Valtteri Bottas, a Formula 1 driver on the Alfa Romeo team, believes Formula 1 caused him to develop an eating disorder
Three points related to this include: he went to extremes to keep his body weight low early in his career, he is of the firm belief he developed an eating disorder that has gone undiagnosed and the limits on drivers' weights have been strict, but have relaxed in years past
Valtteri Bottas is a happier, and also healthier driver in Formula 1. In his home country of Finland, Bottas did a recent interview where he stated that, early in his career, he pushed himself to extreme limits to keep his weight down. Because of this, he developed an undiagnosed eating disorder. "I trained myself to pain, physically and mentally. It got out of hand, and became an addiction. No eating disorder was officially diagnosed, but it was definitely there." Between long workouts, he would only eat steamed broccoli and other diet choices from the team he was on. "It wasn't very healthy. I wanted to be the best, and I thought I had to do that. If the team says that I have to weigh 68 kilos (150 pounds) and I naturally weigh 73 kilos (161 pounds), then they will do everything for that."
Size and weight limits in Formula 1 are strict, but have been improved
Any extra weight slows the car down, so teams want their drivers lightweight and streamlined. That means the drivers have to train hard to keep their bodies in top condition, which means being at or below the 161 pound minimum. If they're under that, weights must be added to the cars to reach the required weight.
Bottas does not have the height of other drivers. He's only 5'8'' while Thai-British driver Alexander Albon is listed as 6'2''. Bottas has more bulky muscle behind him, though. Thankfully, F1 has made a change to the rule about weight. The minimum weight is now 80 kgs (171 pounds), including the fireproof gear they wear. The gear the drivers wear is 15 pounds (7 kgs) and this figures in with the drivers' weight
Bottas describes his second year in Formula 1, 2014, as being especially hard. That season had strict requirements on weight, meaning heavier drivers were even more under the gun to lose weight. That year saw Daniel Ricciardo being forced to lose weight to get his weight down by at least 4.5 pounds (2 kilos). Ricciardo was 5'10'' and weighed 143 pounds (65 kilos). The drivers had extreme pressure on them to keep their weight down otherwise their jobs were on the line. Because of his size, 6' and 165 pound (75 kg) driver Nico Hulkenberg was, supposedly, kept from a position on the McLaren team because of his size. Then McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh said in a 2013 Sky Sports interview "Heavier drivers will be less attractive. It has happened by accident. We have raised the minimum weight, but the new powertrains are heavier than people expected, and now have a situation where heavier drivers could be a disadvantage."
In his 2007 autobiography, former McLaren and Red Bull Racing driver David Coulthard said that what he put himself through as a teen trying to get into Formula 1, including conditions sounding too close to bulimia. "It was an essential part of being an oversized teenager in karting, making weight. I would have my dinner, weigh myself and if I was too heavy, I'd go swimming and exercise and try to control my weight by being sick."
Bottas said that the rule changes in 2019 helped immensely. He stated they helped his immune system because he was not cutting as much weight off. "I think the regulation is good, especially for the taller drivers. It makes life a bit easier. Many drivers had to be below our natural weight, and it is very easy to get ill or sick. This is the first winter for many years that I didn't get any flu or any sickness."
