A Formula 1 driver undergoes extreme stress on their body as they race, and the high cornering speeds mean F1 drivers are subjected to immense G-forces
G-force caused by the rapid acceleration and high-speed cornering in an F1 car can make a driver feel like they weigh up to 6 times their normal weight
A driver needs to be in peak physical condition to cope with the stresses their bodies are put under throughout a 15-to-2-hour race
It’s hard to appreciate just how much g-force affects a driver in F1, as it’s like being on a rollercoaster, only a lot more stressful
Cornering at up to 190 mph pushes the driver’s internal organs around and blood pressure fluctuates wildly
What Are G-Forces?How Many G’s Does An F1 Driver Feel?Is Driving An F1 Car Like Flying A Fighter Jet?How Do F1 Drivers Prepare For The G-Forces?F1 Corners With The Highest G-Forces4 F1 Crashes With The Highest G-ForcesFinal Thoughts
G-forces are what we experience when under acceleration or deceleration in a given direction, expressed in multiples of the Earth’s gravitational pull or “g’s” F1 drivers experience these multiples when accelerating or braking, and especially so when cornering at high speeds
The second form of force, lateral, is where things get interesting for an F1 driver
Moving either forward or backward, and side to side, lateral force, or lateral g’s, is where you can feel the effect of additional force through accelerating/decelerating, or moving from side to side
For an F1 driver, the fear of floating away is negligible most of the time, so it’s lateral g’s that really put a driver’s body under stress
When it comes to lateral g’s the speed at which you travel has a massive effect
As long as you’re on the ground, you’ll usually only experience 1 g, but if you’re flying around a track at 200 mph, the lateral g’s can be massive
Rapid acceleration like putting your foot down in an F1 car will increase the forces felt, as will cornering at high speeds, as well as going from high speed to a dead stop as a driver will do when they crash
Knowing how velocity affects the g’s felt by an F1 driver helps designers massively
How Many G’s Does An F1 Driver Feel?
F1 drivers can feel anywhere up to 65 g’s during heavy braking or high-speed cornering
During a high-speed crash an F1 driver may be subjected to 50 g’s or more at the point of impact
Only top-class safety technology keeps the drivers safe under such forces
The amount of force a driver feels depends on several factors, with the most important being whether they are accelerating or decelerating
When it comes to cornering, the angle of the corner is also a consideration, as the faster a driver can go into a corner and the shape of the corner both impact the forces a driver feels
Another aspect of g-force that we should take into account is the length of time a driver feels the effects
Although a human can survive short bursts of over 100 g’s, such as in a car crash, that amount of force for more than a few seconds could be fatal
Taking a sharp corner at anywhere from 120-180 mph can exert between 4-65 g’s of force onto a driver’s body, making them feel like they are being squashed in a vice
Depending on the conditions, and the closeness of other cars which may mean a driver slows down, cornering can be 2 g’s on one corner, then 4 or 5 g’s on another
And given the number of corners each circuit has, and the number of laps that a driver is expected to complete over a full race, the physical punishment a driver takes over a two-hour race is astonishing
It is partly due to the strain a driver endures that the two-hour race limit was imposed
Mentally exhausting, and physically crushing, an F1 race takes everything a driver can give
Aside from feeling like you’ve left your stomach about half a mile back down the racetrack, the g-forces felt by a driver under maximum acceleration are around 2 g’s
Accelerating is one of the gentler parts of F1 racing oddly enough, considering F1 is all about speed
It’s still rapid, but it’s a steady line of acceleration that the driver can become accustomed to
As the car picks up speed, the forces exerted increase in tandem with the acceleration, until the driver hits either the maximum speed they can reach, or they are forced to apply the brakes
When braking, an F1 car can easily hit 5 g’s, and given the number of times in a race that a driver needs to brake as they corner or avoid other cars, a driver will feel like they have been squashed for two solid hours
Once a car’s brakes are at their peak temperature, a driver can stop very quickly, causing their internal organs to feel like they are being pushed out of their chest
An F1 car can accelerate from 0-60 in 24 seconds, hit 125 mph in about 4 seconds, and then decelerate to a dead stop within 215 feet, and this rapid increase and decrease in lateral velocity increase the g’s a driver feels dramatically
Thankfully, a driver has many ways to train themselves to deal with these stresses, but one thing a driver can’t train for when it comes to g-force is crashing
Crashing Forces
Going from 200 mph to a near stop thanks to applying the brakes is one thing, and the 5 g’s felt are expected and prepared for, but going from 200 mph down to zero because of a crash is quite another
An F1 car crashing can see g-forces of between 50 and 100 g’s, which is exactly as bad as it sounds
There has been an extraordinary amount of work put into driver safety over the past few decades, especially regarding the super-strong materials used
Is Driving An F1 Car Like Flying A Fighter Jet?
