Alonso another driver to lose weight for car performance

[machin]

It seems unfair that the smaller drivers get an advantage out of this (as they always have done), -wouldn't it be fairer if there was a minimum driver weight... if any driver is under that weight then ballast must be added to a designated area (say behind the seat, middle of the back sort of height)... this would make things a bit fairer.... (having said that I'm not advocating that F1 drivers should be overweight... of course they should be fit, but then being fit would still benefit the driver even if there were a minimum weight).

[enkidu]

I totally agree with this, I hate it when I go karting and have a little guy beat me because of he's weight not skill!

[xpensive]

As far as I understand, the car's minimum weight is already measured with the driver included, however, a lghter driver allows for ballast to be placed very low.

But, I don't think there's any rule yet against a bottom-heavy and air-headed driver?

[Shaddock]

It seems unfair that the smaller drivers get an advantage out of this (as they always have done), -wouldn't it be fairer if there was a minimum driver weight... if any driver is under that weight then ballast must be added to a designated area (say behind the seat, middle of the back sort of height)... this would make things a bit fairer.... (having said that I'm not advocating that F1 drivers should be overweight... of course they should be fit, but then being fit would still benefit the driver even if there were a minimum weight).

The cars all way the same at the start of the race. It would be difficult to dictate to teams where they have to put the ballast, and trying to calculate the cars CG. Lighter drivers will have more ballast to play with allowing finer tuning of the chassis setup. This was one of the reasons why Kubica outdrove Heidfeld last year.

Some karting formula's have ballast to even driver weights up.

[i70q7m7ghw]

I don't think it's as big a deal as the drivers like to make out. Look at Montoya, he was always a bit chubby, even when he was at McLaren and he was still fast.

[ISLAMATRON]

As far as I understand, the car's minimum weight is already measured with the driver included, however, a lghter driver allows for ballast to be placed very low.

But, I don't think there's any rule yet against a bottom-heavy and air-headed driver?

exactly, this is a non issue... F1 is alot more fair than say the IRL was a couple years ago when Danica Patrick had a 50LB advantage on the field becuz the minimum weight did not include the driver.

Maybe they should remove the power steering from F1 cars so strength is more of a factor so these tiny little guys lose a little of their already small advantage.

Alonso allways looked like he had a couple lbs he could shed, especially off that double chin.

[Roland Ehnström]

Lighter drivers will have more ballast to play with allowing finer tuning of the chassis setup. This was one of the reasons why Kubica outdrove Heidfeld last year.

Huh? Heidfeld is one of the smallest drivers on the grid, while I believe Kubica is one of the tallest. Nick is 167 cm and 61 kg according to his personal website, and I am pretty sure Robert is a fair bit longer as well as heavier.

Edit: According to http://formula1.about.com/od/profiles/p/kubica.htm Kubica is 6' and 160 lbs, which equals 183 cm and 72.5 kg.

[ISLAMATRON]

Lighter drivers will have more ballast to play with allowing finer tuning of the chassis setup. This was one of the reasons why Kubica outdrove Heidfeld last year.

Huh? Heidfeld is one of the smallest drivers on the grid, while I believe Kubica is one of the tallest. Nick is 167 cm and 61 kg according to his personal website, and I am pretty sure Robert is a fair bit longer as well as heavier.

Edit: According to http://formula1.about.com/od/profiles/p/kubica.htm Kubica is 6' and 160 lbs, which equals 183 cm and 72.5 kg.

That was before the Kubica slimfast diet and Nick grew that heavy beard.

[wesley123]

That realy aint healthy, im 190 cm 16 years old and i weight 65 kilos, heidfeld and kubica really arent healthy, im almost heavier then kubica and im really underweight.

[roost89]

That realy aint healthy, im 190 cm 16 years old and i weight 65 kilos, heidfeld and kubica really arent healthy, im almost heavier then kubica and im really underweight.

Weight isn't directly comparable to fitness. Take a Rugby player for example, they can weigh upwards of 14 stone (89kg) and they're very very fit people.

[vyselegend]

Weight isn't directly comparable to fitness. Take a Rugby player for example, they can weigh upwards of 14 stone (89kg) and they're very very fat people.

Corrected your typo.



On a more serious note, I think there is no danger for the driver's health. If you look at the article, Fabrizio Borra says: "He cannot lose any more weight, because if he does he starts to lose strength and that is not what we want."

Which means they are very aware of the exact potential of his body, and what is managable versus what would be exess.

The problem of racing favouring small and light people is ancestral! Whatever animals were used to race through human history (horses, camels, even rhinos in India I believe!), the small people have always been advantaged... In other sports, this is often the opposite (like rugby indeed ), so I'd say it's fair.

[Shaddock]

Lighter drivers will have more ballast to play with allowing finer tuning of the chassis setup. This was one of the reasons why Kubica outdrove Heidfeld last year.

Huh? Heidfeld is one of the smallest drivers on the grid, while I believe Kubica is one of the tallest. Nick is 167 cm and 61 kg according to his personal website, and I am pretty sure Robert is a fair bit longer as well as heavier.

Edit: According to http://formula1.about.com/od/profiles/p/kubica.htm Kubica is 6' and 160 lbs, which equals 183 cm and 72.5 kg.

I wasn't comparing the drivers like for like. Kubica lost a lot of weight at the start of the year and this allowed his engineers to add and extra 5kg of ballast to the nose of the car. This worked his front tyres harder and generally improved the handling of the car. This along with the removal of engine braking last year was one of the reasons he out performed Nick.

[nae]

loosing weight from the driver is probably the cheapest way to gain performance
with (as noted above) the added benefit of replacing it with ballast

[ConsFW]

I don't understand why people complain about how small people have an advantage in motorsport.

Do we see people whining about how unfair it is for taller basketball players to have an advantage? How about volleyball, tennis, or almost any other sport? Physical attributes are inseparable elements of a person's ability and what we refer to as talent. Do you think Shaquille O'Neal (basketball player) would be as successful if he were not 2.15m tall? Would Michael Phelps (olympic swimmer) be as successful if it were not for his height and unique body proportions? The success of athletes in their sport depend on their own natural born physical characteristics combined with their training and determination.

Life isn't fair, people are not born with identical bodies. If you're heavier, taller, and are in this aspect disadvantaged in motorsport, deal with it. The same thing is true if you're lighter, smaller, and disadvantaged in any other sport.

[pete555]

Renault have more to gain than the other teams though,
Thy can lower the CoG by 2 feet on the car just by moving the chip on fernando's shoulder down to his ass