Age and Speed.
Discussion
After reading yet another Michael Schumacher moan on PH got me thinking... Do you 'lose' your speed as you get older?
It's interesting to me, as my Dad is a keen peddler and at 60 years old, and a good couple of stone heavier, he handed me my a*se at Karting a few years ago. And not just me, but everyone at the circuit that day: he made the younger guys, all good racers, look quite silly.
But anyway, the young lads in F1 all seem to respect Schumacher - I believe he's beaten them at a couple karting races and his F1 escapades were looking better towards the end of his comeback. Obviously some forms of Motorsport are more physically demanding than others - and a younger body would quicker adapt to the demands.
The Brundle Bros are no snails when racing enduro's.
So I'm asking the drivers on here - would you expect to be equally as fast in say, 25 yeas time?
It's interesting to me, as my Dad is a keen peddler and at 60 years old, and a good couple of stone heavier, he handed me my a*se at Karting a few years ago. And not just me, but everyone at the circuit that day: he made the younger guys, all good racers, look quite silly.
But anyway, the young lads in F1 all seem to respect Schumacher - I believe he's beaten them at a couple karting races and his F1 escapades were looking better towards the end of his comeback. Obviously some forms of Motorsport are more physically demanding than others - and a younger body would quicker adapt to the demands.
The Brundle Bros are no snails when racing enduro's.
So I'm asking the drivers on here - would you expect to be equally as fast in say, 25 yeas time?
No, scientific tests prove that reaction speeds, eyesight and eye hand / brain co-ordination speeds begin to slow in your early 40's. You also begin to appreciate risk and the growing chance of an incident so you are not so fast.
Somebody 50, may well be as quick over 10 miles as somebody 30, but over a race distance ie 200 miles will be quite a distance slower. Ideal age for racing is between 25-32.
However there are certain motorsports that require different skills and age is not such an issue. being fast is important but understanding your weaknesses is way more important.
Somebody 50, may well be as quick over 10 miles as somebody 30, but over a race distance ie 200 miles will be quite a distance slower. Ideal age for racing is between 25-32.
However there are certain motorsports that require different skills and age is not such an issue. being fast is important but understanding your weaknesses is way more important.
belleair302 said:
No, scientific tests prove that reaction speeds, eyesight and eye hand / brain co-ordination speeds begin to slow in your early 40's. You also begin to appreciate risk and the growing chance of an incident so you are not so fast.
Somebody 50, may well be as quick over 10 miles as somebody 30, but over a race distance ie 200 miles will be quite a distance slower. Ideal age for racing is between 25-32.
However there are certain motorsports that require different skills and age is not such an issue. being fast is important but understanding your weaknesses is way more important.
That's interesting. I'm curious though, at 40 is it that we really slow down, or take less care of ourselves as diet, training etc is perhaps viewed as vanity, or a young mans game?Somebody 50, may well be as quick over 10 miles as somebody 30, but over a race distance ie 200 miles will be quite a distance slower. Ideal age for racing is between 25-32.
However there are certain motorsports that require different skills and age is not such an issue. being fast is important but understanding your weaknesses is way more important.
Maybe that's a different thread!
25 - 32 is comforting, though. I'm 30 and thought I'd past it ; )
Recovery time from injury must also go up as you get older? Not necessarily major injuries either. The sort of knocks and bumps that might bounce off you as a younger driver will perhaps start to become harder to brush off as you age. On a very basic level, wear and tear must also start to play a part?
Different motorsport disciplines require different skills, endurance and mental stresses. Drag racing is all about eye and reaction times, hill climbs require different skills as does rally cross, ETCC, WSB and F1 etc. I doubt there are many drivers competing worldwide at the top of their game much beyond 45. yes there will be some but how many are there under 25, probably the same number. I agree, diet, recovery time, motivation and concentration skills all come into the picture too. Anybody care to break down different car racing groups vs age. GT racing one can do until you are in your late 40's as you can in touring cars / NASCAR, but these require more mental skills than physical ones, less G Forces and less time behind a wheel doing over 170 mph or avoiding trees. Oldest competitive 500 CC or WSB Riders???
Hmmm ... age and speed. Bit of a myth in many aspects.
Michael Schumacher's reaction times in his early twenties and compared to his in his forties would be little different. Motivation twenty years on may be less intense and muscles would not be as fit as they once were. Motivation would play a larger part than reflexes and body fitness with the passing of time.
When I was in my late teens, one of my older friends was a fine specimen of a twenty something. He had the lot, looks, fitness intelligence and quite cheeky. When he saw my father and I, who by that time Dad was about fifty, having a game of tennis in the nearby park courts my friend started to heckle going on about it being a game for the fit and young. After a few words being exchanged I handed over my racket and my friend and father started to play. Within a few minutes my friend was an exhausted sweaty wreck as my father really gave him the run around ... literally. My friend had an enormous respect for my father thereafter.
I could outline a few similar experiences but the above will suffice.
