The Effects of Altitude Hypoxia in Simulated Racing

High-altitude environments impair physical and cognitive performance due to reduced oxygen availability. While hypoxia’s effects on endurance and cognition are well-documented, little is known about its impact on simulated racing performance, which may inform preparation for motorsport events held at altitude. PURPOSE: To examine the acute effects of simulated moderate altitude (~2,500 m) on performance, physiology, and cognition during a simulated racing task. METHODS: Thirteen healthy participants (mean age = 24.15 ± 5.83 y) completed two randomized crossover sessions one week apart: normoxia (~500 m) and hypoxia (~2,500 m), simulated with the Hypoxico Everest II. Outcome measures included lap time, heart rate (HR), blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂), blood pressure, and cognition (5-min Cognitive Test; Zhang, 2019). Paired t-tests compared lap times; two-way repeated measures ANOVAs (altitude × time) assessed HR, SpO₂, and cognition. Significance was set at p < .05. RESULTS: Participants were slower at altitude (M = 77.58 s) than sea level (M = 76.84 s), t(12) = –2.16, p = .034, one-tailed. SpO₂ showed main effects of altitude and time, decreasing from 97.54% to 93.23% at altitude, F(2,38) = 33.87, p < .001, η² = .64. HR and cognitive scores showed no significant effects. CONCLUSION: Moderate simulated altitude impaired racing performance and reduced oxygen saturation, suggesting potential applications of hypoxic training for motorsport athletes competing at altitude. Larger samples, longer exposures, and broader outcomes are warranted to clarify altitude’s effects on race-relevant performance.