In motorsports, race cars reach their thresholds, but so do the pilots. In this interview, BMW factory driver Tom Blomqvist explains how he brings his body into top form. The 23-year-old Brit also reveals who he would really like to train with.
Tom Blomqvist, what muscles does a professional race car driver need that a regular driver or hobby sportsman wouldn’t train?
(Laughs) Your average car driver only needs his heart and head to stay alive. My BMW M4 DTM requires a whole other set of strengths: at curve speeds of up to 200 km/h, I have to withstand forces of 2.5–3g. That’s about three times my body weight. So it’s essential for a race car driver to have very well-trained torso muscles. They ensure stability in the car. Also, the neck muscles have to endure a lot, otherwise the head would just bend from side to side. You need a lot of strength in your legs to brake. And arms and shoulders are important for steering.