Fueling the driver: Nutrition within Formula One (In a nutshell)

Written by Poppy Evans, Edited by Marit Everett

Credit: McLaren Racing

Two continuous hours of extreme temperatures, G-forces and losing multiple kilograms of sweat, Formula One drivers must face these drastic conditions every weekend and it certainly is not an easy task. In order to face these harsh conditions, nutrition and hydration are critical.

Hydration and sweat

First things first, the cockpit. Temperatures can exceed 50 degrees celsius in the cockpit, not to mention how hot it can get at races such as in Singapore or Qatar and, with great heat comes sweating…

Drivers can lose around three kilograms of sweat each race. Of course this means that they must drink water to counteract this, yet on its own it simply is not enough. Sweat contains electrolytes (such as sodium and magnesium) which are essential to keeping an equilibrium of water within the body and maintaining a constant internal environment in our bodies.  A lack of these can disrupt bodily functions. 

These disruptions can include muscle weakness, cramps, headaches, sickness and much more. None of these are idyllic when racing in a F1 car but take muscle weakness for example: how are drivers supposed to continuously apply up to 180 kg of pressure on their brakes when suffering from muscle weakness? 

This emphasises the critical need for each driver to be hydrated successfully. Otherwise, there could be serious consequences. 

Reaction times, focus and regulating nerves

Making split second decisions is not only required for optimal racing but also to maintain the drivers safety when driving at 200mph. Glucose has a major influence on the brain's ability to make decisions, react and maintain attention. If a driver has too little glucose, this is called hypoglycemia, meaning that blood glucose levels have dropped too low. This has a negative impact as glucose is the body's main source of energy consequently causing the drivers’ ability to react to incidents, continue to concentrate continuously for two hours and decide what to do in the matter of seconds, to be compromised.

Vitamin B supports stress levels by being involved in the production of serotonin, dopamine and GABA (Gamma - Aminobutyric acid). GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning it can reduce and help prevent overstimulation. It does this by blocking specific signals within the Central Nervous System. In a nutshell it does this by binding to GABA-A and GABA-B receptors on the postsynaptic membrane of a neuron (this is where nerve impulses are transmitted) which ultimately decreases the neurons ability to receive and continue to transmit the nerve impulse further around the body, creating a calming effect and reducing stress. 

Serotonin, also known as the ‘feel good chemical, allows the body to feel stable, focused, happier and less stressed. Its level can be increased through exercise, sunlight and in tryptophan (an amino acid that is essential to maintaining the body's proteins, muscle and enzymes) containing foods.

Dopamine also contributes to happiness levels and holds a role in the fight or flight response which again is a consequence of a stress causing stimulus. It is known as part of a ‘reward system’ as it allows you to feel good after a specific activity that causes pleasure. An example of this is exercise - I’m sure we all know the feeling of not wanting to do it at first, yet after you feel great. This is the effect of dopamine.

Credit: Formula One

Muscle recovery and injury prevention

After a demanding race it goes by no surprise that fatigue may set in. To conquer this, proteins from meats, protein shakes or eggs are beneficial, with berries, leafy greens and turmeric to aid the drivers by reducing muscle soreness and acting as anti-inflammatory foods.

If these foods are not eaten then it is possible that the driver may feel weaker for their next race which can be detrimental to their safety, race and the team.

Ultimately, it is evident the crucial role that nutrition and hydration play in maintaining an athletes peak health, performance and safety. Nutrition is a vast spectrum that can have drastic impacts on Formula One drivers so getting it right is essential and it is all part of a healthy balance.