Many special relationships form in the F1 paddock, but maybe none more so than that between a driver and his trainer. Unique, intriguing and some even a little weird – I recently got an eye-opening insight into some of these wicked bromances.
They say behind every powerful man there is a strong woman. Well, in F1, behind every great driver stands an excellent (and usually very muscly) trainer. They are the men behind the men, both inflicting pain and soothing it. When the storm comes, they bring the calm and there are no lengths they won’t go to, to prepare their drivers for every looming battle. They are the trainers of F1!
Dan Sims \ Trainer to Romain Grosjean
Flying to and from his adopted home in Geneva to lend support in so many ways to French driver Romain, the Brit gives off an aura of strength and intelligence. Don’t let that stubble fool you, his mind is much sharper than his razor. His second season in F1, having run his own business for six years coaching elite athletes, business owners and scholarship students, the Hintsa trainer brings a wealth of knowledge to the sport.
And he notes there’s much more to training a driver than most people realise. “It’s a lot more complex that people think from the outside because they just see it as driving. Everyone drives,” he explains. “When people go out for a run it feels hard work, when you sit in your car and drive it doesn’t feel like hard work. But it’s kind of a mixture between being a fighter pilot and endurance athlete as well because you’ve got to be able to be fit for an hour and a half enduring the forces that affects your body.”
Combined with the extreme cognitive abilities required to be a driver at the highest level, Dan likens the accuracy needed of those behind the wheel to that of an archer. As well as being fit enough for the endurance side, then there’s qualifying, which brings a totally different challenge.
“It’s just a sprint, a flat out one lap effort, which is more explosive in terms of forces that are on your body. They’ve got to be able to be fit for all of those aspects and repeat that 20 times in a year in different time zones as well.”
As with many of the trainers here in F1, Sims has formed a close relationship with Grosjean both in and out of the gym. Their families are tight and these two enjoy jumping into their lycra for a spot of cycling, simply as mates. The words trust and friendship spill from the mouths of all the trainers I spoke with. And it seems this is key.
“He’s got to be able to trust me that what I’m telling him to do is best for his performance and equally I’ve got to have his trust that he’s going to do it as well.”
Romain’s Training
The gruelling winter training is where most gains are made for a driver. For Romain this kicks off with a full assessment to set targets for the next 3.5 months. During this time the pair work out twice a day, six days a week, mixing aerobic, endurance and sprint exercises with recovery. Grosjean also enjoys a little tennis on the side to train his reactions and cognitive abilities. The remainder of the season is all about maintenance, keeping some intensity but cutting the volume.
Neurovision has recently been introduced to the program. The specialist eye training used by NASA develops the function between your visual and working memory as well as peripheral vision. Wearing 3D glasses Romain looks at balls on the screen, which change colour, and has to identify where they were. He is obviously leaving no stone unturned.
Diet
Hintsa provide a range of specialists including a nutritionist for the French driver. His diet is pretty strict, although this year it has eased a little due to the weight restrictions adjusting.
“Last year if you would have asked me about the sport I would say it’s quote closely linked to boxing or being a horse rider or jockey as it’s so strict weight wise,” Dan admits. “And that restricts their fitness to a degree. If you’re limiting the fuel you’re putting into someone there’s only so much you’re going to get out of them. This year they can be a lot fitter.”
Dan regularly uses an Osmology scanner to test Romain’s urine and precisely monitor hydration levels. He also revealed that beetroot shots have become a favourite, helping to oxygenate the blood and keep the HAAS driver tickled pink.
The best thing about being Romain’s trainer?
“I like the challenge in terms of trying to peak 20 times in a year, the long-term challenge of making sure this guy is in the best possible position every time he gets in the car. For me it’s the ultimate balance of all things, not just the physical side of things. You’ve got to have the biomechanical side of things, psychologically as well you want to be in a healthy place in order to make the best decisions you can in the car and keep control of everything that’s going on within the emotions of a race.”
Romain says…
“A lot of people are thinking in Formula 1, why do we train to drive Formula 1. Doing 7Gs and 55 laps of, in the corners, pushing hard, it’s as hard as running a half-marathon flat out. It’s a tough job and you really need to stay focused and a trainer has got a big role in preparing you for that. On a race weekend we don’t train, it’s your buddy. He looks at if you’re stressed or too relaxed and what you can do around that to make your life easier. He becomes a confidant race after race.”
Tips for trainers wanting to work in F1:
“It’s a more challenging sport than I realised in the beginning. Analyse the movements of any sport. Stick to finding out as much as you can about other sports. I’ve got knowledge from other sports I’ve done, team sports, endurance sports. Go for it if you want to do it. It’s a fairly quick changing sport.”
Check back tomorrow to meet Kevin Magnussen's trainer.
