Lifestyle and general fitness are naturally important for all racing drivers, but in order to perform well at endurance racing I have to feel physically and mentally healthy. That’s why I consider fitness and training to be an important factor in my career. My job doesn’t start and finish when the race is done and that’s why working out has to be a lifestyle choice and therefore part of my regular routine.
I mainly train with my close friends and drivers Richard Williams and Jenson Button; we’ve all been involved in motor racing for a long time, so we’ve kind of grown up in this arena together. There are a number of us that all get together regularly for training – in fact we put together a triathlon team just for fun called the Ichiban Tri Team! The fact that we’re all friends and, as one would expect, highly competitive, makes for a lot of fun and certainly makes the tough side of training more enjoyable.
We have recently entered a few triathlon competitions for fun including the London Tri. As well as this we do more structured training sessions normally in Monaco as it’s so great for cycling in the mountains and attend an annual training camps in Lanzarote. Even when travelling we still have to factor in running and gym sessions at our various hotels and I often try and run the track on Wednesday or Thursday before the race.
I’m quite strict about sticking to a healthy, balanced diet and that’s what’s required, it important to consider this during the days building up to a big race such as Le Mans. I try not to eat too much immediately before driving and certainly nothing heavy - during a triple stint you have to drive for around three hours, so you still need enough to keep you going!
I don’t take any supplements prior to racing, however the one stimulant that is legal is caffeine, which can sometimes benefit. Otherwise it’s important to be well hydrated with isotonic drinks and I would usually look at taking on around double the amount the body would loose during driving time. We can loose between 1.5kg to 3kg of body weight over a 2 hour period depending on the climate and circuit!
Not really, good concentration is an important skill for a racing driver, and usually aided by adrenaline, but I think concentration and focus come as a natural ability when racing. Driving in the dark adds a different dimension to driving and it’s certainly easier to have a momentary loss of concentration when you become more tired and at night.
Generally lots of cycling and running to keep a good level of cardiovascular fitness, which is very important when driving for long periods. Then strength work in the gym is equally important for endurance and we particularly focus on upper body and neck, as these are the areas that get most fatigued from driving. It’s important though whilst ensuring we stay strong not to put on weight or body size.
You have a lot of different things to process at the same time. Your mind management has to be spot on and you must always have maximum concentration to maintain complete consistency. Knowing how to pace yourself and the car is particularly important.
I have the Team physio who works with me over race weekends and away from the track whilst I don’t have my own coach I’m lucky enough to benefit from Jenson’s physio and trainer when working together.
I’m passionate about driving, that’s my career and hobby all in one, so my time is spent training and driving. What’s important to me is my family and friends, so taking time to relax and spend time with them has a positive effect on my driving, their support is always fantastic!
This is one of the toughest aspects of driving GT & sports cars, particularly front-engined GT cars and especially in hot & humid climates such as Dubai. Fortunately now in the LMP coupe it is a regulation to run air conditioning so the cockpit temperature is always monitored – it still gets pretty warm though! The main thing to consider is to always be well hydrated and in a closed car to have good ventilation where possible.
Down force creates enormous physical demands on the body and the vibrations build up lactic acid which is tiring, but really that is what all the training is about; you just have to make sure that you’re in the right shape in order to deal with it.
I mainly train with my close friends and drivers Richard Williams and Jenson Button; we’ve all been involved in motor racing for a long time, so we’ve kind of grown up in this arena together. There are a number of us that all get together regularly for training – in fact we put together a triathlon team just for fun called the Ichiban Tri Team! The fact that we’re all friends and, as one would expect, highly competitive, makes for a lot of fun and certainly makes the tough side of training more enjoyable.
We have recently entered a few triathlon competitions for fun including the London Tri. As well as this we do more structured training sessions normally in Monaco as it’s so great for cycling in the mountains and attend an annual training camps in Lanzarote. Even when travelling we still have to factor in running and gym sessions at our various hotels and I often try and run the track on Wednesday or Thursday before the race.
1
I’m quite strict about sticking to a healthy, balanced diet and that’s what’s required, it important to consider this during the days building up to a big race such as Le Mans. I try not to eat too much immediately before driving and certainly nothing heavy - during a triple stint you have to drive for around three hours, so you still need enough to keep you going!
2
I don’t take any supplements prior to racing, however the one stimulant that is legal is caffeine, which can sometimes benefit. Otherwise it’s important to be well hydrated with isotonic drinks and I would usually look at taking on around double the amount the body would loose during driving time. We can loose between 1.5kg to 3kg of body weight over a 2 hour period depending on the climate and circuit!
3
Not really, good concentration is an important skill for a racing driver, and usually aided by adrenaline, but I think concentration and focus come as a natural ability when racing. Driving in the dark adds a different dimension to driving and it’s certainly easier to have a momentary loss of concentration when you become more tired and at night.
4
Generally lots of cycling and running to keep a good level of cardiovascular fitness, which is very important when driving for long periods. Then strength work in the gym is equally important for endurance and we particularly focus on upper body and neck, as these are the areas that get most fatigued from driving. It’s important though whilst ensuring we stay strong not to put on weight or body size.
5
You have a lot of different things to process at the same time. Your mind management has to be spot on and you must always have maximum concentration to maintain complete consistency. Knowing how to pace yourself and the car is particularly important.
6
I have the Team physio who works with me over race weekends and away from the track whilst I don’t have my own coach I’m lucky enough to benefit from Jenson’s physio and trainer when working together.
7
I’m passionate about driving, that’s my career and hobby all in one, so my time is spent training and driving. What’s important to me is my family and friends, so taking time to relax and spend time with them has a positive effect on my driving, their support is always fantastic!
8
This is one of the toughest aspects of driving GT & sports cars, particularly front-engined GT cars and especially in hot & humid climates such as Dubai. Fortunately now in the LMP coupe it is a regulation to run air conditioning so the cockpit temperature is always monitored – it still gets pretty warm though! The main thing to consider is to always be well hydrated and in a closed car to have good ventilation where possible.
9
Down force creates enormous physical demands on the body and the vibrations build up lactic acid which is tiring, but really that is what all the training is about; you just have to make sure that you’re in the right shape in order to deal with it.
