Racing as a Sport? Please justify this for me.

[-What-]

Not "everyone" can do ANY sport for a living. Think people living in poverty can suddenly become basketball stars?

HELL YES



I don't know ANY rags-to-riches race car stories of modern day.

Ashley Force...SUCKS. But she still manages to win sometimes. You think she would be a PROFESSIONAL if her dad wasn't JOHN FORCE? You tellin' me that this girl has the athletic ability to compete with MEN? What type of "professional male athlete" loses to a GIRL in his respective sport?

My sister can beat me in UNO every now-and-then...but she'd NEVER beat me in a 100m foot race. NEVER.

[Niko_Fx]

I can play the picture game as well:

[The_Canuck]

[B]
Ashley Force...SUCKS. But she still manages to win sometimes. You think she would be a PROFESSIONAL if her dad wasn't JOHN FORCE? You tellin' me that this girl has the athletic ability to compete with MEN? What type of "professional male athlete" loses to a GIRL in his respective sport?

My sister can beat me in UNO every now-and-then...but she'd NEVER beat me in a 100m foot race. NEVER.

Oh now you're being sexist? You're truly brilliant at trying to prove your points.

[kingofthering]

HELL YES



I don't know ANY rags-to-riches race car stories of modern day.

Micheal Schumacher? He worked at a VW dealer for a while and drove a ratty Mini. His family wasn't rich by any means either.

Doesn't it suck to see your examples get torn apart and thrown back in your face?

[henk4]

And did someone mention "agility"? What agility does a race car driver need?

Jacky Ickx was capable of walking a 4 metre rope.
Seb Loeb started his career as a high level gymnast.
It helped both to apply their sense for equilibrium on track.

The ground effect F1 cars from the eighties were banned because the drivers could not stand the G-forces.

And the art of racing is not to go fast, but to go as fast as possible, and the possibilities can be best explorerd when in a pretty good shape.

[Niko_Fx]

Watch this video, it's well worth it:

Physical effects of driving a Formula 1 car

[Fuerte100]

Athlete-
a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.

Where does Shumy not fall under this?

[RacingManiac]

BTW, no car I've ever driven have a way of cancelling the G forces one subjects to, I've driven an FSAE car for an entire day practicing for skidpad(figure of 8 style, timed), autoX and we are capable of hitting 2G in cornering and braking, you are pretty beat at the end of the day, and my neck and shoulders and arms were in pain for 2 weeks after(I am not in the best of shape, mind you). Racing involves dealing with that physical pain while keeping competitive, as you are trying to keep the good laptime, which requires you to maintain that level of g-forces, which in terms wearing yourself more....all the while keeping the concentration to coordinate all your inputs(gas, brake, steering, shifting) from going astray, I can't imagine in higher level of racing where you are also managing your other resources while keeping an eye of strategy and other cars on track.....

Easiest way to find out, is to drive Go-Kart for like 60 laps, not those kiddy cart or some shit cart you go to drive at your random local venue, but like an actual competitive event. Some cart track locally do have these arrive-and-drive races(not cheap), and I guarantee you you'll be in pain after......If you have not done the basic like that, it'll be hard for you to understand....

[aNOBLEman]

Like I said early, I can go play Golf tomorrow if I want. I'll never get the chance to drive an F1 car...so how do you know if I'm not the next F1 Jesus? You won't...because even if I am no one would sign me because I won't get the chance...EVER.

If you are (hypothetically) good enough to be the next F1 "Jesus" then you should be good enough to work your way through all of the feeder series and win a championship in each one. Therefore giving you the chance to be in F1.

[aNOBLEman]

What if I'm poor? I will I enter the races?

I'm going to be honest in that you are quite right here because I am in that situation, but, from what you have shown, you are not poor.

[-What-]

One of these guys is considered a world-dominating athlete. Pick....












Now pick the athlete, I only see one. Seriously.

I'm going to be honest in that you are quite right here because I am in that situation, but, from what you have shown, you are not poor.

Well, I'm considered "too old" now. It's too late for me to race...but I'm glad you see where I am coming from. If you were the next F1 "Baby-Jesus" you have no way of proving yourself. Athletes...not a very competitive "sport".

[Matra et Alpine]

Now pick the athlete, I only see one. Seriously.

Kind of supported my earlier point

Well, I'm considered "too old" now. It's too late for me to race

Not at all.
Fine if you don't start racing when you're 12 you'll unlikely make it in the modern Formula One circus. BUT there are many who race and rally into their 70s SOme who didnt' start on 4 wheels till in their 50s !!
Local winner of last years Scottish historic FF1600 is in his late 50s and only started racing in open wheelers LAST SEASON after 3 years in a historic saloon.
You shoudl get down to local car club and see what events you coudl join in on and find out how hard it is to actually provide the mental and physical effort to drive fast for even just 30 minutes

[RacingManiac]

uh, I think Lewis Hamilton comes pretty close....not rags, but certainly not rich either....Juan Montoya also has a pretty humble beginning racing.....

[IBrake4Rainbows]

How I interpret how this thread has gone so far.

1) What asks a question - Are Race drivers considered athletes?
2) comes across resistance to his own opinion on the issue - is given evidence that said drivers require as much physical and mental toughness as any athlete.
3) Posts Images of a Drag racer - who's entire job is to sit there, keep his arms straight and hang on for dear life. Against a Steroid Addled basketballer. to prove a completely unrelated point - No one was arguing Drag racers weren't athletes

Bluntly, if you don't like the fact people disagree with your opinion, don't prejudge the outcome of said events. the average formula 1 driver (come to think of it nearly every professional driver) endures hundreds of hours of endurance and strength training. coupled to reaction testing (often to exhaustion), car testing and G forces when they are racing.

Couple this to the fact they have to navigate the nasty world of actually getting a drive in the first place, maintaining their position in a Team via good results, and keeping up with an ever-growing line of people willing to take there place, and it's no wonder they work hard to maintain and improve upon themselves.

Sounds like what every other professional athlete has to do, no? navigate seedy people looking to take advantage of their hard work and talent, maintain rank or position on a team or tour, and win events?

Pretty much the definition of Athlete to me.

[Matra et Alpine]

Welcome back -What-

Some facts woudl help suport your POV.

Racing drivers are some of THE fittest people on the planet.
A while back ( before the modern REALLY fit era ) there was a competition here in the UK which pitted sportsmen and women from various sports to physical and skill challenges. Always in the top were drivers.

Don't underestimate the physical EFFORT involved in driving a race or rally car on real circuits. ( Granted there are some "sports" where that's less true -- ie stock car racing )
On top of that the physical SKILL necessary is vastly superior to say a football player or baseball or golf !

I suspect you're only seeing the upper tier of the sport in your comparisons. There are many MANY more 10-18 year olds dedicating their time to racing in karts than are playing golf and practising regularly. Then there are the many club race and rally events and sprints, hillclimbs, karting, autotesting etc etc etc. These are the base of the pyramid that the F1 bods sit atop

Lewis Hamilton did not come fomr a rich or privelaged background Neither did Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Jimmy McRae, Colin McRae, David Coulthard ... in fact the only "priveladged" Scots driver I can recall is Jonny Dumfries who is an Earl -- skint but had the title

Perhpas -What- you're seeing all of it from a US-centric background.
Have to admit EVERY driver I've seen from the US formulae has been rather "portly".
Over here they're all skinny, ultra fit runts