I’m a lot smaller than most drivers… weighing around 50-52kg. That means it’s very physically tough for me to even hold myself in the car without lifting off the seat. When you’re fighting through all that G-force, having more weight allows you to sit there – the G-force won’t sway you back and forth. I’ve had to train hard to build up strength to make up for my natural body size.
My training regime involves… hitting the gym every day. Because I’m smaller than most drivers, I have to make sure I’m very lean and strong internally to handle the car. We have training camps pre-, post- and midseason too in Annecy, France, and that involves doing weightlifting and cardio seven days a week, as well as mental stuff like co-ordination and reaction times. When you’re driving a car, you use muscles you don’t normally use: you need strong finger muscles and good wrist flexibility, for example, to handle a car well and make the fine adjustments that win you a race.
Before a big race, you’ll find me… bouncing around! I’m quite energetic and struggle to sit still, so people think I’m constantly nervous, when usually, I’m just really excited. When I’m by the track, I’m just happy to be there – it’s such an honour to be wearing the McLaren T-shirt in my car. I’m trying to make the most of it.
To fuel ahead of a race… I eat as much as I possibly can. You want to build your body up before the race breaks it down, so I always make sure that I’m well hydrated and take on lots of salts and magnesium so I don’t get cramps during the race. I’ll have a good meal and some protein bars just before the race starts.
My recovery routine involves… more eating! Having a meal soon after finishing is important because we burn a lot of calories during a race due to how hot the cockpit gets, so it’s important to refuel and give your body what it needs. Taking care of my mind is also important, so I give myself time to decompress and stay grounded – no matter what the race’s result was. There’s always another and I need to stay focused.