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Do F1 Drivers Pee in Their Suits?

Published 06/01/2021, 12:33 PM EDT

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via Reuters

F1 is all about speed and focus. The cars are highly advanced and very specialized. The drivers should be centered and concentrate on the race.

There is so much to be done by the driver in a span of 2 hours. Yet, F1 fans have a question. Whether F1 drivers pee in their suits during the race.

The answer is yes. F1 drivers can pee during races on the off chance that they need to. Many have confessed to doing as such before. In any case, numerous drivers decide not to.

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Lewis Hamilton has said many times that he has never peed during a race. He said that he couldn’t in the event that he attempted. Regardless of whether this is because of the stress during a race or discomfort.

Lewis said, “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.”

There is a rumor that Michael Schumacher, 7-time titleholder, peed during races. Lewis mentioned that his mechanic said that Michael would pee in pretty much each and every race. It is certainly an issue of individual inclination.

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Lewis said, “The driver that used to drive for the team, was Michael Schumacher, I don’t know if anyone’s heard of him, but legend racing driver, but my mechanics told me he peed every single time he was in the car.”

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What goes on inside the cockpit of an F1 car?

F1 drivers are perennially surging towards the next corner at high speeds. This takes a ton of focus. Peeing in the race suit during the race would be the last thing going on drivers’ brains.

Hydration is an issue that a driver needs to handle while driving an F1 car. They also need to be light so as to keep the weight down. This is done in order to gain maximum speed out of the car.

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The drivers have access to drink during the race. They simply press a button on the steering to have the drink. There is a tube connected that feeds the driver through the helmet. This provision is provided as the drivers need to be hydrated during the race.

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via Reuters

The cockpit sits directly between the engine and other parts of the car and may get hot during a race. The drivers are made to wear a specially planned suit that can withstand the cockpit temperature. The temperature of the cockpit can go up to 50°C.

F1 drivers can lose up to 10lbs during a race. This weight reduction is for the most part because of the deficiency of water and excess of sweat.

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The drivers are told to pee in their suits in the event that they need to. There are pitstops throughout the race. However, none that include the driver going to the washroom as there is no time.

Many drivers choose not to pee keeping in mind the individuals who need to clean it up later, yet many others simply don’t have to go.

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Written by:

Abhay Aggarwal

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Abhay Aggarwal is sports analyst at EssentiallySports. Having joined ES in early 2020, he has over 300 NASCAR, Formula 1, and Tennis articles to his name. Abhay has been an avid motorsports fan for over a decade, and he even attended the inaugural Indian Grand Prix in 2011.
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