Formula 1 drivers spend a lot of time in their cars, speeding around tracks, and they need to focus completely on their driving. But, what happens if they have to deal with having to go to the bathroom while racing? Ideally, they would not. However, in a recent conversation on the ‘First We Feast’ YouTube channel, Lewis Hamilton shared that, unfortunately, sometimes drivers do need to pee in their cars and that he knows some who do it more often than others.
When Hamilton was asked if he had ever done it, he confessed that he had. The 39-year-old explained that it happened during the Singapore Grand Prix after its return to the F1 calendar in 2022 after a two-year break.
Hamilton described,
“I have, once! It was Singapore; Oh God, it was like two or three years ago and basically the Safety Car came out and I was behind the Safety Car. I was like, ‘I’m dying.'”
What’s interesting is that, at first, the Briton wasn’t very straightforward about this topic. He mentioned that many drivers might pee in their cars, but he usually tries to avoid it. Hamilton drinks a lot of water before races, but right before getting into the car, he tries to go to the bathroom as many times as possible.
The Mercedes driver initially said that he just can’t make himself pee while racing only to confess the truth when pressed by the host. Hamilton then went on to explain how the conditions inside an F1 car aren’t ideal to take a leak.
Lewis Hamilton says G-Forces in an F1 car makes it difficult for the drivers to hold back
Formula 1 drivers feel up to 6G worth of force inside the car when they speed up, slow down, or turn quickly. These forces make it really uncomfortable if their bladder is full, and it’s hard for them to concentrate on driving.
“Honestly when your bladder’s full with the G-force that you’re pulling it’s really really uncomfortable. And so, you’re pulling the G-force, you just can’t focus on your job,” the 7-time champion added.
But, it’s not just Hamilton who doesn’t like to release himself while driving. Another driver, Daniel Ricciardo, also spoke about this issue in a past interview. The Aussie stated how he never takes a leak in his car. Instead, he painfully holds it in until the race is over, even though every bump and turn makes it hurt more.
Daniel Ricciardo on PEEING during races #danielricciardo #f1 #f1clips #dannyric #redbullracing #mclarenf1 #alphataurif1 #theellenshow pic.twitter.com/Rp5p2mll63
— FanAmp – The Home for F1 Fans (@Join_FanAmp) August 9, 2023
Hamilton also shared that during the Singapore Grand Prix, he had to “force” himself to pee, which was very hard to do. However, the #44 driver told the host that he only had to do it once and hasn’t done it again since.
So, while some drivers might pee during a race, Lewis Hamilton’s story shows that it is something they don’t like to do often.
