Formula One is not a sport for the feint hearted. The drivers need a high level of physical and mental fitness to enable them to cope with the varying  demands. It is a fundamental element in both the driver’s and the team’s quest to gain a competitive racing edge.
At the forefront of Jordan’s team and driver fitness programmes is Vielife, a health consultancy firm based in central London. As Jordan’s official health partner, vielife plays a vital role in ensuring that Jordan’s drivers are able to perform at the very peak of fitness. Pre-season fitness testing is the first step in this task.

Newly signed race driver Nick Heidfeld and test driver Timo Glock visited vielife’s headquarters recently to undergo a comprehensive range of medical and fitness tests. According to vielife physiotherapist and Jordan team health consultant Glenn Lindsay, “testing provides baseline measures from which present health status and fitness levels can be ascertained and around which individualised driver fitness programmes can be structured”.
“Just as the Formula 1 car is finely tuned, it is also vital that we determine where each of our drivers stands in terms of his ability to cope with the specific demands of F1 racing. We need to know that our drivers are fully prepared both physically and mentally to perform at the highest level.”

The day at vielife began with a thorough medical examination including a full medical history, analysis of bloods and urine, testing of lung function, and cardiac function testing via electrocardiogram. Anthropometrics (height, weight, body mass etc.) and body composition (calculation of percentage body fat) were next, followed by a psychomotor assessment. Here, the drivers were taken through a complex array of multiple stimulus, multiple response computer based assessments which analysed the driver’s ability in terms of rapid, co-ordinated thinking, speed of reaction times and visual and spacial estimations of time and movement. “Nick’s results for all of these tests were remarkable” says Glenn. “In terms of population norms, his score rated him in the 99.9 percentile. This probably best illustrates what a top line Formula driver is made of”.

Cardiovascular fitness was then put to the test, first in a conventional VO2 max test where the driver is worked to complete exhaustion on a bicycle ergometer or treadmill whilst respiratory gases (oxygen consumption and CO2 expiration), heart rate and cardiac function are analysed. “Nick recorded a level of cardiovascular fitness similar to norms tabled for elite athletes, and Timo showed a level of determination bordering on psychopathic” says Glenn, “His heart rate went well over the age maximum predicted by our computers, and he kept his maximal work load going well beyond the point most people would have given up”.

After a well earned rest came tests originally designed by vielife founder Dr. Francois Duforez for French fighter pilots but later adapted for F1 drivers.  Heidfeld and Glock were assessed for their levels of neck and upper body strength and muscular endurance, as well as their level of oxygen consumption whilst driving. Having tested F1 drivers throughout his career including the likes of Alain Prost, Jean Alesi and many more, Dr. Duforez has data from which today’s drivers can compare their fitness levels to the drivers of an earlier era.

More conventional muscular strength and endurance tests followed for example push ups, sit ups, bench press and grip strength. Also tests for flexibility and a full musculoskeletal physio examination and assessment. As the drivers departed for Silverstone after a tiring day, Glenn reflected on a successful day of fitness testing. “More than anything, these drivers showed not only high levels of fitness but a very positive attitude throughout what was a very demanding day. I think Jordan have chosen well”.