Originally Posted by Assa2:
“Heavier drivers have always been disadvantaged. Teams have always wanted lighter drivers so they have more ballast to balance the car with. All things being equal every team would always go for the lighter driver. That's just part of motor racing. It's not any more unfair than suggesting it's unfair that 7 stone weaklings can't play rugby or that someone who's 5"6 can't be good at basketball. In sport, quite often, the physical characteristics are of over-riding importance and only the exceptional few are able to use latent skill to compensate.”
“Heavier drivers have always been disadvantaged. Teams have always wanted lighter drivers so they have more ballast to balance the car with. All things being equal every team would always go for the lighter driver. That's just part of motor racing. It's not any more unfair than suggesting it's unfair that 7 stone weaklings can't play rugby or that someone who's 5"6 can't be good at basketball. In sport, quite often, the physical characteristics are of over-riding importance and only the exceptional few are able to use latent skill to compensate.”
Interesting, in general I'm in agreement with you but only to a certain extent. I understand your argument as far as you go with rugby and basketball players but surely, in the modern era the requirements for an F1 driver are more cerebral than physical. The physical requirements are only neck muscles and excellent general health. He, or indeed she, does not need to be tall so the comparison with basketball players is debatable, by the same token they do not require upper-body strength, powerful thighs or to be fleet of foot rendering that comparison moot. As long as they can think like a chess champion and have lighting reactions their height and weight should be of no importance.





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