Jehan Daruvala sits in his car before a race at Circuit Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium
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Formula Racing

Learn the effects of formula racing… and how to deal with them

Red Bull Junior Driver Jehan Daruvala explains the physical and mental stresses of formula racing and how he takes them on through proper fitness.
Written by Sean Sequeira and Ishaan Bhataiya
5 min readPublished on
Formula racing is one of the most loved sports in the world. But most viewers don’t realize how demanding it can be on drivers.
Jehan Daruvala has been competing in open wheel motor racing for over 10 years now and knows exactly how physically strenuous it can be as you go higher up in the racing categories.
“F1 is probably one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. The amount of G force that drivers go through for such a long time is immense,” says Jehan.
Jehan had an impressive debut F2 season last year. He became the first Indian to win an F2 race when he crossed the finish line first at the Bahrain International Circuit on the final race weekend of 2020. Jehan is set to return to F2 in 2021, driving for Carlin Motorsport while continuing as a member of the Red Bull Junior Team.
He is aiming to reach the echelons of F1 in the near future but continues to work hard on his fitness until then.
Among the many different aspects of fitness, he is also mindful of the impact formula racing has on the body and how best to tackle those challenges.
Here are some of the effects of car racing and how Jehan regularly works through them with inputs from his osteopath Luke Selby of Pioneered Athlete Performance.

Intense heat

Jehan Daruvala prepares for a race in the FIA Formula 2 Championship at Monza Eni Circuit.

Racing overalls and the cockpit get very hot during a race

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Racing cars can become extremely hot and with the driver’s cockpit so close to the engine, there is little protection from the heat.
“Sometimes when the suit is black, it gets warmer. But I think in general cockpit temperatures go up to 60 degrees Celsius when it’s hot outside. Over time, we just get used to it. But for someone who is not a trained formula driver, to sit in a hot cockpit with a helmet for an hour would be impossible,” says Jehan.
How to deal with it: “I drink about three-and-half litres of water around each race. Without that, I’d get dehydrated,” says Jehan about dealing with the heat.

Loss of nutrients

Jehan Daruvala prepares for a race at the 2021 F3 Asian Championship at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Jehan drinks Red Bull for nutritional supplements

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Racecar drivers can lose between three and four kilograms of weight in each race, depending on the category and duration of the race. “A lot of it is due to perspiration. It’s not actually weight loss; it’s just water weight,” says Jehan. While the water is recovered quickly, perspiration also leads to loss of nutrients which can cause severe dehydration.
How to deal with it: “On the day, we make sure that Jehan is well hydrated, has all the nutrients and his body is primed to give the best performance,” says Luke. Jehan also eats a healthy meal after every race to recover nutrients lost during the race.

G forces

Jehan Daruvala competes in the 2020 F2 championship at the Bahrain International Circuit.

G force is highest when breaking and turning

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Jehan says the G force in a formula car can be tremendous and it is basically like carrying 100s of kgs during the race.
“Simplistically, 1G is the gravitational force acting upon us when we're standing on the earth. So 2Gs is feeling twice your body weight,” explains Luke.
F1 drivers can feel up to 6G during a race, which means a driver who is 60 kgs would feel the force of 360 kgs running through their body. And since their body is usually strapped in tight, they only feel this pressure in their neck.
How to deal with it: Training with heavy weights and resistance is the best way to deal with G forces.
“The training programmes these guys go through – in terms of the total volume load – it’s 100s of kilos across every session with a significant amount of demand on the neck,” says Luke.

Breaks in racing

Indian racer Jehan Daruvala trains and warms up before a race at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

Jehan working out at Yas Marina Circuit

© Ishaan Bhataiya

Every time there is a deviation from the regular high-speed race, it needs the driver to make quick adjustments.
“The safety car is the most tiring. To keep your tyres warm, you need to continuously keep weaving. My coach told me a few years ago, ‘If you're not tired during a safety car, it means you're not weaving enough.’ It’s one of the most intense parts of the race,” says Jehan.
How to deal with it: The best way to train for variations is to make sure you are prepared more than necessary for your regular race fitness.
“I've tried to always be a step ahead. When I'm competing in the categories, I make sure I'm completely fit [for the category above]. So I don’t struggle physically when it comes to driving,” says Jehan.

Mental fatigue

Jehan Daruvala prepares for a race in the FIA Formula 2 Championship at Monza Eni Circuit.

Jehan Daruvala

© Dutch Photo Agency | Red Bull Content Pool

“I feel racing is a lot more strenuous mentally than it is physically. At least for me. We go through a lot of stress from a young age. My body doesn’t tire easily. But the mind takes a toll when you do back-to-back races,” says Jehan, adding that other commitments of driving briefings, team meetings, multiple sessions in a day, press commitments, etc can add to the mental fatigue.
How to deal with it: Jehan has his mind set on getting into F1 where he will have even more commitments. By planning for bigger challenges in the future, he keeps himself ready mentally.
“I think if you’re strong physically, that also helps your mind. So, I guess the two are connected,” he adds.