Need an emotional boost? Head to the track

Loughborough University in the UK and Abarth have found that driving a car at a racetrack can significantly improve a person’s mood, more so than doing a workout at the gym.

The emotional benefits associated with physical exercise are relatively well known. However, the psychological impact of track driving is not quite as well documented.

With that in mind, Abarth and Loughborough University conducted a “Circuit Training Mood Test” to measure the emotional responses between a gym workout and driving around a racetrack.

This involved placing attendees behind the wheel of a few choice Abarth models for a track day at Mallory Park Race Circuit as well as giving them a hot lap with a professional driver and measuring their emotional responses. They were then tasked with completing a set of cardio and resistance training exercises to which their emotional response was compared. 

It found that on average, people were 59 per cent happier when driving around a racetrack than going to the gym.

Breaking the findings down per the type of workout discovered that happiness levels were 116 per cent higher when attendees were behind the wheel compared to conducting a cardio workout. However, it was also found that there was only a four per cent difference in mood between track driving and a weight lifting session.

The test also found that taking a ride alongside a professional driver was 77 per cent more enjoyable than a combined gym workout of cardio and resistance training.

While it may seem like a creative marketing ploy by Abarth to sell more performance oriented hatchbacks, we’re sure you would agree that a track day is much more enjoyable than going to the gym.