Racing Drivers

[sebby]

Apologies if there's already a board for this but as I was watching the Baku Grand Prix earlier it zoomed in on an engineer bouncing their leg (probably nothing but that doesn't have to stop the imagination). It made me think about how often drivers must wet themselves given all the fluids they need to stay hydrated and the 2-hour long races. Any thoughts?

I found this video of Lando Norris audio where he's told to hold it unless he's desperate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBxZaObLwCQ

[Fred]

Apologies if there's already a board for this but as I was watching the Baku Grand Prix earlier it zoomed in on an engineer bouncing their leg (probably nothing but that doesn't have to stop the imagination). It made me think about how often drivers must wet themselves given all the fluids they need to stay hydrated and the 2-hour long races. Any thoughts?

I found this video of Lando Norris audio where he's told to hold it unless he's desperate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBxZaObLwCQ

Lando Norris must have had to go pretty urgently to ask. I have read that drivers often pee in their uniforms, and that it doesn't show because of the fireproof material they are made of.

[Brian]

I love the clip. As Fred says, he must have had to go urgently because it's a pretty embarrassing question and he must have known it would not be very well received. You can imagine the tricky decision he must have had to make on hearing the answer "yes, if you're desperate, but I'd rather you didn't...".

Motor racing is definitely a sport where this must happen a lot. Unlike physical sports you're not sweating the fluids out during the long time that you're in action. I'm pretty sure that somewhere we've got another video clip link on this site with racing drivers describing how they've wet themselves during a race or heard about others who did. I can't find it at them moment though.

Funny how "pit stops" are strictly only for tyre changes and not for a quick pee which is probably often also needed!

[Fred]

I think in some races the drivers do sweat a lot. The fireproof suit they wear keeps body heat in, and the hot engine adds to it. So I'm quite sure they hydrate as well as possible, and it would be possible to hydrate too much! If you've watched them change tires at a pit stop you know that takes just seconds, certainly no time for a pee.

[sebby]

Yes, I really felt for Lando but also wanted him to either say 'no I'm about to wet myself,' or stubbornly try (and fail) to hold it.
I fell down a rabbit hole last night of driver interviews. Many get embarrassed when asked though I have seen an interview where the driver proudly admits he wet himself but I can't seem to find it!

[bladder]

Racing drivers have to stay well-hydrated during races, and it seems that should the need become too great a number of them just let go in their suits. I'd imagine that being so hydrated and sweating so much, particularly on the longer races, just letting go is the simplest option. Additionally, I found this article which mentioned that having a full bladder while making sharp turns or during a crash can cause a serious risk of the bladder bursting, or other internal organ damage, so just letting go would seem to be the most sensible thing.
https://flowracers.com/blog/do-f1-drive ... conditions.

[Fred]

Racing drivers have to stay well-hydrated during races, and it seems that should the need become too great a number of them just let go in their suits. I'd imagine that being so hydrated and sweating so much, particularly on the longer races, just letting go is the simplest option. Additionally, I found this article which mentioned that having a full bladder while making sharp turns or during a crash can cause a serious risk of the bladder bursting, or other internal organ damage, so just letting go would seem to be the most sensible thing.
https://flowracers.com/blog/do-f1-drive ... conditions.

Good article!

[sebby]

Racing drivers have to stay well-hydrated during races, and it seems that should the need become too great a number of them just let go in their suits. I'd imagine that being so hydrated and sweating so much, particularly on the longer races, just letting go is the simplest option. Additionally, I found this article which mentioned that having a full bladder while making sharp turns or during a crash can cause a serious risk of the bladder bursting, or other internal organ damage, so just letting go would seem to be the most sensible thing.
https://flowracers.com/blog/do-f1-drive ... conditions.

Really interesting article, thanks!

[cutsleeve]

you just need to make sure to tense your abs if a lot of pressure is put on it during a turn by the racing harness. why don't they vent more outside air into the driver's area in the races?? they can have an air duct that brings in air from the front of the car where it cools into the driver's area. I wrestled my matches and my practices too with a very full bladder and did very well in the matches and was a beast in them. for practice, I had not gone all day before practice so I would be used to wrestling with it full. for wrestling matches, we pissed right before weight in having held it getting up to make sure you could piss before weight in as you were dehydrated from having not eaten or drunk anything for a day or two. then would drink both mt dew and an electrolyte solution after weight in a lot of it. my bladder would be swelling watching the other wrestlers then by the time I stepped on the mat it would be really full and I would be a demon on the mat because it was full. most of the other wrestlers did the same. you lose a lot of your edge and aggression and speed and ability and stamina if you piss before your match.