Yes. For one thing, the driver is also mass that is being accelerated (in any of the four directions) when the car is being accelerated and body is experiencing those forces. E.g. when you brake hard, your head wants to keep going and is restrained by your neck. My harness doesn’t 100% lock me in place so when I go through turns, I’m typically using my left leg to brace. And if you don’t have power steering, that can be a lot of effort. (Some leagues have it, some don’t. F1 yes, F2 no. Nascar no.) Try go-karting for the experience of now power steering.
One particularly violent experience was riding along in a racer’s high-powered car. Felt like I was being shaken in a can for 20-minutes, I was sore for days.
It all does depend on the speeds and level of motorsport. F1 is extreme fitness, entry-level amateur club racing a lot less. But it is definitely physical.
Yes. For one thing, the driver is also mass that is being accelerated (in any of the four directions) when the car is being accelerated and body is experiencing those forces. E.g. when you brake hard, your head wants to keep going and is restrained by your neck. My harness doesn’t 100% lock me in place so when I go through turns, I’m typically using my left leg to brace. And if you don’t have power steering, that can be a lot of effort. (Some leagues have it, some don’t. F1 yes, F2 no. Nascar no.) Try go-karting for the experience of now power steering.
One particularly violent experience was riding along in a racer’s high-powered car. Felt like I was being shaken in a can for 20-minutes, I was sore for days.
It all does depend on the speeds and level of motorsport. F1 is extreme fitness, entry-level amateur club racing a lot less. But it is definitely physical.