<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="3443115" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Charles-Leclerc">Charles Leclerc</keyword> does not agree with <keyword id="23008" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Lewis-Hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</keyword> that <keyword id="42857" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Formula-One">Formula One</keyword> is a "billionaires boys' club."</li><li>The Ferrari driver says there are currently "a lot of efforts" to improve diversity in the sport. </li><li>"The road is still long, but it's going in the right direction for sure," he told Insider. </li></ul>Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc does not agree with Lewis Hamilton's claim that Formula One is a "billionaires boys' club."Hamilton made the comment in May, adding that it would be <a href="https://www.insider.com/lewis-hamilton-wouldnt-get-into-formula-one-now-billionaires-club-2021-5">impossible for someone with a working class background like his own to break into the sport now.</a>"If I go back to where I started, growing up in a normal working class family, there is no way I could be here - the guys you are fighting against have that much more money," he said.Leclerc, who was born and raised in Monaco, disagrees. "I understand Lewis' point, but I feel like there are a lot of efforts on that at the moment," the 23-year-old told Insider."Lewis is trying to help it with The Hamilton Commission, and he's doing a lot with it." Launched in 2020, <a href="https://www.insider.com/lewis-hamilton-wouldnt-get-into-formula-one-now-billionaires-club-2021-5">The Hamilton Commission is a research partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering</a> that aims to provide more young Black people with a route into motorsport through subjects such as science, mathematics, and technology."Ferrari Drivers Academy for example is also trying to help people in general and diverse people all over the world," Leclerc continued."They actually have a girl [Maya Weug] for example in their academy. It is definitely something we should all do better and all try to, but I feel like there are quite a lot of efforts in that too."The road is still long, but it's going in the right direction, for sure."<div type="image" title="Pole position qualifier Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Ferrari talks with second place qualifier Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku City Circuit on June 05, 2021 in Baku, Azerbaijan." height="1333" width="2000" msid="84439553" hostid="261"></div>Of Formula One's 20 current drivers, three - Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi, and Nikita Mazepin - are the sons of billionaires, while Max Verstappen and Mick Schumacher are both the sons of former F1 drivers.Leclerc himself is the godson of the late Ferrari driver Jules Bianchi, who died in 2015 aged just 25 as the result of a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.In an effort to improve diversity within the sport, <a href="https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-announces-scholarship-apprenticeship-and-intern-placements-for.6p05fFbkxXHvPvet7xFQy9.html">Formula One launched on Wednesday</a> a series of scholarships, apprenticeships, and intern placements for under-represented groups.F1 will fund the studies and some living expenses of 10 students from minority groups across six European universities - five British and one Italian. Each student will also be given a work placement in an F1 team. There will also be six internships and two apprenticeship roles available at F1."Formula 1 is a global sport with fans across the world," <a href="https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.formula-1-announces-scholarship-apprenticeship-and-intern-placements-for.6p05fFbkxXHvPvet7xFQy9.html">said F1 chairman Stefano Domenicali.</a>"We want to be as diverse as our fan base and that is why we are taking action to ensure talented people from underrepresented groups have the best opportunities to get into, and build, a fantastic career in this amazing sport."

