Motorsport Performance: Recovery, Training and Physiology of the Driver-athlete

*You can submit your manuscript through either "Frontiers in Sports and Active Living", "Frontiers in Nutrition or "Frontiers in Physiology". Please select the journal that best aligns with the focus of your research when you click 'submit.'

Motorsport is a physically and cognitively demanding sport, where driver-athletes compete in compensable environments. Some of these demands include thermal stress, physical exhaustion, dehydration, muscular strain, travel, fatigue, and mental fatigue. Demonstrating the physical and cognitive load of motor racing will provide further evidence of the stressors these athletes face. The development and implementation of effective training, nutrition, and recovery strategies to optimise the performance of motorsport athletes including the pit crew will not only optimise performance but also aid in driver safety.

By focusing on driver physiology, cognitive performance, and physical preparation, this Research Topic aims to deepen our understanding of the physiological and psychological demands placed on drivers during motor racing. It seeks to uncover strategies and interventions that enhance cognitive function, improve physical conditioning, and expedite recovery processes, thereby enabling drivers to perform at their peak consistently. This Research Topic endeavours to catalyse advancements in training methodologies, performance assessment tools, and technological innovations tailored specifically for motorsport athletes.

We welcome the submission of manuscripts including, but not limited to, the following topics:

- Driver and pitcrew physiology related to heart rate, workload, temperature, hydration, and muscular function (incl. biomechanics).

- Injuries sustained during a race weekend and associated treatment/rehabilitation paradigms. Driver and pit crew psychology including mental toughness, decision making, reaction time and mental fatigue.

- Practical approaches and strategies to recovery for driver athletes and pit crew. This incorporates nutritional strategies and guidelines for motorsport athletes.

- Women in motorsport including grassroot program evaluation, inclusivity programs and physiology.

- Simulated racing as a comparator for authentic racing and translating simulator outcomes to on track performance.

Keywords: Motorsport Performance, Driver-athlete, Driver Performance, Pitcrew, Physiology, Training, Recovery

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.