23 replies to this topic

[Khan]

Following the opening of the Sydney Olympics and the whole matter of doping in athletics, I asked myself whether there is any doping in F1, or in any other form of racing? Was there ever? Are drivers checked for doping? Can any doping make a difference anyway (easier to cheat on electronics?)

Can anyone answer?

Khan.

PS. Remember that even the pneumatic pistol shooters in the Olympic games can use drugs - they would use the ones that calm you down, not pump you up. So it's not just athletics.

[AlesiGOD]

No...

[Haz]

You know what Khan, I've actually thought about this. I'm not sure it would make much of a difference though. Racing is mostly about skill, reactions and reflexes, doping can't change this too much. Drugs might help their Stamina, and I'm sure some type of stimulants are used by at least some of the drivers. I wouldn't be surprised if their water bottles are filled with caffeine, or other stuff.

One thing I do know about Steriods though, is that they can make you lose your hair, and there is a driver that does have this problem. I've seen him without a shirt as well, and he does have some muscle on him. You never know.....

But honestly, I don't think the drivers should be tested. If they want to use drugs, then let them. Its their body, and the advantages aren't that great.

[Turbo]

I don't know about F1 & doping. In world superbike this year, however, Noriyuki Haga (currently 2nd in points behind Colin Edwards with a 40 point gap or so) lost a win and a second from the Kyalami race weekend due to testing positive for Ephedrine. He's protested, and the darn FIM has been sitting on it all season and hopes to decide on the appeal before the final race weekend. (If makes me wonder if they're doing an FIA style attempted title chase fix, so they can give him back his points right before the final two races to make it a battle again.)

[AlesiGOD]

Originally posted by Haz


One thing I do know about Steriods though, is that they can make you lose your hair, and there is a driver that does have this problem. I've seen him without a shirt as well, and he does have some muscle on him. You never know.....

[rock]

Haz, You mean Rubens Barrichello. He's bald but where's the muscle?;)

[Mellon]

There are test carried out about 3 times a season including most drivers. FIA and FIM are at some level discussing the problem with the IOC, and are using similar tests.

Some driver had slightly too much caffeine in a test once. I could be off by a mile but I have a vague memory that it might have been RB in '94 or '95 at Magny Cours possibly or maybe not.

[f1sl]

i remember reading in F1 Racing a while ago. they had found Pot in the conference room, at the French GP i think.

[Slick]

Drugs and driving is not a good idea at the best of times but at 200mph surely that is suicide.

I hope F1 is not infested with drugs but if any are found I hope they get band for life not just a few races or a couple of seasons.

[Haz]

Um slick, we are talking about performance ENHANCING drugs, not ones that would decrease someone's performance.

[mono-posto]

There are most definitely drugs that would enhance a drivers abilities. Ranging from increases in visual accuity to improved blood-oxygen uptake.

Traditional steriods would be of little help except to make the drivers more agressive.

The problem, and consequently the long debate, stems from the fact that EVERY drug test can be beaten!

I admitally used 'the herb' quite casually when I was in school and NEVER failed a drug test, even if I had just smoked a few days earlier.

The problem really is with the fact that a test will test positive for ONLY the drugs that are being tested for. Even a hobbyist chemist can alter the molecular structure of most drugs to have the same effect but not show up on a test. The down side: these alterations usually have deadly side effects.

And so the debate goes: Is it not better for an athlete to be using safe performance enhancing drugs as opposed to unsafe ones?

It also remains a fact that in most top level sports, if your not doping than your not competitive.

Is it happening in F1? Who knows. But when they measure these cars in grams and fractions of a horsepower, wouldn't they also be trying to develop the level of thier drivers to the fullest? It is all a matter of what is considered illegal.

[Darren]

For sure drugs could help. Think about it: you need strength and endurance for surviving the race distance, you need fast reaction times and you need to have enough calmness to steady the judgement. Erythropoetin (EPO) is the drug of choice for endurance athletes because it gives you sustained strength under continued strain. Road cyclists use it in preference to anabolic steroids because it allows you to keep churning over long distances rather than the explosive strength gain you get from nandrolone and the like (mainly used by sprinters). Beta blockers, such as were/are popular amongst sporting shooters, lower both heart rate and beta waves in the brain. They are excellent for steadiness and maintaining accuracy.

[MattB]

Eddie Irvine uses Viagra...that is a performance enhancing drug.

[desmo]

I've never heard of a drug that would make you a better racing driver. It's not like any of the drivers are going to show up stoned, although I bet the guys in the Nostalgia forum could share some hangover stories from the past. Any drug test in F1 would be just to look PC.