Charles Leclerc disagrees with Lewis Hamilton's claim that Formula One is a billionaires boys' club

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Crashes, gamesmanship and stewards penalties made Sunday's Saudi Arabia Grand Prix one of the best ever.</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/max-verstappen">Max Verstappen</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/lewis-hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</a> battled for the lead throughout, and at one point, collided.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/formula-one">Formula One</a> fans were treated to one of the best races in years at Sunday's inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the penultimate race in one of the most dramatic seasons in recent memory.The race, held on a brand new track in the coastal city of Jeddah, had crashes, drivers pushing the limits of what is allowed, and lots of anger.The result of the chaos is that the 2021 <keyword id="11953261" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="f1" source="Orion">F1</keyword> season is set up for a winner-takes-all shootout in the final race of the year in Abu Dhabi next weekend.<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/red-bull-racing">Red Bull</a>'s <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/max-verstappen">Max Verstappen</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mercedes">Mercedes</a>' <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/lewis-hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</a> are tied on 369.5 after a remarkable season which continued in Saudi Arabia.Hamilton started on pole after Verstappen crashed during qualifying, and got away well, holding a strong early lead with his teammate Valtteri Bottas behind him and Verstappen in third. For the first nine laps of the race, Hamilton looked comfortable in the lead.A crash from Mick Schumacher during the 10th lap, however, turned the Saudi Grand Prix on its head.Schumacher's crash brought out the safety car, and meant teams were faced with a choice over whether or not to pit for fresher tires.<div type="image" title="Max Verstappen" height="3882" width="5177" msid="88125504" hostid="261"></div>The <keyword id="11953265" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mercedes" source="Orion">Mercedes</keyword> drivers decided to pit, but Verstappen, crucially, did not.He and Red Bull gambled on a red flag being shown. Under a red flag the race stops and all drivers must return to the pit lane.Red Bull's gamble paid off when the track marshals deemed it unsafe to make the necessary repairs to the wall that Schumacher had hit with cars still going round the track, waving the red flags and temporarily stopping the race.The drivers returned to the pits, Verstappen was given a new set of tires, and looked to be in prime position to keep hold of the lead he had gained by not pitting.At the start, however, Hamilton got the jump on his Dutch rival, and found himself in the lead for a brief period until Verstappen, who had momentarily gone off track, retook the lead. He did so, however, illegally.As this drama unfolded at the front of the race, there was even more going on behind. Two crashes, one involving Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez, and another between Haas' Nikita Mazepin and Williams' George Russell, forced another red flag.While the cars waited for a second restart, Red Bull was offered the chance by the race director Michael Masi for Verstappen to give back the position he gained illegally from Hamilton by overtaking off the track.As such, Hamilton started second at the second restart, lining up behind Alpine's Esteban Ocon, but ahead of Verstappen.This time it was Verstappen's turn to get away faster and he overtook Hamilton before retaking the race lead by passing Ocon.As Hamilton and Verstappen fought once more for the lead, the Dutch driver again went off track in order to stay ahead and was once more told to give the lead back to Hamilton.However, as he attempted to do so, Hamilton crashed into the back of him with the British driver claiming Verstappen had deliberately slowed down, a move known as a "brake check."The incident pushed Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff to throw his headphones to the ground in fury, while Hamilton called Verstappen "fucking crazy," on team radio.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8CU4QNS8vHs" frameborder="0"></iframe>Later, Verstappen did surrender the lead but only for a brief moment before capitalizing on a DRS zone to retake first position.The thrilling battle was then brought to a premature close when Verstappen was handed a five-second penalty for his illegal overtake on Hamilton earlier in the race.With Hamilton's Mercedes looking faster on race pace than the Red Bull, the penalty effectively guaranteed the Brit victory.Hamilton would later go on to overtake a non-defending Verstappen on his way to his eighth win of the season.This all means that both drivers are on 369.5 points heading into the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Chaos reigned at one of the best F1 races in decades, marked by crashes galore, gamesmanship, and more twists than a Hollywood thriller

