F1 drivers today are in peak physical shape

F1 driving requires intense strategy, endurance, and strength

Formula 1 cars are the peak of human engineering, and the humans driving them must have exceptional skills to master their cars. This Wired video talks to former performance coach Clayton Green to uncover what makes Formula 1 drivers such unique athletes. Learn why drivers focus on neck strength to combat extreme g-forces, and what those forces do to a driver's body over a race.

F1 cars have evolved through the decades

Formula 1 has continued to evolve since its first race in 1950. Early cars featured front-mounted engines, narrow tires, and speeds of up to 180 mph. In 1958, rear-engine designs, like the Cooper T43, improved handling and balance. The 1960s brought lightweight materials and wings, which enhanced stability by generating downforce. Ground effect designs of the 1970s revolutionized grip and cornering but were banned in 1982 due to safety concerns. By the 1990s, hybrid turbo engines and energy recovery systems emerged, improving performance. Today’s F1 cars integrate advanced aerodynamics and hybrid technology, reaching speeds of over 220 mph.

What it feels like to crash an F1 car

Crashes are common in Formula 1, but due to improvements in safety measures like the HANS device and the Halo, driver deaths are far less common. But what does it feel like to crash? This video features the world's top drivers talking about specific crashes and their thought process as they head toward the wall at 150 mph.

After a tragic 3 decades, F1 created better safety measures

The first three decades of Formula One saw 41 drivers die in competition; since 1980, only 11 have perished. The reduction is due in large part to better safety measures. This article highlights every safety improvement made by year since F1 started, and describes the accidents or deaths that led to the rule changes.

Formula 1 cars are the world's fastest regulated road-course racing automobiles

F1 is the highest international level of open-wheel racing, where the wheels are not covered by the car’s body, differing significantly from NASCAR, which have covered wheels.

A list of every F1 team

This FIA interactive lists all 11 Formula 1 teams and is organized by team points during each season. Learn who the drivers are for each team and see what their car looks like. Click into the team and get a profile and history. Each driver has a profile page that includes biographical information and the latest news.

Over 120 cameras are used to film a single F1 race

Watching a Formula 1 race today is an immersive experience: Every car has onboard cameras; there are helicopter, drone, and lift shots; nearly every corner has a camera to document drivers jockeying for position; and over 120 cameras are used to film a single race.

F1 pit crews change tires in less than 3 seconds

Roughly 16 people cooperate in a highly coordinated sequence of events to swap tires mid-race without losing the driver any time. Watch a slowed-down explanation of each person's job in the crucial pit lane moment.

Every world champion in F1 history

Over the last decade, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have dominated the winners podium, and their Red Bull Racing and Mercedes teams have taken every Constructors' Championship since 2010. But what team had the most championships in the 1950s? Who has the most Drivers' Championships in Formula 1's history? This article shows every Drivers' and Constructors' Champion since the start of Formula 1 in the 1950s.

Principals are important pieces of F1 teams

In the Big Four American sports, teams have a head coach to lead the team and a general manager to run the business side. In Formula 1, they have a team principal, who speaks publicly on behalf of the team, manages the team's personnel, and engages with F1's governing body.

Grands Prix run March through December at circuits across 5 continents

F1's nine-month season crosses five continents in locations steeped in history and meaning for drivers, teams, and the sport. There are 24 events in 2026, starting in Australia and ending in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost had one of the sport's most intense rivalries

The men were teammates at McLaren in the 1980s, but you wouldn’t know it watching them on the track. Senna dominated the sport from 1984 to 1994, but Prost, who retired in 1993, is considered the best in F1 history.

Winter Olympic sports highlight various laws and principles of physics

Figure skaters leverage the conservation of angular momentum during spins by tightening their bodies, and the skintight suits used in ski jumping help reduce drag. Centripetal force allows speedskaters to make tight turns, while friction on skis helps ski mountaineers climb slopes. No action can violate the conservation of energy.

Why professional tennis players are so picky about balls before serving

Just as swimmers shave their bodies before competitions to swim faster, experiments show that tighter, less fluffy balls experience less drag forces when moving through the air and thus produce faster serves at the cost of less control. Players may select a fuzzier ball in scenarios that call for safer, more cautious play.

'The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.'

- Roger Bannister (1929-2018)

Strength training appears to make for a healthier, youthful-looking brain

A study from 2025 links having higher amounts of muscle with a more youthful-looking brain age. Scientists analyzed data from more than 1,100 healthy adults around their mid-50s after they underwent full-body MRIs, comparing muscle, fat, and brain age appearances from the scans.Their findings link strength training and controlling visceral fat with improved brain health. The research didn't tease apart why this benefit occurs.

Olympians view sleep as a performance tool, prioritizing routine and environment

Elite athletes emphasize consistent sleep routines, dark and cool environments, the well-placed nap, and tools like eye masks, white noise machines, and supplements like melatonin (particularly for jet lag). This priority belies a core principle: recovery and performance are inseparable. Read more ways Olympians "sleepmaxx" here.

