A Scoping Review of the Physiological Profiles of Motorsport Drivers: Implications for Athlete Training

Abstract

Automotive racing is one of the most internationally recognized sports. Drivers within their respective disciplines are exposed to a variety of forces throughout the race, each of which is theorized to inflict a physiological adaptation within the driver. Therefore, the aim of this scoping review was to collate the evidence and provide a summary of the physiological profiles of these drivers and provide practitioners with recommendations to optimize these adaptations. Of the 1,304 articles screened, 24 met the inclusion criteria. Of the included studies, 13 reported on the anthropometric and physiological measures of 4-wheeled racing athletes from both open and closed-wheel disciplines. The remaining 11 studies reported on the physiological profiles of 2-wheeled racing athletes from both on-road and off-road riding disciplines. Open-wheel racers have greater cardiopulmonary fitness than close-wheel racers, as well as greater strength throughout movements of neck lateral flexion and isometric knee extension. Close-wheel racers were shown to be heavier with greater fat mass than the open-wheel racers but exhibited greater isometric shoulder flexion and plantarflexion strength. Female 2-wheeled racers were also shown to have a weaker handgrip strength than their male counterparts. Whereas male on-road riders demonstrated greater levels of handgrip strength than their off-road counterparts.