Michael Schumacher's reaction times in his early twenties and compared to his in his forties would be little different. Motivation twenty years on may be less intense and muscles would not be as fit as they once were. Motivation would play a larger part than reflexes and body fitness with the passing of time.
When I was in my late teens, one of my older friends was a fine specimen of a twenty something. He had the lot, looks, fitness intelligence and quite cheeky. When he saw my father and I, who by that time Dad was about fifty, having a game of tennis in the nearby park courts my friend started to heckle going on about it being a game for the fit and young. After a few words being exchanged I handed over my racket and my friend and father started to play. Within a few minutes my friend was an exhausted sweaty wreck as my father really gave him the run around ... literally. My friend had an enormous respect for my father thereafter.
I could outline a few similar experiences but the above will suffice.
Fangio won all of his F1 world titles when in his forties, and by the time he retired with his fifth title he was 47. That same year Stirling Moss was only 28. If you think that Grand Prix racing was less physically demanding then than now, consider that the 1957 German GP, thought by many to be Fangio's greatest ever victory, took three and a half hours to complete around the Nurburgring.
Tell 'The Golden Greek' Chris Karamesines that you lose speed and gain fear as you get older.
He regularly hits 300mph+ and is 84 years old!
http://youtu.be/JRQw2L9wn9Y
He regularly hits 300mph+ and is 84 years old!
http://youtu.be/JRQw2L9wn9Y
I can't remember which autobiography (possible Coulthard?) I read where someone said that when they had children they felt they lost a bit of speed. Mentally it was in the back of their mind that they had a responsibility to someone else so didn't feel they took as may risks.
Obviously, the older you are, the greater the chance of having children.
Obviously, the older you are, the greater the chance of having children.
Funny everyone seems to be talking fear - I know as the older I get, the less inclined I am to push my luck (on a bike, or kart - there's no F1 racing in my life... Yet ; )
That said, I see no other reason reason why I would slow down. At 30 I'm in way better physical condition than I was at 20, and don't expect to start going downhill from here just yet!
That said, I see no other reason reason why I would slow down. At 30 I'm in way better physical condition than I was at 20, and don't expect to start going downhill from here just yet!
As long as you keep fit and keep your eye in you might lose a few tenths a lap, but you can still be pretty damn quick. In F1 obviously that means you are slow, but in enduros its less noticible (especially when experience can mean alot), in club racing you can go till you drop and have success.
Kenny Smith is still going ridiculously fast in f5000's, winning races in a car thats an utter beast to handle whoever you are, and he's in his 70's.
Kenny Smith is still going ridiculously fast in f5000's, winning races in a car thats an utter beast to handle whoever you are, and he's in his 70's.
MGJohn said:
Hmmm ... age and speed. Bit of a myth in many aspects.
Michael Schumacher's reaction times in his early twenties and compared to his in his forties would be little different. Motivation twenty years on may be less intense and muscles would not be as fit as they once were. Motivation would play a larger part than reflexes and body fitness with the passing of time.
When I was in my late teens, one of my older friends was a fine specimen of a twenty something. He had the lot, looks, fitness intelligence and quite cheeky. When he saw my father and I, who by that time Dad was about fifty, having a game of tennis in the nearby park courts my friend started to heckle going on about it being a game for the fit and young. After a few words being exchanged I handed over my racket and my friend and father started to play. Within a few minutes my friend was an exhausted sweaty wreck as my father really gave him the run around ... literally. My friend had an enormous respect for my father thereafter.
I could outline a few similar experiences but the above will suffice.
What's that got to do with anything? You're comparing two different people.Michael Schumacher's reaction times in his early twenties and compared to his in his forties would be little different. Motivation twenty years on may be less intense and muscles would not be as fit as they once were. Motivation would play a larger part than reflexes and body fitness with the passing of time.
When I was in my late teens, one of my older friends was a fine specimen of a twenty something. He had the lot, looks, fitness intelligence and quite cheeky. When he saw my father and I, who by that time Dad was about fifty, having a game of tennis in the nearby park courts my friend started to heckle going on about it being a game for the fit and young. After a few words being exchanged I handed over my racket and my friend and father started to play. Within a few minutes my friend was an exhausted sweaty wreck as my father really gave him the run around ... literally. My friend had an enormous respect for my father thereafter.
I could outline a few similar experiences but the above will suffice.
There is no doubt that our abilities lessen as we age. If it weren't so there would be significant numbers of older people in all sorts of sporting endeavour. There aren't.
REALIST123 said:
What's that got to do with anything? You're comparing two different people.
There is no doubt that our abilities lessen as we age. If it weren't so there would be significant numbers of older people in all sorts of sporting endeavour. There aren't.
Hmmm... There is no doubt that our abilities lessen as we age. If it weren't so there would be significant numbers of older people in all sorts of sporting endeavour. There aren't.
Really? Or are we looking at professional sports where younger, prettier types are more PR friendly?
I've seen older fells nail triathlons quicker than I could ever even contemplate. Or course, it's specific to a sport. A 60 year old boxer would struggle with a 20 year old.
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