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="23008" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Lewis-Hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</keyword> says <keyword id="42857" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Formula-One">Formula One</keyword> has become a "billionaire boys' club."</li><li>He also says breaking into the sport nowadays from his working class background would be impossible. </li><li>Three current F1 drivers are sons of billionaire businessmen who have invested heavily in the sport.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/lewis-hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</a> says Formula One has become a "billionaire boys' club."The seven-time World Championship winner also said that breaking into the sport nowadays from his working class background would be impossible."If I go back to where I started, growing up in a normal working class family, there is no way I could be here - the guys you are fighting against have that much more money," <a href="https://en.as.com/en/2021/05/20/other_sports/1621474382_138703.html">he told Spanish newspaper AS.</a>Hamilton, 36, was raised on a council estate in Stevenage, England, while his father worked numerous jobs to fund his junior racing career.He was then picked up by McLaren's now-legendary Young Driver Programme aged 13, which funded the rest of his journey into F1. Other drivers to come through that programme include former F1 stars Kevin Magnussen and Alex Albon, and current McLaren driver Lando Norris. Of the sport's 20 current drivers, three - Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi, and Nikita Mazepin - are the sons of billionaires, while Max Verstappen and Mick Schumacher are both the sons of former F1 drivers."I think for the future we've got to work to change that," Hamilton said ahead of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, the race most often associated with the lavish wealth involved in Formula One."To make it more accessible, to people from rich and more normal backgrounds."Hamilton is already working to improve diversity within motorsport.<a href="https://www.insider.com/lewis-hamilton-moto-gp-will-back-push-diversity-in-motorsport-2020-7">In June 2020, he announced the launch of The Hamilton Commission,</a> a research partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering aimed at providing more young Black people with a route into motorsport through subjects such as science, mathematics, and technology.Hamilton, who leads this season's Driver's Championship having won three of the four Grands Prix so far, says the work of the commission is currently his number one priority. "The sporting side for me is my life, it's my job," he told AS. "But right now I'd say it's number two. But I wouldn't be able to do the other things without the racing so it's a close second."But what's really in my heart right now is that I want to work with people, I want to educate myself more, but I also want to encourage those around me to get more educated."It's taking a lot of time, getting on calls with the people running Formula 1, saying to them: 'What are we doing? How can we be more efficient in raising awareness? How can we make sure that the future of Formula 1 and motorsport is more diverse?'"It's never taking no for an answer. So on the racing side, I still have to be the best and work at being the best, and that requires just as much time, but that's enjoyment, that's fun for me. Racing is what I've wanted to do since I was kid.

Lewis Hamilton says it would be impossible for someone like him to break into Formula 1 now, because the sport is a 'billionaire boys' club'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mick Schumacher, the son of racing legend Michael, will race in Formula 1 next season after signing a multi-year deal with American team Haas.</li><li>The 21-year-old will make his F1 debut next season on the 30th anniversary of his father's own debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix.</li><li>"I'm simply speechless," he said. </li><li><keyword id="46015" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Michael-Schumacher">Michael Schumacher</keyword>, a seven time World Champion, is still recovering from a 2013 ski accident that saw him placed in an induced coma for over a year.</li></ul>Mick Schumacher, the son of racing legend Michael, will race in Formula 1 next season after signing a multi-year deal with American team Haas.Schumacher, who leads this season's Formula 2 standings with one race to go, will partner Russian Nikita Mazepin."The prospect of being on the Formula 1 grid next year makes me incredibly happy and I'm simply speechless," <a href="https://www.haasf1team.com/news/mick-schumacher-confirmed-haas-f1-team">said the 21-year-old, who is a member of the Ferrari driver academy.</a>"I would like to thank Haas F1 Team, Scuderia Ferrari and the Ferrari Driver Academy for placing their trust in me. I also want to acknowledge and extend my love to my parents – I know that I owe them everything. I have always believed that I would realize my dream of Formula 1."