Preparing Oliver Bearman to compete in Formula 1 involves far more than the fitness coach standing alongside him in the paddock. Behind the Haas driver is an integrated Med-Ex network bringing together doctors, physiotherapists, nutritionists and performance specialists, with Pierluigi Della Bona acting as one of the key links between those experts and the driver.
Della Bona, Bearman’s fitness coach at Haas and a Med-Ex professional, has explained how the organisation combines medical supervision with athletic preparation, nutrition, rehabilitation and mental performance. It is a system designed not simply to make a Formula 1 driver fitter, but to protect his health while ensuring he remains capable of performing in an environment where physical condition and concentration cannot be left to chance.
Med-Ex has worked with Ferrari since 1994
Med-Ex’s relationship with Ferrari stretches back to 1994. The organisation was founded by Professor Fred Fernando and Alessandro Biffi, who remain its CEOs, while Andrea Masullo works as both business manager and nutritionist. The wider network also collaborates closely with driver coach Enzo Mucci and Oliver Bearman’s manager, Chris Hardfield.
Della Bona entered that environment in 2018 after Angelo Rodio of the University of Cassino, who later became one of his colleagues, invited him to undertake a trial at Maranello for the roles of kinesiologist and fitness coach. What began as an initial opportunity developed into a long-term professional relationship, with Della Bona describing Med-Ex as a large family that he has increasingly regarded as his own during the past eight years.
His academic and professional background combines several areas relevant to high-performance sport. Della Bona completed a degree in Motor Sciences and later a master’s programme in preventive and adapted motor activity aimed at injury recovery, as well as qualifying as a massage physiotherapist.
His training has continued through Med-Ex Academy courses and a first-level master’s programme focused on mental coaching for athletes. Della Bona emphasised that psychological preparation is becoming increasingly important in elite sport and explained that Med-Ex allows him to continually update his knowledge through programmes delivered by specialists in their respective fields.
How Pierluigi Della Bona became an F1 fitness coach
A significant change came in 2020, after the beginning of the pandemic, when Med-Ex assumed responsibility for the physical, athletic and nutritional preparation of drivers within the Ferrari Driver Academy. Della Bona consequently began working with young drivers and overseeing important elements of their physical development and preparation.
That experience eventually took him into Formula 1 in 2024. Bearman himself progressed through Ferrari’s young-driver structure before reaching the highest level, and the Briton has previously explained how he earned his place in the Ferrari Driver Academy.
Working with developing drivers requires attention to considerably more than strength or cardiovascular fitness. Injury prevention, nutrition, recovery and mental resilience all form part of the process, while the physical demands of modern Formula 1 machinery can become immediately apparent to a young driver. Bearman has previously discussed the severe strain placed on his neck during his first Ferrari F1 experience.
Oliver Bearman is supported by an integrated medical team
Communication sits at the centre of the Med-Ex approach. Although the fitness coach travelling with the driver develops an especially detailed understanding of the athlete and his day-to-day condition, decisions are not taken in isolation.
Della Bona explained that his responsibilities as fitness coach and massage physiotherapist are integrated with the work of physiotherapists, a sports doctor and Bearman’s nutritionist. Information is shared across the group so that each specialist can contribute to decisions involving health, preparation and performance.
The paddock-based coach therefore becomes the connection between the driver and the wider medical structure. He can observe Bearman directly during a race weekend, collect relevant information and then apply recommendations coming from specialists away from the circuit. That wider support structure complements the ongoing relationship between Ferrari, Haas and Bearman during his Formula 1 development.
Why nutrition requires more than calculating calories
Nutrition illustrates why the system depends on detailed knowledge of the individual driver. An effective meal plan cannot be created simply by calculating the appropriate number of calories or establishing ideal proportions of nutrients.
Della Bona explained that a nutritional programme also has to reflect what the athlete will realistically eat. Knowing whether someone likes or dislikes foods such as fish, cheese or vegetables is therefore important because a diet that looks ideal scientifically may be ineffective if the driver finds it difficult to follow.
The fitness coach consequently works as an intermediary between the nutritionist’s recommendations and the practical reality of Bearman’s daily routine. The objective is to convert the nutritional plan into something that can be followed consistently while travelling, training and competing through a Formula 1 season.
Medication must also be checked carefully in Formula 1
The same collaborative principle applies when medication becomes necessary. Della Bona cannot prescribe drugs himself, so the medical team must be consulted before treatment decisions are made.
Even medication that might appear routine can have consequences for an F1 driver. An antihistamine, for example, may cause drowsiness, which is particularly important for an athlete whose performance depends on maintaining concentration and extremely quick reactions inside the car. Substances also have to be considered in relation to anti-doping regulations.
Della Bona stressed that athletes operating at this level leave little room for avoidable mistakes. In his view, an additional telephone call, message or medical check is worthwhile when it can help ensure that the correct decision is made. Constant communication between the coach and medical specialists is therefore fundamental both for protecting the driver and for avoiding problems that could interfere with competition.
How Med-Ex managed Oliver Bearman’s recovery after Suzuka crash
The value of that integrated structure became particularly clear following Oliver Bearman’s heavy accident at Suzuka. Med-Ex operates two clinics in Maranello, including a facility below Via Scaglietti equipped to provide CT scans, MRI examinations and ultrasounds.
Bearman was due in Maranello for simulator work and was able to undergo medical examinations immediately. Della Bona explained that specialists and other medical personnel were already working on the clinical treatment and rehabilitation of the driver’s knee that morning.
The availability of rapid diagnostics meant his medical assessment, rehabilitation programme and preparation to return to driving could be handled as parts of the same process rather than as separate stages. Bearman’s unusual path between Ferrari responsibilities and his regular Formula 1 programme has previously included situations in which he has needed to adapt quickly, most notably during his unexpected Ferrari Grand Prix debut in 2024.
Formula 1 performance is therefore not determined solely by what happens between the driver and the car. Behind Bearman is a network of specialists collecting information, evaluating medical risks and adapting his preparation whenever necessary. For Della Bona and the Med-Ex team, the objective is to protect the driver’s health while still meeting the exceptional physical and mental demands required to compete at the highest level of motorsport.
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