'FAST': An acronym to remember stroke symptoms to look for

The primary factor in surviving a stroke is how quickly one gets the appropriate medical treatment. “FAST” refers to the four most noticeable symptoms of a stroke: face-dropping ("F"), arm weakness ("A"), speech difficulty ("S"), and "time to call 911" ("T").

Athletes are captured in moments of victory and defeat in 6 powerful sports images

See shots like Muhammad Ali knocking out Sonny Liston in 1965, or Brandi Chastain after winning the World Cup final in 1999.

Several NFL teams incorporate yoga into their training

Although brawny football players might not seem like obvious yogis, many of the NFL’s athletes have taken to the practice for flexibility and mindfulness. Several teams, including the Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, and Dallas Cowboys, make the practice a part of their conditioning routine.

Why so many people love roller coasters even though they’re scary

When a threat arises, it triggers our bodies to go into fight-or-flight mode and prepare for danger. However, when no obvious threat to our safety is present, this natural high can become enjoyable. Some people are more likely to enjoy these thrills based on factors like individual brain chemistry or physical health.

Why are drug dealers putting fentanyl in everything?

A few grains of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid far more potent than heroin or morphine, are enough to kill a typical adult human. It's made its way into other, less lethal street drugs, where it may be used to increase the highs experienced by unknowing users, increasing their likelihood of addiction and overdose.

The sordid soirées of the Olympic Village

The Olympic Village brings together some of the world's most physically fit young people for two weeks. That leads to lots of romantic connections, as this firsthand account from a few who have been there attests. The degree of connection at some Games in recent decades has required the village's medical facility to distribute more than 100,000 prophylactics.

Heat-related complications are of greater concern for distance runners than cardiac threats

Analysis of more than 130,000 runners in Tel Aviv events during a seven-year period indicated that the runners were 10 times more likely to experience heatstroke than serious cardiac problems. Scientists suggest that runners should take 10 to 14 days to acclimate to a hot climate before tackling a serious run.

How ancient Roman gladiators got ready to rumble

Before they could lay the smackdown in the arena, gladiators were professionally trained, combining a physical regimen with an education in the rules of the ring. Contrary to popular belief, archaeological evidence suggests most gladiators weren't killed in the action, and women may have fought on rare occasions. This article breaks down a life of a Roman gladiator.

After 25 people used virtual reality headsets to practice flying with virtual wings—flapping their arms—their visual cortex responded to the wings almost as if they were real arms, treating them as body parts.

How fusion—which releases energy when two lighter atoms combine to form a heavier atom—differs from fission

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama spent the 2025 summer training with monks in central China to enhance his body and mind.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

Larger animals like giraffes, elephants, and blue whales have developed a unique defense against cancer, a phenomenon known as Peto's Paradox

Bone marrow (soft tissue found inside certain bones) generates roughly 500 billion new blood cells each day

Doctors differentiate between a phobia and fear by asking patients whether their fear interferes with their day-to-day activities.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Fast-casual restaurant Chili's is experiencing a resurgence, with its parent company recently reporting a nearly 32% increase in sales, thanks to passionate Gen Z fans on TikTok.

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s for weight loss is booming as consumers seek easier access.

Hedge funds, the private investment firms that trade a wide swath of financial assets, make money by imposing steep fees on investors and from the fund's investment performance.

In 2026, Finland was named the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year based on its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among other factors.

The deadliest aspect of volcanic eruptions is often not lava, but pyroclastic flows—avalanches of ash, gas, and rock that can move more than half the speed of sound.

The power and influence of the American presidency have expanded significantly over time—far beyond what the founders envisioned.

Dozens of S&P 500 stocks, including Coca-Cola and Walmart—known as the dividend aristocrats—have increased dividends every year for 25 years

Power lines are dotted with large, brightly colored balls to improve the visibility of these thin wires to helicopters and small planes and help prevent potential crashes.

Browse a detailed visual analysis of over 200,000 similes—comparisons that often use 'like' or 'as'—from popular fiction to see how frequently writers the same idiomatic expressions.

In preparation for this weekend's Eurovision finale, which is something like the World Cup of pop music, here's a young Céline Dion performing (for Switzerland?) at the 1988 competition.

The 1987 Nintendo video game 'Stadium Events' isn't known for being particularly fun, but its scarcity has made it a highly sought-after item that has sold for up to $35K at auction.

Massive 3D printers have been used to build homes by stacking layers of 'concrete toothpaste,' a fire-resistant material that effectively insulates against outside noise.

The most expensive ad of all time was for Chanel No. 5 perfume and cost roughly $33M to produce in 2004—about $57M in today's dollars.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

Between 10 million and 50 million people in the US develop rashes from poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak each year.