Many fans wonder how tall or heavy their favorite drivers are. Here is a summary of the height and weight of all 20 drivers on the Formula 1 grid in 2024.
While height isn't so important when it comes to performance, weight used to be one of the crucial factors when it came to F1 drivers in the past. There are various sources that suggest a slightly different number, but in general, one extra kilogram loses a driver of 0.035 seconds per lap.
That might not look like much, but if we take a 10-kilogram difference, it is 0.35 seconds over a lap, and over a 50-lap race, it would be 17.5 seconds - a very significant difference.
Some drivers in the past used their lightweight as part of negotiations as they had an advantage over their competitors, which could compensate for some of their cars' shortcomings.
However, minimum weight for both cars and drivers has been introduced to eliminate this unfair advantage in the modern era of Formula One.
The minimum weight set for cars is 798 kilograms without fuel, and the combined weight of the driver, their seat, and their driving gear must not be less than 80 kilograms.
If a driver's combined weight is less than 80 kilograms, his team has to add ballast to meet the requirement. These rules ensure both fair competition but also prevent drivers from starving themselves in order to gain lap time.
On the other hand, weight distribution plays a key role in the handling and speed of F1 cars, and teams are allowed to place the ballast strategically (within FIA regulations) to improve the car's performance.
So being lighter might give the driver a slight advantage. If that were true, Yuki Tsunoda would have the greatest advantage as he is more than 10 kilograms lighter compared to the second lightest driver.
The Japanese driver is also the shortest on the F1 grid. On the opposite side of the scale, there is Alex Albon, who is the tallest driver on the F1 grid.
Nico Hulkenberg, whose contract expires in 2024, would be at a slight disadvantage compared to all remaining drivers on the F1 grid as he is the heaviest of all - 78 kg. For a full overview, see the table below.
Driver | Height | Weight |
Yuki Tsunoda | 159 cm | 54kg |
Lando Norris | 170 cm | 68 kg |
Fernando Alonso | 171 cm | 68 kg |
Sergio Perez | 173 cm | 63 kg |
Valtteri Bottas | 173 cm | 69 kg |
Kevin Magnussen | 174 cm | 68 kg |
Lewis Hamilton | 174 cm | 73 kg |
Zhou Guanyu | 176 cm | 63 kg |
Pierre Gasly | 177 cm | 70 kg |
Carlos Sainz | 178 cm | 66 kg |
Oscar Piastri | 178 cm | 68 kg |
Daniel Ricciardo | 179 cm | 66 kg |
Charles Leclerc | 180 cm | 69 kg |
Logan Sargeant | 181 cm | 71 kg |
Max Verstappen | 181 cm | 72 kg |
Lance Stroll | 182 cm | 70 kg |
Nico Hulkenberg | 184 cm | 78 kg |
George Russell | 185 cm | 70 kg |
Esteban Ocon | 186 cm | 66 kg |
Alex Albon | 186 cm | 73 kg |
Source: PlanetF1