[NYR2119935]

any drunk drivers amongst the bunch
I have noticed that MS tends to weave all of the road.....and tends to cut a lot of people off, and tailgate too, and he is a habitual speeder.

[slc]

Hmmm, I wonder if using 'speed' would do any good ?

[GT Action Photo]

Originally posted by NYR2119935
any drunk drivers amongst the bunch
I have noticed that MS tends to weave all of the road.....and tends to cut a lot of people off, and tailgate too, and he is a habitual speeder.

MS knows that drinking and driving do not mix, if you hit a bump you spill your drink.

With kind regards,
Gary Trobaugh

[casalor]

Things are a lot cleaner now in the sport, I cannot imagine any of the drivers even thinking of taking drugs, theres just too much at stake, financially and competitively.

I do, however, remember reading in James Hunts biography that he had a pretty wild playboy lifestyle, which seemed to include a lot of parties and pot. It may not have been a performance enhancing drug, but it sure didn't seem to have too much of an effect on his racing.

[Antti]

The drug history in just about any sport seems to point out, that the worst predictions are closest to the truth... I guess the situation is the same in F1,

Cheers

Antti

[arcwulf7]

If there are drugs used they would be more likely to be of the EPO variety, the notorious endurance enhancer in bike racing. F1 drivers normally have heart rates at 160 bpm, increased respiration, water loss in high temperatures, high g forces acting on neck muscles and of course the need for intense concentration (there are drugs for that as well) over 2 hours. It can be every bit a physically taxing as a marathon. Since the mind tends to lapse in a fatigue brought about by a body operating at high stress and activity rates i'd almost be surprised if someone hasn't been using them.

[dooly]

Originally posted by GT Action Photo
MS knows that drinking and driving do not mix, if you hit a bump you spill your drink.

Michael knows you leave that for drinking coffee in a happy family situation.

[Khan]

I'm sure Marc Gene won't use drugs, cos lot good will it do him. He can beat the prosts any way. The big question is whether there is doping in the big teams, where, as we see this year, the mechanical equipment is virtually the same, and many times the driver makes the difference. However, I do not think that either Michael Schumacher or Mika Hakkinen will ever even consider doping, because of the immense damage it will do to their reputation and to their teams if it was ever found out. Moreover, even if the drivers were considering using drugs, the teams would never ever allow it. Obviously it took Mercedes a lot of real technical effort to reach those two WDC's, they won't go risking all their reputation with a drug scandal.

Besides personal driver dignity, there is another reason why I think there is no drugs in F1 (or not much). It is not like the olympics, a once in 4 years occasion, where a swarm of unknowns and could-bes from all over the world (including countries like China, or USSR or East Germany in the past), and try to compete for a couple of medals. After all, who's going to know about them after the Olympics - I'm sure pneumatic pistol shooting is not that popular a sport (and, personally, I think athletics suck). Those kind of people may risk taking drugs, because it's their only chance for fame.

F1, on the other hand, is famous by definition. The pinnacle of motorsports. There are ONLY 22 drivers each season competing in 17 consecutive events. If they want to use drugs, they must use them all the time - one race won't make any difference. I think it would be silly of, say, Wurz, to use drugs in a race and risk a scandal, when he could get a much better deal by simply driving consistently. In short, in F1, achivements are spread across the whole season, and not a single occasion like in the Olympics.

[danut]

quote:
If there are drugs used they would be more likely to be of the EPO variety, the notorious endurance enhancer in bike racing.

EPO -erythropoetin - is a hormone that stimulates the formation of red blood cells. More blood cells means better oygen supply. Would that help an F1 driver? As they are subjected to intense physical efforts during a race, it would certainly help. If they are to use it, they must take it constantly, it's not like you take it just before the race and then you have better oxygen supply for that race.
Anyway, similar effects can be obtained by training and as most drivers are very well trained athletes and in excellent physical shape - I really don't think they are using EPO.

But you can never be really sure...

[mono-posto]

Training for a couple of weeks at high altitude has the SAME EXACT effect as EPO, without the risk of the blood thickening, causing clots and eventually heart attacks. (The reason EPO is banned).

The advantage is that EPO is a quick shot and your there, not weeks of high altitude training every few months.

A SMART athlete would take the safe route and not risk dropping dead from a heart attack while going through Eau Rouge flat out, killing more than just themselves.

I know Wurz likes alot of high altitude sports and is a mountain bike champion. He is one of the fittest among the 22 F1 drivers. (His set back is his height and weight).
But his natural fitness is more beneficial than any drug could be.

I just hope that the intense pressure and competiviness of F1 has not prompted the drivers to do anything STUPID!