In four editions of the Australian Grand Prix Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne there has been only one leader of the entire race and the last case was recorded in 2022 with Charles Leclerc last year scored an impressive Grand Chelem by taking pole position, race victory and fastest race lap in a single Grand Prix. The other drivers who had led the race in Melbourne from the first to the last lap were Michael Schumacher for Ferrari in 2004, Jenson Button for Brawn GP in 2009 and Nico Rosberg for Mercedes in 2014.
As was the case in 2022, Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit hosts the third round of the Formula 1 season.
Andrea Ferrari, Charles Leclerc’s performance coach, previews the Australian Grand Prix, focusing on some of the key challenges for the Melbourne event, such as managing jetlag and time difference. He also outlines his role as part of Charles Leclerc’s physical performance:
This is the longest trip of the season: how do you minimise the effect of such a long journey and what can the drivers do to overcome jetlag?
Andrea Ferrari: “Managing jetlag is one of the trickiest problems for a driver. The Formula 1 calendar takes in four continents and so there are a lot of time changes to deal with. A lack of sleep, which means getting less than five hours, as well as the quality and amount of sleep can have a significant effect on an athlete’s performance. It can influence learning, memory, pain perception, inflammation of certain parts of the body and the immune system. The Australian time difference is one of the hardest to deal with, Melbourne being ten hours ahead of Italy. The most important thing is to look at the flight timings and then decide when it is best for the driver to sleep on the flight and when to stay awake to minimise the jetlag after landing”.
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
Are there any special needs as regards nutrition on a flight, a diet to follow on the flight and what to eat after arrival?
Andrea Ferrari: “When it comes to nutrition and hydration everything is planned around the flight. We carefully study when are the best times to eat during the flight, which often do not align with when the airlines offer meals on-board and of course we also pay great attention to what type of food is best. Meals can also impact sleep, therefore light and only slightly seasoned meals are best”.
And what about yourself? What is your role? What is the best part about it and what is the most demanding aspect?
Andrea Ferrari: “I am in overall charge of Charles’ physical performance and, in addition to planning his fitness training, I coordinate physiotherapists, nutritionists, biologists, physiologists and specialist doctors, who are also involved in ensuring his performance level and general wellbeing. With a busy race calendar, a demanding part of this role is making sure that all parties are perfectly aligned and in condition to make decisions based on the latest developments. I really enjoy my work and feel I make a significant contribution to building his performance. It’s what I studied for and I constantly strive to expand my knowledge, dedicating a large part of the year to this”.
Leave a Reply