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1334044600567099393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2020</a></blockquote>Schumacher will make his F1 debut next season on the 30th anniversary of his father's own debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix.Michael Schumacher went on to win seven World Championships with Benetton and Ferrari – a record that was matched by Lewis Hamilton this year – before retiring in 2012. He also held the record for the most race wins in <keyword id="42857" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Formula-One">Formula One</keyword>, with 91, another benchmark beaten by Hamilton this season.In 2013, he suffered a serious head injury while skiing with his son in the French Alps, falling and hitting his head on a rock while crossing an unsecured off-piste area.He was placed in an induced coma until 2014 before moving his family to Gland, Switzerland, where he is continuing his rehabilitation, though has not been seen in public since. Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-romain-grosjean-horror-crash-and-aftermath-2020-11">Photos show just how incredible it is that F1 driver Romain Grosjean was able to walk away from the fiery crash that saw his car rip in half</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/fomula-one-romain-grosjean-once-halo-saved-life-wasnt-necessary-2020-11">F1 driver Romain Grosjean once said the safety feature that he credits with saving his life in his horror-crash had 'no place' in the sport</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/lewis-hamilton-moto-gp-will-back-push-diversity-in-motorsport-2020-7">The boss of Moto GP said he backs Lewis Hamilton's push for diversity in motor racing, even though his sport has never had a single Black rider</a>

Michael Schumacher's 21-year-old son will race in Formula 1 next season, exactly 30 years after his dad made his debut

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Over 50 million people tuned in to watch <keyword id="11953260" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="formula-one" source="Orion">Formula One</keyword>'s <keyword id="11892922" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword> series Drive to Survive last year.</li><li>Ahead of season four, which releases on March 11, Insider spoke to its two executive producers.</li></ul>Formula One's Netflix documentary "Drive to Survive" is on the face of it, just that. An F1 documentary that gives fans of the sport unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to their favorite teams and drivers.Dig a little deeper, however, and you'll find that the show is much more than your regular <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword> docuseries. It's a cinematic phenomenon that has pushed the popularity of F1 to uncharted heights. Launched in early 2019 and now in its fourth season, which premieres on March 11, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-drive-to-survive-audience-tops-50-million-mclaren-ceo-2021-9?r=US&amp;IR=T">over 50 million people tuned in to watch the show in 2021 alone.</a>At the same time, Formula One added <a href="https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/f1-1bn-fans-2022-audience-formula-one-drive-to-survive-study/">an estimated 73 million fans</a> last year in markets including Brazil, China and France.Viewership figures for the sport in the United States are also at an all-time high, with over 400,000 fans attending the 2021 US Grand Prix in Austin, and one million more watching the race on television."When we finished season one, I don't think we had any expectations," Paul Martin, one of the show's two executive producers, told Insider. "We hoped people were going to like it and were going to see it as a fresh take on this world."We certainly didn't set out to land it with a particular audience or particular demographic. But, you know, we just became acutely aware, particularly in the United States, that people were just talking about it and that the audience is there."<h2>The show is as much about humans and relationships than tenths of seconds and aerodynamics </h2>A huge part of the appeal of Drive to Survive is that it forgoes most of F1's technical complexities. There are no explanations of how the cars are made and no scenes discussing the nuances of the sport's ever-changing technical regulations.Instead, the series peels back F1 to what the average viewer really wants to see — action, drama, and more action. In season one, we saw Carlos Sainz Jr. battle with his idol and countryman Fernando Alonso; Red Bull boss Christian Horner embroiled in a war of words with Renault's Cyril Abiteboul; and Roman Grosjean fight desperately to keep his seat with Haas.Season two detailed Haas' disastrous relationship with former sponsor Rich Energy; Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc's intra-team rivalry at Ferrari; and the death of F1 icon Niki Lauda.In season three, Lewis Hamilton opened up on his experiences of racism and Grosjean was involved in a fiery crash which produced an Oscar-worthy seven-minute segment of drama and tension.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7YMjw2sjXqU" frameborder="0"></iframe>"It was definitely a deliberate attempt to move away from that techy stuff," said Martin. "And that's not because we're not interested in that stuff, but it's hard to portray it in a relatable way."The audience don't need to know and understand that stuff to enjoy F1. If you do, I'm sure it enhances the experience if that's your thing, but the majority of audience, they don't want to know."