Fans and the media may be waiting patiently for the 2017 Formula One season to get underway at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday March 26, but drivers have been working hard behind the scenes for months.
Like a fighter locked away in a training camp ahead of a world championship showdown, teams like McLaren have been ensuring their drivers Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne are in peak condition way before they line up on the starting grid at the Melbourne track this weekend.
Due to recent changes in F1 regulations that could cause an increase of 10-15% in G-force, McLaren has adjusted its famed “Driver Performance Program.”
Cars are going to be considerably quicker this season and drivers could be racing through corners at speeds that are 30mph faster than last year.
This means that necks, shoulders, and an athlete’s overall core will be under tremendous strain through every turn on every lap for the entire 90 minute race.
Drivers must therefore be strong athletes with high stamina reserves.
While Alonso and Vandoorne can rely on state-of-the-art equipment and technology at McLaren HQ to get in shape, the company provided Business Insider with a number of F1 exercise drills that you can use at home.
All fitness training and advice was provided by McLaren Applied Technologies Human Performance Programme.
High intensity interval training (HIIT).
HIIT improves endurance, and boosts stamina to levels needed for a 90-minute Grand Prix.
It can be performed on a treadmill, on an outdoor trail, or even on a bicycle. It involves running or cycling at sprint speed for 30 seconds followed by a 90 second jog or rest. This is repeated five to 10 times.
Dead lifts and squats.
Gains in strength, flexibility, and balance, which are all crucial assets for elite-level F1 drivers, will become evident the more frequently these drills - which require free weights - are introduced to a home training repertoire.
Technique is crucial when it comes to mastering the single leg Romanian dead lift and the goblet squat, but practice makes perfect.
Push-ups and pull-ups.
The dumbbell push-up provides the foundations for a McLaren athlete's core muscles. This stabalises the spine and counters the G-force endured during high-speed cornering.
With up to 90 reps from a total of three sets, push-ups and pull-ups can optimise strength.
Mobility drills.
These three drills can be performed in a small space in your own home and key to preventing injuries, which can sideline a driver during race week.
Stability and steering exercises.
Sport-specific exercising is crucial to an F1 driver, and stability and precision are paramount when it comes to exercises like the pike and the v-sit and steer.
Core strength exercises.
Like the single leg Romanian dead lift, the kneeling pallof press is a difficult exercise to master, but is crucial when it comes to building an iron core that is able to counter high G-force.
Want abs? Incorporate the side plank and leg raise into your exercise regime.
Just don't be put off after your first session. After all, no pain, no gain!