F1 star opens up on sex ban at grands prix

Verstappen with Piastri and Colapinto — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 star opens up on sex ban at grands prix

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By Brian Van Hinthum.

Wednesday 23 September 2026 16:11

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Formula 1 driver Franco Colapinto recently shared some intriguing insights into his race weekend routine during the Spanish TV program La Revuelta.

The 23-year-old Alpine racer strictly avoids any sexual activity before races, believing that any distraction could jeopardise his on-track performance.

With a packed calendar and stringent lifestyle rules, he hasn’t been intimate in over a month. When asked about his recent love life, the Argentine simply smiled and remarked, “No, I’ve just been involved in a lot of races.”

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Strict guidelines

Fernando Belasteguin, a former world No. 1 in padel as well as Colapinto’s sports advisor, is behind this rigorous approach.

He explains that ejaculating before a grand prix can significantly lower testosterone levels, which in turn could impact a driver’s performance.

Colapinto detailed the reasoning behind his celibate streak: “The person managing my athletic side, Fernando Belasteguin, insists that I avoid any form of ejaculation before a race weekend or the race itself, as lower testosterone means poorer performance. I have to take care of myself,” he concluded, jokingly noting that finishing should only happen on the track.

It's not just F1

Football manager Pep Guardiola once enforced strict rules on his Manchester City squad’s sex lives in a bid to boost performance at the highest level.

Former player Samir Nasri even recalled that the Spanish manager advised those eager for intimacy on a day off to do so before midnight, ensuring they’d get a good night’s sleep.

Similarly, boxer Tyson Fury once imposed a three-month abstinence period in the run-up to a major fight.