Driving an F1 car doesn’t have the same level of g-force as flying a fighter jet
However, the fighter pilots have more equipment to deal with the extreme forces involved when flying and they don’t experience high-g’s often, or for extended periods
There are inevitable comparisons between flying a fighter jet and driving an F1 car, both go at incredible speeds, both offer inherent dangers, and the g-forces that are involved are invariably out of this world
With maximum g-forces being recorded of up to 65-7 g’s on a racetrack, and around 9-10 g’s in a MiG-35 or Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet, both pilots and drivers suffer serious punishment
There are key differences, however, as a jet pilot will be wearing a G-suit, which inflates to combat the effects when the pilot goes through maneuvers that will cause extreme g-forces
An F1 driver has no such luxury and although the forces felt in an F1 car are lower than those felt in a fighter jet, they are felt more often, albeit for shorter periods of time
Both fighter pilots and Formula 1 drivers are renowned for their fondness for speed, although in this comparison it’s the pilot who yet again comes out on top
The top speed of an F1 car is around 215 mph, which is ridiculously fast
A fighter jet can reach speeds of up to Mach 18 (you know something is fast when it has to have a whole new unit for the speed) which equates to around 1,190 mph
At eyeball-popping speeds of over 1,000 mph, a fighter jet turning sharply can exert up to 9 g’s of force, making an F1 car look like an ice-cream truck turning around
Ultimately both roles are extremely dangerous and incredibly difficult to master, but they are such different roles that it’s hard to be harsh on either one in a direct comparison
An F1 driver may struggle to deal with the increase in g’s they would experience in a jet, but a pilot may find they can’t handle the reaction times needed if they were to find themselves racing in an F1 car
How Do F1 Drivers Prepare For The G-Forces?
F1 drivers must undergo extreme fitness regimes and focus on breathing exercises to prepare them for the g-forces they will experience during a race
With an emphasis on the neck and chest muscles, F1 drivers can maintain concentration and navigate complex corners under high g-forces
It’s an easy trap to fall into, assuming a motorsport driver can be as unfit as they like, as the car does all of the heavy lifting for them
The reality, however, is very different, as an F1 driver has to maintain a level of fitness that most people would consider extreme
Rigorous training allows an F1 driver to be able to withstand the incredible g-forces a race can generate
Strong neck muscles are a must if a driver is to stay focused on the race as they corner at incredible speeds, and a great deal of work is done on the trapezius muscles to increase neck strength
Side-on resistance training using a harness around the neck allows a driver to prepare for the g-forces that cornering at speed brings
F1 drivers are constantly working out in order to keep their bodies in top condition
Weight training, running, and numerous other exercises are needed to build up muscle strength
It’s a fine line though, a driver needs to try to keep a reasonable weight as the heavier they are, the heavier their car will be
Some drivers train their shoulder and neck muscles by wearing a helmet that is attached to pulleys, which drags their heads in various directions, forcing them to tense and condition their muscles
A driver will spend a large proportion of their daily exercise on building up their neck, and this low-tech yet efficient training method has proven to be great for preparing a driver for the effects of g-forces
A low center of gravity helps keep the car aerodynamic, and the same goes for the driver, so building up key muscles such as the chest and neck are important, but so is a good diet and healthy living
The higher the g-force on a driver, the harder it is to breathe properly, so ensuring a driver exercises well means they can better cope when feeling the potential 6 g’s when cornering
Running and cycling, and other cardiovascular exercises give drivers regulated breathing, and a steady heart rate, and help them make it through each burst of acceleration and each corner that little bit easier
Aiming for a heart rate of 140-170 BPM during exercises means that when racing, a driver is used to having a slightly elevated heart rate
The more comfortable a driver is when out of their comfort zone, the easier it is to manage g-force more effectively
The preparation a driver does, and the exercises they perform daily, turn what looks like a weekend job into a full-time one
The F1 corners with the highest g-forces are:
The F1 corners with the highest g-forces are:
The longer a driver spends turning at a corner, the longer they have to endure the often bone-crushing effects of g-forces of up to 6 g’s
The Australian Grand Prix has several excellent corners that test a driver to the limit
As well as being tough to navigate, the forces that the driver suffers can show who can handle the pressure
Turns one and eleven are both capable of exerting between 6 g’s and 65 g’s, and with 58 laps to cope with in a two-hour race a driver has to be ready for action as they race around the track
High G-Force Track
The readmittance of the Dutch Grand Prix at the Vandervoort racetrack is reputedly one of the most challenging circuits around in F1 today
The high-speed, fast-cornering track is expected to exert over 5 g’s of force on multiple corners
This means drivers have much less time to recover before hitting another corner that pushes their bodies to the limits
Several corners are banked, which will put not only lateral forces upon the drivers but also vertical g’s as the car is pushed down as well as laterally
Drivers will literally have to drive while feeling as if they are being folded up and put into a shoebox!
