Heights of drivers

BootsOntheSide · 22 Nov 2001, 02:41 (Ref:177564)

As I'm a relatively small 5'6 (my flatmate is 6'4), I wodnered as to the heights of grand prix drivers. I know DC is 6 foot, and Montoya is among the shorter ones, Ralf looks taller than Michael as well, and I seem to remember reading that Nick Heidfeld is only 5'4 but what of the other guys? Who are the shortest and tallest of all time? What is the ideal height for an F1 driver?

EERO · 22 Nov 2001, 03:15 (Ref:177573)

Most of them are well under six feet. I recall Fisichella is sopposed to be 5'-6" or so, but in reality he is barely taller than Nick.

Coulthard is currently the tallest at about 6'.

Alex Wurz is about 6'-3". Supposedly, Benetton was pressuring him to have surgery to remove 2-3 inches from his upper leg. The idea being that greater height and body mass makes for a higher center of gravity. This in turn neccessitates stiffer suspension settings to keep the wheels planted to counter increased roll. The analysis that I read said that Wurz' size directly and indirectly contributed to an additional .2-.3 seconds per lap. That's as much as 24 seconds over the course of a race.

I would guess that the smaller, the better, taking into account upper body strength, 5"-6" would seem to be optimum.

Wiki · 22 Nov 2001, 16:52 (Ref:177760)

Shorter the better ... as long as you can still reach the pedals!

Nick is same heigh as me (5ft 4in) but he is only about 60kg (not the same as me *sigh*) which also pretty important. The less you weigh, the more ballast to play. Although when ur talking in such tiny weights, that may be the the reason Nick was underweight for his first home GP in 2000 and didn't get to race

**Bononi** · 22 Nov 2001, 17:28 (Ref:177779)

Quote:

Originally posted by EERO
I would guess that the smaller, the better, taking into account upper body strength, 5"-6" would seem to be optimum.

I guess many of us could never get into F1 then...

Ralf's Girl · 22 Nov 2001, 22:06 (Ref:177887)

Ralf is 5'11" (trust me to know that, eh?

), Alonso is around 5'8" and Montoya is only about 5'6" - shorter than me. And I'm still growing.

Powered by JPM · 23 Nov 2001, 02:12 (Ref:177952)

****! there goes my dream in getting into F1
(6'2 230lbs)

srinimax · 23 Nov 2001, 05:32 (Ref:177973)

well you could be one of the co-owners of the fosa f1 team coming out sometime in the future

ljakse · 23 Nov 2001, 09:32 (Ref:178011)

Quote:

Originally posted by Bononi

I guess many of us could never get into F1 then...

I'm 183cm (app 6ft) tall and weight 90kg (app 200lbs) not to fit ha?

In '97 I had a chance to try to sit in Arrows F1 car. And that was it - just a chance - I simply couldn't 'coz of my size.

**Bononi** · 23 Nov 2001, 10:55 (Ref:178036)

Well I never could make it into F1.

Anyway my promising career ended very soon, and it was nothing to do with heights...

Nicholas · 23 Nov 2001, 19:00 (Ref:178219)

[, that may be the the reason Nick was underweight for his first home GP in 2000 and didn't get to race [/B][/QUOTE]
What race was this

badoer fan · 24 Nov 2001, 09:04 (Ref:178384)

European GP at the Nurburgring. He qualified 13th, but got DSQd for being undereight.

Wiki · 24 Nov 2001, 12:50 (Ref:178439)

Quote:

Originally posted by badoer fan
got DSQd for being undereight.

Yeah they don't let you have a super-licence until you are nine

... seriously tho, him and the car got weigh-bridged and he was under by just over a kilo thus missing his home debut. Rumour has it he now insists on enough ballast to pop him at 602kg just to be sure.

anyone know how much 2kg will reduce lap times by?

badoer fan · 24 Nov 2001, 13:44 (Ref:178447)

Not a lot. And I think it was on an outlap tha got aborted that he was weighed. nd its not my fault, its the keyboard

TheFazz · 24 Nov 2001, 22:52 (Ref:178574)

I think Jacques is pretty short, but strong upper body.

