Michigan State University research has established how much physical stress the more than 1 million race car drivers endure annually. Associate Professor David Ferguson’s trailblazing research has shown the immense pressures (literally) the human body undergoes during automobile racing. Now, he’s on track to lead the way again with the latest research, published in the March 2026 issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
The physical effort of the driver coupled with a thick, fire protective suit within a hot race car can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses. Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke, can create confusion, cause nausea, headaches or seizures, among other symptoms. There are cooling technologies on the market, and Formula 1 now requires that cooling systems are used in certain conditions after concerns regarding drivers’ safety. Yet, there has been no peer-reviewed literature examining the efficacy of the various technologies.
Enter Ferguson and his research team in the Spartan Motorsport Performance Lab — and research funded by Mercedes Grand Prix Limited, also known as Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team.