Stress Markers During a Rally Car Competition

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Human Performance

Background:

• Rally car racing is a demanding sport involving high psycho-physiological stress.
• Understanding the physiological responses of drivers is crucial for optimizing performance and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess stress hormone responses in rally car drivers during a race.
• To investigate the influence of physical fitness and body composition on these stress hormones.

Main Methods:

• 9 rally car drivers underwent fitness (maximum aerobic speed) and body composition (skinfold) assessments.
• Hormonal (epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, aldosterone) and metabolic (lactate, glucose, ammonia) markers were measured pre- and post-race.
• Heart rate was continuously monitored during the race.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in heart rate, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and lactate were observed post-race (p ≤ 0.05).
• Higher percent body fat (%BF) was significantly correlated with elevated postrace epinephrine levels (r = 0.95, p < 0.001).
• Maximum aerobic speed (MAS) showed no association with hormonal or metabolic changes.

Conclusions:

• Rally car racing induces substantial psycho-physiological stress, altering hormonal and metabolic profiles.
• %BF may act as a mediator of stress responses in rally drivers.
• Conditioning programs incorporating strength, aerobic training, and nutrition are recommended for rally drivers.