Did you know? F1 drivers hold their breath for 70% of the race at the Monaco Grand Prix.

"G-forces affect not only the driver's muscles, but also their breathing," says Dr. Paulmier. "Endurance exercises and cardio work are therefore an important part of preparation. These exercises help train the heart and lungs to be more efficient when drivers find a moment to breathe during a race."

Tours approached like a ballet

In Monaco, a street circuit with recurring curves, drivers can thus spend 70% of the race holding their breath! "The more corners there are to negotiate quickly, the more the constraints are repeated and the more apnea will be present," summarizes Dr. Paulmier. "They must be able to adapt and find their rhythm between periods of recovery and periods of apnea and muscle contractions. All this for 2 hours. And there are other elements to take into consideration, such as the level of stress linked to the danger, adrenaline and heat."

The development of simulators has thus played a key role in the approach to races, the visualization of trajectories and the related constraints.

The more a driver masters a circuit, the more he or she will know when to tense his or her muscles to absorb external forces or even interact with the pits via radio. "Each lap is like a ballet, in which drivers, like boxers, take blows in the corners. And when they hold their breath, their heart rate rises very, very quickly. It can reach 200 beats per minute ."

Single-seaters are now equipped with hundreds of sensors that allow for monitoring of the car and driver. The IoT (Internet of Things) allows engineers to collect biometric data such as heart rate, breathing, perspiration, body temperature, etc. This data is increasingly shared live with viewers.