<div type="image" title="Executive producers James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin attend the Formula 1 &quot;Drive To Survive&quot; Netflix Season 4 exclusive screening at Ham Yard Hotel" height="1333" width="2000" msid="90100296" hostid="261"></div>The human side of F1 was on display more than ever in season four — <a href="https://www.insider.com/formula-one-drive-to-survive-5-biggest-talking-points-s4-2022-3#the-end-of-nikita-mazepins-haas-career-was-a-long-time-coming-1">which Insider watched ahead of the show's release date.</a>Straight from the off, Horner mouths off at how desperate he is to stop Hamilton winning a record eighth driver's championship and Mercedes winning an eighth consecutive constructor's championship."Stay calm, we will get the fuckers," he says barely a minute into the first episode, setting the scene for his and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/toto-wolff-mercedes-f1-principal-ceo-mental-health-burnout-2022-3">Mercedes boss Toto Wolff's relationship</a> to become uglier as time goes on.Episode two explores the <a href="https://www.insider.com/formula-one-drive-to-survive-5-biggest-talking-points-s4-2022-3#the-end-of-nikita-mazepins-haas-career-was-a-long-time-coming-1">difficult relationship between Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris,</a> who struggle to see eye-to-eye in their first season together at McClaren."That's not good news" said Ricciardo after finishing behind the young Norris in qualifying at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.Later in the series, we see Nikita Mazepin throw tantrum after tantrum because of his car and his father, whose company Uralkali was Haas' main sponsor last season, threaten to pull the plug on the team."It's a soap opera," James Gay-Rees, Drive to Survive's other executive producer, told Insider."Television works when it's relatable. So, you know, the fact that we basically humanize these drivers and take the helmets off, you realize they are not just units you stick in a car to make go, you know, they're kids who've just got x and y going on in their lives."It's the same with any sport, as soon as you kind of get away from the PR version of modern sport and get into the actuality of it, people invest in the characters."F1 has always been a very arm's length sport, but now it feels like it's up close and personal."<h2>Capturing the drama isn't always easy </h2>As, in the words of Gay-Rees, a notoriously "arm's length sport" — gaining the trust of F1's drivers and teams was, and remains, a challenge for the producers.Mercedes and Ferrari, two of the F1's biggest teams, refused to be part of the first season, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen — whose world championship victory the series focuses on — did not take part in season four, <a href="https://www.insider.com/formula-one-drive-to-survive-5-biggest-talking-points-s4-2022-3#max-verstappen-is-absent-4">citing concerns that the series creates false narratives around drivers.</a>"The whole thing is always a trust building exercise," said Gay-Rees. "And you know, the thing, it just takes time, you can't fast forward that kind of relationship."The younger drivers who are more socially media aware or whatever, they get it, because everybody's filming everything all the time these days."It's totally normalized now, isn't it? So the younger generation, I think, are like, 'Bring it on.' Even ones you wouldn't expect, like, Charles [Leclerc] and Carlos [Sainz] at Ferrari are totally into it, even though they're part of this massive team."It's the older drivers who are like, 'I don't need it.' But at the same time, you do need to earn the trust and that's where the balance comes into it."<div type="image" title="Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and McLaren F1 looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez" height="1333" width="2000" msid="90100298" hostid="261"></div>One man who certainly doesn't shy away from the camera during season four, as he hasn't in any of the preceding seasons, is Ricciardo.The Italian-Australian driver is often on hand to lend a gleaming smile or funny comment for the cameras, none more hilarious than when claims the cockpit DJ should be "fucking shot" for playing the Bee Gees' "Staying Alive" ahead of the sprint race in Monza. "Trying to get in the zone, and they take you right out of it," he said. "Seriously, who thinks this is a good idea?!"For all his charm and confidence, however, Ricciardo also shows his vulnerable side, with one particular moment in episode two highlighting just what makes Drive to Survive so unique.After finishing 12th in qualifying at the Monaco Grand Prix, the 32-year-old took a moment to reflect on his difficult start to life at McClaren, sitting down on the pavement with his head in his hands."It's embarrassing," he told two of his McClaren team members. "What if I'm just a cunt?"Speaking about the moment, Gay-Rees said: "He didn't tell the cameras to stop rolling, and it's great because it's totally unvarnished, he's having a proper moment."He's this all-smiling, lovable character and you see him having an absolute fucking wobble, which can happen to anybody, right?"That's what makes the show work."