4 F1 Crashes With The Highest G-Forces
1 Jules Bianchi, Japanese Grand Prix 2014 – 254 G
On a truly dark day for F1, driver Jules Bianchi hit a tractor that was in the process of removing the crashed car of Adrian Sutil at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix
The estimated g-force from this truly heart-breaking crash was around 254 g’s
During the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean ended up hitting the wall at an odd angle at 67 g’s before his car broke in two and exploded in a horrific crash
Thankfully, Grosjean survived his crash with only second-degree burns on both hands and an injury to his leg – a lucky escape after having been sat in his burning car for some time
3 Max Verstappen, British Grand Prix 2021 – 51 G
Max Verstappen at the 2021 British Grand Prix went in to turn 9 desperately seeking championship points to keep pace with Lewis Hamilton
After colliding with Hamilton at Copse corner, Verstappen’s Red Bull car hit the wall at a spine-crunching 51 g’s
4 Fernando Alonso, Australian Grand Prix 2016 – 46 G
In 2016, Spanish driver Fernando Alonso crashed at the Australian Grand Prix
He endured an eye-watering 46 g’s and he barely hit the wall – it was simply the force of the car spinning that generated such a high amount of force
Driving in F1 is incredibly demanding, and spectators rarely get the sensation that a driver can being crushed by g-forces that can make them feel 6 times their weight in a corner
This constant battle with high g-forces is why drivers need to be so fit and look so exhausted after a race
Formula 1 racing is always about G-force loads
That is why Formula 1 racing is one of the most dangerous sports in the world
But what is G-force and how does it feel?
It might surprise you, but F1 G-force are 20 times greater than what you experience in everyday life
Racing Trend has gathered the top facts that you need to know about G-forces in Formula 1
Here is the memo: G-forces in Your everydaysHow fast is 63G of force?What is G-force in F1?How much G-force in F1?F1 max G-forcesThe highest G-forces in Formula 1 of past yearsDo F1 drivers train for G-force?Concluding G-forces in Your everydays
G-froces are what we experience when under acceleration or deceleration in a given direction
We do not have a problem with it because we are used to it, whereas high speed has changed the situation
For example, we feel uncomfortable in the lift or in the plane, especially when it is flying up or boarding
In this case, we feel more than 13G of force on our bodies
You can feel 4G of force when taking a sharp corner at 100 mph by a car
Riding a roller coaster is another way to experience huge G-forces
Formula Rossa roller coaster has a speed of 0 to 240 km/h in 49 seconds and will give you a thrilling feeling of 48Gs in your stomach as you climb heart-racing heights of 52m
There is no need to pack baggage to Africa for it, as the impact of G-forces feels great, especially while on the Flip Flap Railway
Well, let’s take your average weight and multiply it 63 times
Thus, during a 63-G turn, the hands, head and other parts of the body weigh six times harder
Thus, when you fly in a plane, you will feel the load equal to your weight
Except for those who like to hit nerves, such feelings aren’t as good as you might expect
However, Formula 1 drivers experience G-forces ten times higher!
