Current Events > Do you consider most race car drivers to be athletes?

(+) Yeah! (+)

toepic
---

bumps
---

I'm not sure.

On one hand, they're on their ass the whole time. On the other, long drives are exhausting and it's not easy to drive at such high speeds.

Race car drivers are like the professional video gamer of the physical sports world
---

IIRC They have to be physically fit, so yes.

Even if that IIRC is wrong, id still consider them athletes, in skill if nothing else.
---

same goes for horse jockeys?
---

DoubleOSnake posted...

same goes for horse jockeys?

Riding a horse is exhausting especially when they are running full speed. Alot different than sitting in a car seat
---

SaithSayer posted...

On one hand, they're on their ass the whole time. On the other, long drives are exhausting and it's not easy to drive at such high speeds.

The Gs that Indy car racers pull is insane. A slob would be ripped apart in one of them.

Racing is way more physically demanding than you realize
---

I would consider car racing a sport, in the same way as chess or e-sports, but I wouldn't consider the drivers "athletes", again for much the same reason.
---

UnholyMudcrab posted...

Racing is way more physically demanding than you realize

This, those cars get hot as fuck and they have to endure it for hours and hours while concentrating on racing at 200 mph. The amount of stamina and coordination needed, definitely athletes.
---

Yea. Iam exhausted while driving inN2 hours. Cant imagine doing in full speed, risk of death, etc for teh same amount of time or more
---

Yeah. Formula 1 for example requires the drivers to be in top physical and mental condition.

GunmaN1905 posted...

Yeah. Formula 1 for example requires the drivers to be in top physical and mental condition.

nascar and the others don't require it?
---

voldothegr8 posted...

UnholyMudcrab posted...

Racing is way more physically demanding than you realize

This, those cars get hot as fuck and they have to endure it for hours and hours while concentrating on racing at 200 mph. The amount of stamina and coordination needed, definitely athletes.

The Bathurst 1000 is a great example of all of this. Each driver has to do a minimum of two hours in their car, and there are two drivers per car. Inside the car can get close to 60 degrees CELCIUS, with some drivers getting out of the car after long stints suffering heat exhaustion symptoms.

The track is 6.1km long and requires razor sharp senses for about 70% of it due to the track being bumpy as fuck with concrete walls everywhere and very little passing room. The race on average lasts at least 6 hours, oftentimes lasting up to 8 depending on how many accidents require a safety car.

Racing drivers are mental for what they do, especially endurance specialists.

DoubleOSnake posted...

GunmaN1905 posted...

Yeah. Formula 1 for example requires the drivers to be in top physical and mental condition.

nascar and the others don't require it?

NASCAR is mental for whole different reasons. The drivers are basically on edge for the entire race keeping their eyes open to see if someone else fucks up. If one person lapses concentration for just a second in a pack of 20 cars, you've seen the results.
---

No. And I don't say that to diminish what is required to be a good driver. Its hard, and not everyone can do it, but its not athletically demanding. It gets hot -- not athletic. They have to pay attention for a long period of time -- not athletic.

Its like the guys in those drone racing things that you see on TV every once in a while. Its difficult and I would get smoked if I tried to compete but its not because the racers are more athletic than me -- athleticism just isn't a part of the skill required to be good.
---

TiamatLover posted...

I would consider car racing a sport, in the same way as chess or e-sports, but I wouldn't consider the drivers "athletes", again for much the same reason.

This
They operate a machine. Being difficult does not make it athletic.
---

Sportsman yes, Athlete no.
---

They require to keep themselves in great athletic shape (many develop neck problems from the long term high speed forces applied to their bodies) to endure the physical and mental challenges involved, but I don't consider the actual primary skill - that is racing a car - to be an athletic endeavour.

More so in the past before power steering.
---

Lemans racing - yes
nascar - no

Being an athlete doesn't just involve physical fitness, it also involves physical skill, instincts, hand-eye coordination, concentration. You need more of that in racing than maybe any other sport where you essentially get multiple breaks and timeouts. For physical fitness, it just requires being skinny, really. Its not like you have to work on your agility, quickness, speed, etc. I think LeMans racing is demanding enough for them to be called athletes. But nascar, I mean ur fucking driving in circles, gtfo
---

this is just a variation of the old debacle of "is chess a sport or a game" isn't it?
---

Kind of a gray area tbh. They do have serious physical demands but then again a construction worker isn't an athlete either. Then again, a construction worker doesn't compete. At least, not other than for economic reasons.

I guess I'd say so.
---

The more tech they put into cars, the less and less value NASCAR racers have as athletes.

As for other racing? I don't know enough to have an opinion.
---