Fernando Alonso once broke a walnut with his neck showing sheer strength F1 drivers get from their neck training

Tanish Chachra | 10/01/2023
Fernando Alonso once broke a walnut with his neck showing sheer strength F1 drivers get from their neck training

F1 drivers undergo rigorous neck training as they must tolerate extreme levels of G forces while driving their Formula 1 car. And Fernando Alonso, who has been in F1 for over two decades, has maintained his neck strength to continue competing in the sport.

Lewis Hamilton once told in the Graham Norton Show that neck exercises are essential for every driver. The G force applied on an F1 car tries to throw the driver the other way while dealing with a corner.

Therefore, to fight against such a massive force, one needs massive core and neck strength. But Alonso once exhibited how much neck strength an F1 driver gains with their regular workout regime.

Also read: Jenson Button was ordered to leave because future two-time world champion was getting for his seat

Fernando Alonso once broke a walnut with his neck

The Spaniard has been in an F1 driver’s lifestyle for more than half his life. Therefore, there is no doubt that he’ll have massive neck and facial muscles.

But Alonso did something unusual yet incredible with his power. In a video from 2009, he broke a walnut by placing it between his shoulder and side neck. People were amazed how he could have even generated such force from that point.

This act only proves that F1 drivers go through intense workouts to be even fit to drive an F1 car. For example, when he started in F1, Hamilton had a collar size of 14, and now it’s 18.

He’ll keep driving

Even after spending so many years in several motorsports, the two-time world champion isn’t tired of the gym schedule and heavy workout that comes with it. In a recent interview, he claimed that he wants to keep racing even in his post-F1 life.

He sees himself sticking in F1 for two-three more years, after which he admits he’ll have to leave the sport. But there are other avenues which he is eyeing to set a new precedent.

He is yet to win a Dakar Rally, even though he has two F1 two titles, two Le Mans wins and a World Endurance championship. He tried his luck in Dakar Rally back in 2020 but finished P13.

Therefore, it has been his ambition to get that achievement and set the precedent of acing so many series in one career. It has never been achieved before. That’s what motivates the Matador.

Also read: Carlos Sainz Sr forces Helicopter U-turn despite in need of medical attention

Post Edited By: Tanish Chachra
Fernando Alonso

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

Don’t miss these