F1 Drivers Heights: How Tall Are Your Favorite Racers?

06-12-2024

Image Source: Racing News 365

The height and weight of an F1 driver can really influence the tweaks the team makes to the car to get the best performance out of it. These factors affect how much extra weight (ballast) needs to be added and where it goes to balance the car properly. When drivers are zipping around the track at crazy speeds, all you see are their helmets sticking out from their super-aerodynamic cars. It's hard to tell how tall they are just from that. But the 2024 grid might surprise you with a wider variety of heights than you'd expect, so let's check it out.

Height of Drivers for 2024 Grid

• Charles Leclerc 1.80m
• Kevin Magnussen 1.74m
• Alex Albon 1.86m
• Yuki Tsunoda 1.59m
• Max Verstappen  1.81m
• Zhou Guanyu 1.76m
• Fernando Alonso 1.71m
• Valtteri Bottas 1.73m
• Pierre Gasly 1.77m
• Lewis Hamilton  1.74m
• Nico Hulkenberg 1.84m
• Lando Norris 1.70m
• George Russell 1.85m
• Carlos Sainz 1.78m
• Logan Sargeant 1.81m
• Esteban Ocon 1.86m
• Sergio Perez 1.73m
• Oscar Piastri 1.78m
• Daniel Ricciardo 1.79m
• Lance Stroll 1.82m

Shortest F1 Driver of 2024

Yuki Tsunoda is the shortest F1 driver at 1.59 meters (5ft 2in). He's been the shortest on the grid since his debut in 2021, but he says his height isn't a big advantage. Back in 2021, Tsunoda mentioned the adjustments AlphaTauri (now RB) had to make to the AT02 for him. Tsunoda said, First, I have to put a lot of foam inside the monocoque to make my seat position higher to see the view clearly. And also, we made a quite special pedal case [for me] to reach the pedals."  

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Tallest F1 Driver of 2024

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The tallest drivers on the 2024 F1 grid are Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon, both standing at 1.86 meters (6ft 1in). The Williams driver, Albon, has said being tall has its downsides. Ocon talked about how his height made his junior racing and early F1 days difficult. Practicing in the Lotus designed for Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado was tough, and he had issues in his Manor car in 2016, which was built for Pascal Wehrlein and Rio Haryanto. Ocon even mentioned his suit would turn black from the cockpit scratching his knees during races. 

Both Ocon and Albon are just a bit taller than George Russell, who is 1.85 meters (six feet) tall, and Nico Hulkenberg, who is 1.84 meters. Ocon said, "In our sport, being taller only hinders you. These cars are built to be as compact as possible. The cars are designed not for 6ft 2in athletes. They're designed for 5ft 7in, 5ft 8in preferably. [Those drivers] fit much better in the car right now. "[Taller drivers are] kind of arched over. Your knees are touching the top of the car. Your hands are in the way of your feet. So, it's all tricky. You get put in a position that's, to be honest, very uncomfortable. I was super high in the car. That was just legal but tricky. The center of gravity makes you high. You are not comfortable with your knees when you turn."

Shortest F1 Driver Ever

Andrea Montermini holds the title for the shortest F1 driver ever at 1.57 meters (5ft 1in). He is a couple of centimeters shorter than Yuki Tsunoda, the current shortest driver. Monterminis's F1 career began in 1994 with 15 starts for Pacific and four for Forti until Forti folded in 1996. After that, he moved to sports car racing, competing in Le Mans 24 Hours and winning titles in the Italian GT Championship and International GT Open Series.

Tallest F1 Driver of All Time

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Well, Hans-Joachim Stuck holds that title at 1.94m (6ft 4in). He raced with teams like March, Brabham, Shadows, and ATS from 1974 to 1979. The guy was so tall that he barely fit into the F1 cars of the late '70s, thanks to the cockpits being pushed forward for better aerodynamics and ground effect experiments. Stuck left F1 in 1979, which might have saved him from the nasty leg injuries that other drivers like Ronnie Peterson, Clay Regazzoni, and Marc Surer suffered due to the upright seating. He didn't quit racing though; he moved to touring and sports cars and even won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice in a Porsche 962.

Dan Gurney is another tall F1 driver, standing at 1.93m (6ft 4in). His height was a constant issue during his decade-long career, with his head and shoulders sticking out into the wind more than his shorter rivals. Gurney felt this put him at an aerodynamic disadvantage in the less powerful cars. He switched to endurance racing but had trouble fitting into the Ford GT40's tight cockpit. Engineer Phil Remington came up with the 'Gurney bubble,' a roof bubble above the driver's seat that gave him extra helmet space.

In more recent times, Justin Wilson is one of the tallest, also at 1.93m (6ft 4in). He's seven centimeters taller than guys like Alex Albon and Esteban Ocon, and former drivers like Alexander Rossi and Alexander Wurz, who are all 1.86m tall. Wilson was Minardi's first pick to replace Alex Yoong for a couple of races in 2002, but he couldn't fit in the car because of his long legs, so Anthony Davidson took over. Minardi's owner, Paul Stoddart, wanted Wilson for the 2003 season and even had the car redesigned to fit his tall frame. They lowered the seat and moved the pedals forward so his knees wouldn't be up by his chin. After a successful test at their HQ in Faenza, Wilson signed a three-year contract. He was in talks with three teams in 2004 but ended up leaving F1.

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Does Height Affect F1 Drivers?

The FIA and the taller drivers have been working to tweak car regulations so that taller drivers aren't at a disadvantage. Basically, shorter drivers allow teams to make the cockpit smaller, as long as it meets the minimum size of 850mm long by 450mm wide. In 2019, the FIA introduced a rule setting an 80kg minimum weight for drivers, including their helmets, race suits, and shoes, to help level the playing field. Before this, teams could tell drivers to hit specific weights, often leading to unhealthy weight loss.

Weight Loss is Common

Taller drivers generally weigh more on race day, with Hulkenberg being the heaviest at 78kg (12st 4lb). During races, drivers can lose a lot of weight due to physical strain, sometimes up to 3kg or half a stone, especially in humid places like Singapore. Teams need to compensate for this weight loss with extra ballast or fuel to make sure they meet the FIA's post-race weight checks. If they fall below the combined 798kg mark for driver and car, they could get disqualified.

Conclusion

In the high-octane world of Formula 1, driver height is an often overlooked but fascinating aspect of the sport. From the towering Alexander Albon at 6'1" (186 cm) to the shorter yet mighty Yuki Tsunoda at 5'2" (159 cm), the diversity in height among F1 drivers showcases that success on the track isn't confined to a particular stature. Ultimately, whether tall or short, each driver brings their unique qualities to the cockpit, proving that greatness in Formula 1 is defined not by height, but by heart and horsepower. So, next time you watch an F1 race, remember that the drivers come in all shapes and sizes, yet they all share the same relentless drive to be on the path of becoming an F1 driver and be the fastest on the track.