Height and weight are so important for any Formula 1 driver in their never-ending quest to gain fractions of a second over their rivals in a sport which is all about fine margins.
Modern F1 cars weigh a lot more than the previous generations of cars, and in the decades since, whilst the drivers only seem to be getting fitter and stronger.
Yet, the sport still has some big exceptions to that trend and the 2023 grid harbours some sizeable differences between the tallest and shortest drivers, plus the heaviest and lightest racers.
F1 2023 Driver Heights and Weights
| Driver | Team | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 181cm/5’9″ | 72kg/159lb |
| Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 173cm/5’7″ | 63kg/139lb |
| Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 179cm/5’9″ | 69kg/152lb |
| Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 178cm/5’9″ | 64kg/141lb |
| George Russell | Mercedes | 185cm/6’1″ | 70kg/154lb |
| Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 174cm/5’7″ | 73kg/161lb |
| Esteban Ocon | Alpine | 186cm/6’1″ | 66kg/145lb |
| Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 177cm/5’10” | 70kg/154lb |
| Lando Norris | McLaren | 170cm/5’6″ | 68kg/150lb |
| Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 178cm/5’8″ | 68kg/150lb |
| Valterri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | 173cm/5’7″ | 69kg/152lb |
| Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | 175cm/5’7″ | 63kg/139lb |
| Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 182cm/5’10” | 70kg/154lb |
| Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 171cm/5’6″ | 68kg/150lb |
| Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 174cm/5’7″ | 68kg/150lb |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | 184cm/6’0″ | 75kg/165lb |
| Yuki Tsuonda | AlphaTauri | 159cm/5’2″ | 54kg/120lb |
| Nick De Vries | AlphaTauri | 167cm/5’5″ | 67kg/148lb |
| Alex Albon | Williams | 186cm/6’1″ | 73kg/161lb |
| Logan Sargeant | Williams | 181cm/5’9″ | 71kg/157lb |
Why does weight matter in F1?
Lighter drivers are generally preferred in F1 because of the extra freedom they can offer.
A smaller weight means that their team can add the extra weight back on elsewhere to optimise the car and hit the minimum weight regulation of 796kg for 2023.
This is called ballast and can aide the balance of the car, improving performance.
For example, Yuki Tsunoda weighs 13kg (29lb) less than his former AlphaTauri teammate Nyck de Vries, allowing Tsunoda‘s side of the garage a 13kg advantage of weight disruption over De Vries.
What is the average height of an F1 driver?
The average height of the F1 2023 grid is 177cm tall (5’8). It’s the same number as the previous season, despite four driver changes including the retirement of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.
What is the average weight of an F1 driver?
The average weight of the current F1 grid is 68kg (149lb) on average. At the lowest end of the spectrum is Tsunoda at 54kg (119lb) whilst Haas‘ Nico Hulkenberg is the heaviest at 75kg (165lb).
Who is the shortest driver on the 2023 F1 grid?
Whilst he is also the lightest, Tsunoda is also the shortest. The AlphaTauri driver stands at 159cm (5’3″) tall, but is not the shortest to have ever driven in F1. That award goes to Andrea Montermini, an Italian driver who raced for Simtek in the 1990s. Montermini stood at 157cm (5’2″) tall.
Who is the tallest driver on the 2023 F1 grid?
Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Williams‘ Alex Albon both share the title of tallest drivers on the 2023 F1 grid.
The French and Thai drivers stand at 186cm (6’1″) tall but fall several centimetres below the tallest ever driver. Hans-Joachim Stuck, who raced in F1 in the 1970s, reached a height of 194cm.