Ukyo Katayama is VERY short... I remember a Minardi launch and seeing him disappear into the cockpit!

Ralf's Girl · 25 Nov 2001, 11:51 (Ref:178678)

I thought it was the Tyrrell launch in 1996 where Katayama disappeared into the cockpit - he was sitting in Mika Salo's car.

TheFazz · 25 Nov 2001, 21:55 (Ref:178824)

Of course, RGirl. It was indeed the Tyrell launch. But how tall (or short) is the tiny warrior?

Ralf's Girl · 26 Nov 2001, 21:21 (Ref:179124)

My guess was extremely short.

And of course after that I had to look it up, and it's 163cm, or 5'4" (I think that's what it converts to).

CATMAN · 27 Nov 2001, 22:47 (Ref:179565)

The only way DC is 6 foot is if he has his girlfriends high heels on.
I`ve stood talking to David and he does not come up to my shoulders and I`m around 6`6``. I couldnt believe how small he is when I first met him because I thought he was tall. 6 foot, No Way!

Number Juan · 28 Nov 2001, 19:46 (Ref:179890)

icould get into F1 at a push - 5'10" and 75-odd Kg...anyone wanna gimme a contract??!?!?!?!?

steve nielsen · 29 Nov 2001, 22:40 (Ref:180390)

I know Jos Verstappen is about 173 cm(and he's one of the tallest in F1)

MickyHelm · 30 Nov 2001, 01:05 (Ref:180423)

I have met DC, and it doesn't suprise me at all that he is 6' tall. I think that that isn't extremely tall for a man. A lot of men I know are at least 6' tall.

What does suprise me slightly that some of the other drivers are so short. I'm sure it will make their lives and the teams lives easier being short. DC has said that it is a tight squeeze and not very comfortable in his car. It may not be comfortable for any of the drivers because they are in such akward positions, but it must be even harder for the tall ones like DC.

Didn't David also say once that he might even be the tallest guy in f1. I wouldn't know if it is true, but judging by the heights of some of the other drivers as this forum has shown it wouldn't suprise me in the least.

BootsOntheSide · 30 Nov 2001, 03:41 (Ref:180433)

True, 6 foot F1 drivers are a rarity. And also, guys like Alain Prost and Jackie Stewart both look 5'7 tops, and these are the legends. Also, I know Nigel Mansell is broad shouldered but certainly not 6 foot, and he found the fit in an F1 car tough (remember the 1995 McLaren fiasco?). Its defiantely a small man's game, maybe this is why balck people don;t succeed in it.

badoer fan · 30 Nov 2001, 07:40 (Ref:180454)

I believe sexy Tarso is over 6ft too. And has large feet apparently

CATMAN · 30 Nov 2001, 09:40 (Ref:180472)

Just a note on this height thing my daughter is 6 foot 1/2 inch, and has just ROFL at the idea that DC is six foot tall as he looks up to speak to her as well.
MickyHelm if you`ve met David how tall are you because the guy is just not six foot tall!
Not that a drivers height really matters apart from the fact that I can`t get into a GP car, and if you can get in one then your ok whether you 5`2`` or 6`2``!

JPBeltoise · 30 Nov 2001, 16:33 (Ref:180588)

Quote:

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
True, 6 foot F1 drivers are a rarity. And also, guys like Alain Prost and Jackie Stewart both look 5'7 tops, and these are the legends.

I recall hearing a story that Jackie Stewart, commenting on a photograph showing him and Alain Prost standing together, described the two of them as "two men of average height." I've always loved that line, being 5'7" myself, and even had a chance to use it in conversation, once (except that it wasn't Alain Prost standing next to me...)

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