Formula 1 | A chat with Andrea Ferrari, Leclerc's athletic trainer

The Singapore Grand Prix is ​​most likely the most physically demanding of the entire Formula 1 calendar. Scheduled again after three years due to the pandemic, the Marina Bay track, also thanks to the heat and humidity, presents itself as truly challenging for the drivers , but the team is also put to the test over the weekend. In the preview of the Asian weekend, Ferrari asked Andrea Ferrari, Leclerc's athletic trainer, for some information regarding the physical preparation of a driver in view of such an intense Grand Prix.

What does the Singapore track look like for the drivers from a physical point of view?

“In the current Formula 1 calendar, Singapore is the most challenging track of the year – Ferrari said. It is a traditional city circuit, with low walls that do not forgive any loss of concentration. Furthermore, there are no long straights and this means that the driver is never able to rest, because it is only on the straight that the heart rate can slow down a little, giving relief to the athlete. Making the situation worse are the climatic conditions in Singapore, with high temperatures and very high levels of humidity which compromise thermoregulation, i.e. the body's ability to dissipate heat. Drivers sweat a lot and thus lose mineral salts and calcium, which are fundamental for muscle contraction, and therefore the physical performance offered on the track."

GP ITALIA F1/2022 – © PHOTO COLOMBO IMAGES

2. It is known that Singapore is one of the places where the climate is most suffocating, humid and hot. How does a Formula 1 driver prepare to handle such extreme weather conditions?

“The drivers can lose up to 3kg in weight over the course of the Singapore Grand Prix and with it also a lot in terms of performance. To overcome this problem, the athlete must hydrate by constantly drinking during the race. To help the pilots manage the weekend as best as possible, we try to arrive in Singapore as soon as possible to start getting them used to the climate and to carry out as much training in extreme conditions, resuming the work started in the previous weeks, when with the help of saunas the hot and humid climate of the Asian city was simulated." 

3. For show purposes, the Singapore GP has completely anomalous times, pushed far ahead in the day. How do you approach such a different weekend?

“This is the easiest aspect of the entire weekend to manage: the drivers' day is scheduled to remain in the European time zone, so they arrive at the track very late and leave late at night. From a psychophysical point of view, this race is much easier than the one that will follow, in Japan, for which it will be necessary to alter the entire routine to fit in with the local times."