Oscar Piastri Confesses About ‘Forcing’ Himself to Eat After Races

Being an F1 driver isn’t just about performing well on race day and then returning to a normal routine. It requires a great deal of effort to maintain physical health and manage weight, with drivers needing to eat the right amount at regular intervals. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri recently spoke about this, sharing some surprising insights.

On the third episode of a new short video series on McLaren’s YouTube channel, both Piastri and teammate Lando Norris spoke about the importance of nutrition.

Piastri revealed that at times, he doesn’t even feel hungry. But to maintain his schedule, he cannot compromise. “In some ways, you almost have to force yourself to get into the right eating schedule as well,” the Aussie stated.

F1 races are incredibly physically demanding, with drivers losing significant weight during a race—up to 4.5 kg (10 pounds) in some cases. This figure varies depending on the location, as the amount of weight lost is largely tied to how much sweat a driver loses. In hotter climates, like Singapore, the weight loss can be particularly high, as compared to races taking place in cold conditions.

In those situations, drivers often don’t feel hungry, as Piastri admitted. “The adrenaline is still very much pumping through, you’re not that hungry, your appetite’s not that big. But you need to eat, especially in the back-to-back weekends you kind of have to shift pretty quickly,”

Piastri and Co. in for a physically demanding run of races

After a three-week break, F1 returns this weekend with the United States GP in Austin, kicking off a triple-header with races in Mexico City and Sao Paulo to follow. Two of these weekends will feature Sprint races, adding to the challenge.

Piastri emphasized the importance of maintaining proper nutrition during back-to-back races, and with three consecutive weekends ahead, the physical demands will be even greater for him and the other 19 drivers.

️ The physicality of race day demands a suitable recovery strategy with #OptimumNutrition at the heart. pic.twitter.com/H2LtqQbnv5

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) October 14, 2024

For Piastri and teammate Norris, the pressure is even higher. Norris is chasing Max Verstappen for the championship and can’t afford to lose ground, while Piastri will need to support him as much as possible. Presumably, the McLaren dieticians will have to be as alert as their drivers.