G-force in Formula 1 refers to the powerful impact of resistance force gained at high speed, which is felt by Formula 1 drivers during high acceleration, hard braking, or even more importantly, during high-speed crashes
Therefore, the faster the driver moves, the more impact he feels
Although, there is a difference between vertical and lateral g-forces in F1
But since the 2022 Formula 1 season, all drivers have experienced the additional force of cars bouncing
Due to this, racers have been struggling with vertical g-forces when the F1 car is porpoising, which is about 06G
The average G-force in Formula 1 is about 6G and may change depending on the racing circuit
Formula 1 drivers typically experience 5G while braking, 2G while accelerating, 0,6G due to bouncing, and 6G while cornering
It also has been increasing due to heavy braking and high-speed cornering, and may reach 9G
But the most dangerous G-forces in Formula 1 come with a high-speed crash, when the driver may experience 30-60G or more at the time of impact
Of course each racing track has its own conditions and it also makes sense in terms of G-force in F1
Though F1 tracks have been upgraded year after year for safety reasons, as it happened with Spa-Francorchamps in 2021, you must keep in mind one clear formula: high loads
In F1, every track layout that includes long straights with sharp turns at the end is about massive G-forces
As a result, the driver is subjected to a G-force impact
The new Saudi Arabian racing circuit Jeddah has also been regarded as one of the most dangerous
Hence, a year after its debut with few layout changes, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2022 became one of the best F1 races of recent years
Therefore, Formula 1 drivers pacing the turns at high speed throughout the Grand Prix
The G-force a driver feels during a race and during a crash is completely different
But the faster the driver goes during the crash, the more G-force he gets
He was moving at a much faster speed, which doubled the cornering force by 15G
Senna’s crash G-force was 327G
The legendary Brazilian driver was not protected by HANS or HALO safety systems at the time
In 2004 US Grand Prix Ralf Schumacher crashed his Williams car into the walls of Indianapolis Motor Speedway due to a tire puncture
A crack in his spine developed as a result of such G-force loads
German F1 driver left the medical center, but was warned that repeated high loads would harm him
As more technologies are developed, so does the speed of F1 cars
Everyone is amazed by the speed and G-force loads of today’s F1 cars
Thus in 2014 when Jules Bianchi lost control during the Japanese Grand Prix and collided with the rear of a tractor crane carrying the car of Adrian Sutil, he suffered 254Gwas put into a medically induced coma before succumbing to his injuries in 2015
Currently, it is the highest g-force in F1 crash
The highest G-forces in Formula 1 of past years
For the last three years, there were three huge crashes with enormous g-forces for you to imagine how dangerous Formula 1 and the importance of F1 helmets
In 2019 FIA F2 young and talented driver Anthoine Hubert hit the barrier at Turn Four at Spa Francorchamps at a speed of 216km/h
Thus during the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Romain Grosjean got 67G impact when he clipped the wing of Daniil Kvyat’s AlphaTauri
The car was pushed into the barrier and separated, causing a massive fireball
In 2021 Max Verstappen reflected 51G impact when he struck the barrier at a sideways after collision with Lewis Hamilton on British Grand Prix
In 2022, Shumacher had a horror accident with 33G impact at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when he crashed into the concrete wall at over 150mph!
As you already know, G-force load increases your weight
Thus, the body feels nine times heavier
As 5G may have a very negative impact on human health, how do F1 drivers face 6G and still feel well after two hours of racing?
It is a protective head restraint that keeps the driver safe and helps them cope with pressure
F1 drivers wear a HANS device around their necks
All these devices provide almost full safety for the head of the F1 driver
But there is another key to F1 drivers struggling with huge F1 G-force loads well
Do F1 drivers train for G-force?
You may have noticed how frequently Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen train their necks, hands, and spines
They pull and hold weights with these in the gym, which is very similar to resisting g-forces at the racing track
A strong neck, shoulders, and hands are crucial in racing an F1 car
In Formula 1, Pierre Gasly and Alonso have the strongest necks, like Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton
Concluding Everyday, we experience G-force, when we fly in a plane or even when we are up in a lift
When it happens to us for the first time, we feel a bit uncomfortable
We feel fine with these small loads now that we have become accustomed to them
Although, F1 G-force is about a different level of impact
Massive loads and high resistance forces are involved
Roller coasters can be like this, but they happen once, while 10G is the maximum force a human can survive
F1 drivers can feel the effects of 6G throughout the entire 2 hour race
They feel 5G while braking, 2G while accelerating, 0,6G due to bouncing
The drivers are most affected by F1 G-forces during a high-speed crash
The G-forces in Formula 1 have been increasing, as the new F1 cars are different
Drivers today have special safety systems like HANS and HALO, but even these cannot guarantee 100% safety
Thus, G-force training is an essential part of their workouts