Motorsport Demands and Effective Practices Part 1: The Demands
Cars racing on a track.
Athletes flourish and grow in their chosen sport as they come to learn, understand, and master the unique demands of the sport. The first step, however, is identifying those unique demands. This blog post explores motor sports athletes' physical, physiological, psychological, and competitive demands as an example. Then we will have the opportunity to understand what effective practices may be beneficial to motor sport athletes in the second part of this blog. Spoiler alert! We will have the opportunity to engage in more talk about deliberate practice.
Physical, Physiological, and Psychological Demands
Motorsport drivers face many physical, physiological, and psychological demands. When evaluating physical stressors, it is essential to account for environmental circumstances, such as exposure to carbon monoxide from the vehicle, that affect athletes' bodies via increased physiological stress (Reid & Lightfoot, 2019). Other types of physical stress encompass the energetic asks of the different muscles to ensure nuanced control of the race vehicle and proper body posture while being exposed to high gravitational loads that increase fatigue risk (Reid & Lightfoot, 2019). While much of what has already been shared may be considered relatively straightforward, another consideration is the competitive series that adds nuance and detail to physical demands. McKnight et al. (2019) conducted a series of tests that demonstrated that the physical demands required of each competition series necessitated different levels of fitness for the driver. Thus, understanding athletes' physical demands and training needs also means understanding the series they are racing in.
Transiting to physiological stress, athletes face long periods where their cardiovascular systems must endure elevated heart rate, cardiac output, and oxygen consumption (Reid & Lightfoot, 2019). Connected to the above data, Carlson et al. (2014) conducted research with stock car drivers to understand the thermoregulatory and physiological stress that arises from competitive racing and confirmed increased cardiovascular stress, thermal stress, and fluid loss from the conditions created during racing. While some of the physiological stress sounds like it could arise from a triathlete racing in the heat, the unique interactions and connections with the physical and psychological stressors help distinguish these physiological stressors as unique to athletes involved in auto racing.
Within the realm of psychological stress, athletes reflect the stress in the autonomic and endocrine bodily responses during their stints of drive time at races (Reid & Lightfoot, 2019). Examining all of these potential demands for athletes provides a window into what their training must take into account and how best to approach training. However, it is vital to consider that there will be variations in different contexts that athletes, coaches, and consultants must be aware of that provide additional data. Filho et al. (2015) conducted a study to evaluate the multi-action plan (MAP) model related to psychophysiological patterns differing between optimal and suboptimal performances of athletes. Their research was congruent with previous MAP model studies, where psychophysiological states differ based on performance level and attentional demands (Filho et al., 2015). The importance of this research not only highlights what techniques can help an athlete develop, but also the mind-body connection and the nuances that occur in relationship to other factors.
Competitive Demands
As with other sports, auto sport athletes face their share of competitive demands. One of the most unique demands of auto racing is the addition of the car. Van Kesteren and Bergkamp (2023) refer to the car as the material that is an essential factor in an athlete's success. Once again, the series that the athlete is competing in is essential to consider. To demonstrate the impact of resource gaps, van Kesteren and Bergkamp (2023) compare Formula One cars, which are crafted by different companies based on available technological and financial resources by an athlete and their team, to a spec series where every car has the same specifications crafted by the same company. The contrast demonstrates that athletes and their teams with more available resources have a better chance at a good performance. Thus, competing is no longer just about the athlete's skill as a driver. There is another factor that helps determine performance.
Another unique competitive demand lies within the type of injury awareness. In their research with stock car drivers, Ebben and Suchomel (2012) found that back and torso injuries are the most common, and head injuries are the injury that needs frequent medical support. While none of these sounds unique because other athletes are prone to back, torso, and head injuries, what Ebben and Suchomel (2012) found in conjunction with the injury data and the fear of head and neck injuries is the heightened fear of fire that can happen during the course of pushing a car in competition.
Let’s call a spade a spade. There is a lot to consider when reviewing the demands of a motor sport athlete. But, it is worth the effort to take all these demands into consideration so that an athlete can be strategic in how they improve.
take action today moment:
Whether you are a motor sport athlete or not, it is important to learn, understand, and master the unique demands of the sport. If you are not a motor sport athlete, do some research and learn more about what are the demands of your sport. Begin from your own knowledge and then use Google Scholar or another trusted source. Of these demands, which ones are your strengths and challenges? What do you need to work on?
Learn More About EXPLICIT AND IMPLICIT TRAINING:
Sporting Mind: The Interplay of Physical Activity and Psychological Health
References
Carlson, L. A., Ferguson, D. P., & Kenefick, R. W. (2014). Physiological strain of stock car drivers during competitive racing. Journal of Thermal Biology, 44, 20-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2014.06.001
Ebben, W. P., & Suchomel, T. J. (2012). Physical demands, injuries, and conditioning practices of stock car drivers. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 26(5), 1188-1198.
Filho, E., Di Fronso, S., Mazzoni, C., Robazza, C., Bortoli, L., & Bertollo, M. (2015). My heart is racing! Psychophysiological dynamics of skilled racecar drivers. Journal of Sports Sciences, 33(9), 945-959.
Lappi, O. (2018). The racer's mind—How core perceptual-cognitive expertise is reflected in deliberate practice procedures in professional motorsport. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1294. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01294
McKnight, P. J., Bennett, L. A., Malvern, J. J., & Ferguson, D. P. (2019). VO2peak, body composition, and neck strength of elite motor racing drivers. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 51(12), 2563-2569. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001961
Reid, M. B., & Lightfoot, J. T. (2019). The physiology of auto racing: A brief review. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 51(12), 2548-2562. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002070
van Kesteren, E. J., & Bergkamp, T. (2023). Bayesian analysis of Formula One race results: Disentangling driver skill and constructor advantage. Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports. https://doi.org/10.1515/jqas-2022-0021