The Pros and Cons of Sunglasses in Motorsport

At first glance, it might seem sunglasses are synonymous with motorsports. Movies portraying life on the track often have their leads in shades, from Christian Bale and Matt Damon's portrayals of Carroll Shelby and Ken Mills in Ford vs. Ferrari through to the striking image of the chequered flag reflecting in Barry Pepper's lenses in 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story. However, as always with the movies, it's not quite reality.

Drivers are snapped in sunglasses often. Ray-Ban have been a sponsor of the Ferrari Formula1 team for many years, and drivers like Kimi Raikkonen and Carlos Sainz have modelled their Scuderia collection both in promo shots and the paddock. Formula Woman's very own Sara Misir has been spotted sporting shades to shield her eyes from the sun at Snetterton. However, one rarely sees sunglasses on an F1 podium - where you'd think they might be useful, even if only to shield the eyes from stray champagne. The reason is sunglasses aren't permitted under an F1 helmet. While prescription lenses are allowed - Ralf Schumacher and Nelson Piquet Jr. wore contacts, and Toro Rosso racer Sébastien Bourdais even wore spectacles - sunglasses are seen as non-essential. Drivers can choose a visor tint based on the conditions of their race. For example, the Singapore GP is a night race (to compensate for timezones and pull in the European TV audience), and the bulk of drivers there will opt for clear visors versus the heavy tints that are desirable in Dubai or Miami.

With that in mind, let's have a closer look at sunglasses in motorsports.

Bright spots

Most people will have a pair of sunglasses that they keep handy for driving. The changing conditions of real-world roads almost necessitate them, in the happy event that it's dull when we make our morning commute but blazing sunshine when it's time to head home. It's often said that polarised sunglasses are the most useful for British drivers as, alongside reducing glare from headlights and streetlights, they help to minimise light reflecting from wet surfaces – it's why they're also a favourite of sailors and anglers, particularly those from sporting design focused brands like Oakley. Their Prizm lens technology can also help pick out particular colours while driving, as an extension of the common wisdom that different shaded lenses work better in different conditions – grey when it's sunny and contrast-enhancing tints like brown or amber if it's overcast. There's also some evidence that they can help keep your eyes 'awake' – which is why Indy car drivers often wear shades in the cockpit; their races clocking in at about double the average 90 minutes of a Formula 1 drive. At the gruelling 24-hour Grand Prix de Vitesse et d'Endurance at Le Mans, sunglasses are almost compulsory, and most drivers will have at least one day and one night pair.

Pitstops and pitfalls

That's not to say sunglasses are suitable for all motorsports. The FIA obviously take a dim view, and you can rationalise that at 200mph, anything not necessary that may cause a driver a moment's discomfort could lead to a distraction that could end very badly. Likewise, with the thrills and spills of rally driving, glasses could become unseated, causing distraction or potentially even having to stop should the driver have prescription lenses.

Sunglasses will have a VLT rating - that is to say, how much light they'll let in. Oakley's Prizm Road range, for example, comes in models between 12% and 20% Visible Light Transmission. While this is great for sunny conditions, it's less ideal for twilight and, on an endurance race, will likely need to be swapped out or taken off. To give an idea, house windows are generally fitted at 50%-60% light transmission, as going below 45% will make the interior noticeably duller when you're inside.

So should one wear sunglasses when on a track day? It's very much up to personal preference. While the pros have their own performance reasons to wear them, we can also be real and realise that part and parcel of professional sports is endorsement deals that can make it well worth their time to do so. If an amateur racer doesn't generally wear shades for day-to-day driving, they may be a distraction. For most of us who do, it can be worth investing in a premium pair to take full advantage of the benefits they bring.