The height and weight of a driver in Formula 1 can dictate the adjustments the team makes to a car to try and fulfill the vehicle’s maximum potential.
These details impact how much ballast will need to be added to a car and how that is positioned in the car to help with weight distribution.
How does height affect F1 drivers?
The FIA, along with the taller drivers on the grid, have been working to improve regulations on car dimensions to prevent most drivers from being at a disadvantage. This is because a shorter driver means teams can reduce the dimensions of the cockpit, as long as they are the minimum size of 850mm long by 450mm wide.
The FIA has made progress towards equalising the grid by ensuring that heavier drivers are not penalised for their naturally heavier weight. This came in 2019, when F1 introduced an 80kg minimum weight limit for drivers, which includes their helmet, race suit and shoes.
Before this rule came into place each team could tell drivers the specific weight they needed to be, which often led to drivers weighing less than what is considered “healthy”.
Who is the tallest F1 driver?
The tallest F1 drivers on the 2024 grid are Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon who are 1.86 metres tall (6ft 1in).
The Williams driver has said that being tall has its disadvantages, explaining: "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."
Ocon shared that the junior racing categories and his start in F1 were “difficult” because of his height, revealing that his practice time in the Lotus designed for Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado was a challenge, adding: “I was super-high in the car. That was just legal, but tricky. The centre of gravity makes you high. You are not comfortable with your knees when you turn.”
The Frenchman also faced issues in his Manor car when he made his F1 debut mid-way through the 2016 season, which meant the car was designed for Pascal Wehrlein and Rio Haryanto. Ocon said his suit would be black at the end of each race, due to the cockpit scratching his knees as he turned.
Both drivers are slightly taller than George Russell who is 1.85 metres (six feet) tall and Nico Hulkenberg who measures at 1.84 metres.
Who is the shortest F1 driver?
Yuki Tsunoda is the shortest driver in F1, measuring 1.59 metres (5ft 2in). He has been the shortest driver on the grid since his debut in 2021 but said that his height isn’t a “big advantage”.
In 2021, Tsunoda shared the accommodations AlphaTauri - now RB - had needed to make to the AT02, saying: “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."
How tall are the F1 drivers?
Here’s how tall each of the current F1 drivers are from tallest to shortest:
|
Driver |
Height (metres) |
Height (feet) |
Weight (kilos) |
|
Alex Albon |
1.86m |
6ft 1in |
66kg |
|
Esteban Ocon |
1.86m |
6ft 1in |
73kg |
|
George Russell |
1.85m |
6ft 0in |
70kg |
|
Nico Hulkenberg |
1.84m |
6ft 0in |
78kg |
|
1.84m |
6ft 0in |
79kg |
|
|
1.81m |
5ft 11in |
72kg |
|
|
1.81m |
5ft 11in |
71kg |
|
|
1.80m |
5ft 10in |
68kg |
|
|
1.79m |
5ft 10in |
66kg |
|
|
1.78m |
5ft 10in |
68kg |
|
|
1.77m |
5ft 9in |
66kg |
|
|
1.77m |
5ft 9in |
70kg |
|
|
1.75m |
5ft 8in |
63kg |
|
|
1.74m |
5ft 8in |
68kg |
|
|
1.74m |
5ft 8in |
73kg |
|
|
1.73m |
5ft 8in |
69kg |
|
|
1.73m |
5ft 8in |
63kg |
|
|
1.71m |
5ft 7in |
68kg |
|
|
1.70m |
5ft 6in |
68kg |
|
|
Yuki Tsunoda |
1.59m |
5ft 2in |
54kg |
Who is the tallest F1 driver of all time?
Hans-Joachim Stuck is credited as the tallest driver in F1 history at 1.94m (6ft 4in), competing with March, Brabham, Shadows and ATS between 1974-1979.
The German driver was so tall that he did not fit well into the F1 cars of the late 1970s, due to the cockpits being brought forwards, as teams experimented with ground effect and aerodynamics.
Stuck decided to leave F1 in 1979, which potentially spared him the severe leg injuries that were suffered by Ronnie Peterson, Clay Regazzoni and Marc Surer, as well as others, due to being sat more upright in their cars. He continued to race with touring and sports cars, where he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice in a Porsche 962.
Dan Gurney is also one of the tallest ever F1 drivers at 1.93m (6ft 4in) tall. His height caused regular problems during his 10-year career, including his head and shoulders extending high into the windstream compared to his shorter competitors. The American driver felt that his height gave him an aerodynamic disadvantage in the underpowered cars.
Gurney moved to endurance racing, but found he struggled to fit inside the tight cockpit of the Ford GT40. Engineer Phil Remington invented a roof bubble above the driver’s seat, which gave him space for his helmet and is now known as the ‘Gurney bubble’.
In modern records Justin Wilson is one of the tallest F1 drivers, measuring 1.93m (6ft 4in), making him seven centimetres taller than Alex Albon and Esteban Ocon, as well as former drivers Alexander Rossi and Alexander Wurz, who are all 1.86m tall.
Wilson was Minardi’s preferred choice to replace driver Alex Yoong for two races in 2002 as the team tried to give the Malaysian some rest due to poor performance. Wilson was unable to fit inside of the car due to his long legs though, resulting in Anthony Davidson stepping into the role.
Paul Stoddart, owner of Minardi, was keen to bring Wilson to the team for 2003 and the car was designed to accommodate the Brit’s tall frame. This included the seat being lowered so his knees were kept away from his chin and the pedals were moved forward.
When he visited the team’s headquarters in Faenza in November, he was able to easily enter and exit the car, resulting in him signing a three-year contract just a month later. Wilson was linked to three teams in 2004 but was ultimately dropped from Formula 1.
Who is the shortest F1 driver of all time?
Andrea Montermini is the shortest F1 driver of all time at 1.57m (5ft 1in) tall. The Italian driver is a couple of centimetres shorter than Yuki Tsunoda who is the current shortest driver on the grid.
Montermini’s career started in 1994 and he made 15 starts for Pacific and four for Forti, until the latter folded in 1996. He then switched to sportscar racing, competing in Le Mans 24 Hours, as well as claiming titles in the Italian GT Championship and International GT Open Series.
