How Do Race Car Drivers Use the Bathroom
Update - April 14, 2021
There are several questions as to how the F1 Drivers pee when they are involved in a race. Do they have a special suit which they wear so they can pee while driving the car at high speeds? Or they have to hold the pee and wait for the next pit stop? But if they do the latter then they will be easily left far behind? In this article, we showcase what these F1 Drivers do.
Formula 1 is one of the most technologically advanced and ultramodern single-seater auto racing events that exist on the planet. Along with MotoGP, these races involve automobiles worth millions of dollars racing with pinnacles of technology integrated into every piece of the car. So well, you might be thinking, man, this stuff is so cool and surely they have some kind of a system for peeing integrated into the racing suits . Yeah well, THEY DONT have any such set-up! Instead, F1 drivers pee inside their race suits during the race. Read on...
So what does an F1 driver do when hes racing at 230 mph, tolerating 6g cornering forces, wearing a fireproof suit and realizes shit dude, I gotta freaking pee! Damn! Well since stopping the car and using the restroom is not really an option if they want to keep their jobs of racing the fastest cars in the world and getting paid millions of dollars (hate your job right now? yeah me too.) They simply pee inside their suits. No fancy-schmancy tubes or systems. Nothing. They pretty much wet themselves.
Also Read: Triumph Trident 660 - The Most Affordable Triumph Launched in India; Price, Specs, Features etc.
Not convinced? Don't worry weve come with substantial evidence to corroborate our claims. For example, heres a video of Narain Karthikeyan admitting that many F1 drivers pee inside their cars while racing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GySphLZeadY
Were not done yet. Five-time world champion, the man himself, Lewis Hamilton too in an interview as reported by The Mirror admitted that drivers are supposed to urinate in their suits. He was quoted as saying, "You're supposed to go in your suit, but I can't do it. I've never done it. But there are drivers that do
It is believed that even if the drivers do wet themselves, the suit becomes dry in almost no time since the temperatures are so hot in the car. For the smell, a little bit of Gatorade or water over the suit and Sherlock himself wouldnt know what transpired under there.
Heres the thing, the cockpit of an F1 car is hot. And when I say hot I mean hot enough to scald a lizard. The temperatures can soar to more than 50 degrees Celsius. Add to that, the fact that the driver is suited up in several layers of fireproof clothing and what you get is a lot of perspiration. Its well known that drivers lose about 5-7 pounds of fluid easily during a race. It is pretty intense out there and the fluid loss, as well as the heat and physical strain, can put drivers under extreme bodily discomfort which can cause severe exhaustion and if it lasts long enough maybe even a loss of consciousness.
To make sure that this doesnt happen, there are steps in place to ensure that all the fluid that the driver loses through perspiration is duly replaced. Even before the race starts, the driver is continuously consuming a hypotonic fluid which you might have witnessed on your television sometimes. They always have a bottle in their hand which they are drinking out of. In the race, The F1 car has a built-in drinks system that pumps fluid into the mouth of the car driver every time he pushes a button known as the drinks button on the steering. There is a tube that runs all the way from the fluid bag through the drivers helmet and into his mouth. Since they are constantly drinking and replenishing their bodily fluids, there is a small possibility that despite the crazy sweating, this could lead to the production of more urine as well.
The drink that drivers consume varies from driver to driver and his physical constitution. However, if you think theyre sipping pina Coladas and racing, well you couldnt be more wrong. Its usually a glucose-based drink having high amounts of vitamins, minerals and electrolytes to help restore the electrolyte balance and pump essential nutrients into his body to help the driver function. It is a hypotonic drink since an isotonic solution that is very watery wont be of much help due to slower absorption. The drink is also not cold owing to the temperatures inside the cockpit, and kind of resembles warm tea in taste.
Also Read: Honda CB 350 RS Launched in Japan as GB 350 S - India vs Japan Price Comparison
Before I conclude, there is another reason why drivers end up peeing - it's for their own safety. A filled bladder is a lot like a water-filled balloon. Now imagine throwing the same balloon, with full force, against a wall! A similar result could occur if a driver has a nasty crash at high speed when his bladder is full - internal injuries could be grave. So, the next time you see an F1 driver getting off his car post a race and sprinkling water or other liquids all over his suit (to wade off the smell), you know exactly what went down during the race!
If you liked reading this article then make sure you are a member of our exclusive 91Wheels Telegram group where we bring you all the latest updates related to the Indian Automotive Industry.
How Do Race Car Drivers Use the Bathroom
Source: https://www.91wheels.com/buyers-guide/how-do-f1-drivers-pee
0 Response to "How Do Race Car Drivers Use the Bathroom"
Post a Comment