-60bbe2a04f33.
reid, Michael B., and J. T. Lightfoot. 2019. “The Physiology of Auto Racing.” PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31246718/.
Riedy, Reannan, and Meredith McQuerry. 2023. “Thermal comfort analysis of auto-racing suits using a dynamic thermal manikin.” Sagejournals. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15280837221150649.
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