The creators of smash-hit F1 documentary 'Drive to Survive' say turning the sport into a 'soap opera' is the key to the show's success

re<ul class="summary-list"><li>F1 drivers have a training regimen unlike anything else in sports.</li><li>They must find the perfect balance between stamina, strength, and maintaining the right weight.</li></ul>Training as a Formula One driver is all about striking the perfect balance between competing forces. Drivers need to be strong, but they also need to be light. They need to maintain remarkable endurance, but they also need to have lightning-quick reflexes, hands and feet. To better understand what it takes to find the right mix to compete at the sport's highest level, Insider spoke with two current F1 drivers and a longtime trainer about the physical demands required of driving in formula racing's most prestigious stage.<h2>The preseason is used to get stronger</h2>Preparation for an F1 season begins during the three-month break between the end of one season and the start of the next. While most drivers will take a vacation for a much-needed mental break, it doesn't leave much time to prepare for the next season. The off-season is the time when drivers will do a lot of strength training to build the muscles necessary to control a 1,800-pound (800 kg) car going 200+ mph. Patrick Harding, a trainer who has worked with drivers, Olympic athletes, and boxers, has been Alex Albon's trainer for four years, since his time with Red Bull and now driving for Williams. Harding estimates the pair spend nearly two months preparing for a season. "We'll do probably a six-, eight-week block of training before the season begins," he told Insider. "And at least three or four weeks of that is dedicated to trying to put on some muscle mass. So we do a huge amount of hypertrophy work, and we'll aim to put two or three kilos at least of muscle mass on Alex before this season."McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo echoed this but also noted that drivers still need cardiovascular work, which means a lot of training. "In the preseason, where you are really trying to build yourself up, we'll train, I guess, six days a week," Ricciardo told Insider. "It's kind of a session in the morning, session in the evening, and that'll be a mixture of cardio training, strength training. I would say we need good all-around fitness.... You don't need to be a triathlete or a bodybuilder, but you need just good all-around strength and conditioning."<h2>During the season, the focus is about recovery and maintaining strength</h2>The time training during the off-season is so critical because once the season starts, the physical focus turns more toward recovery, with so little time between most races. "By race one, [Albon will] probably be the heaviest he will be all year, and then that weight slowly dissipates across race weekends," Harding said. "So we try to build a little bit of a buffer at the start of the season so that his weight doesn't actually go too low."Drivers lose a lot of weight over the course of a race week. <a href="https://www.insider.com/racing-driver-lewis-hamilton-loses-10-pounds-weight-in-race-2022-5">According to seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, he can lose six or seven pounds (3 kg) during practice and qualifying and up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a race</a>. After race days, Ricciardo will rest and recover on Mondays, maybe do some light cycling on Tuesday, a little bit of core and neck strength on Wednesday, and then Thursday, it is back to the track."Through the season, it's more recovery," Ricciardo said. "Once you kind of get into the routine of racing, we're in the car then three days a week, and that keeps us actually in very good condition and, specifically, race condition."<a href="https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/lifestyle/article/lewis-hamilton-selfcare-wellness-interview-2022">In an interview with GQ</a>, Hamilton outlined his recovery routine, showing an emphasis on the importance of self-care."Recovery has been a real focus for me in the past couple of years," the 37-year-old Mercedes icon told GQ. "Now, I always make sure the day after a race is a complete day off – I make sure it's a day to myself for self-care. I do cryotherapy, I might do some pool work, and I make sure I get physio or acupuncture that day or just a steam room."<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgPiUxxlxCZ" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Lewis Hamilton (@lewishamilton)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>Of course, each race is a little different. While biking is a key activity seemingly shared by all drivers between races, sometimes drivers are forced to modify their routines. In preparation for the extreme conditions in Singapore, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz took a bike into the steam room. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci2PHAporar" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Carlos Sainz (@carlossainz55)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>George Russell didn't use a steam room. Instead, he did his bike work in what appeared to be a rain suit. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CivV3ARMVDp" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by George Russell (@georgerussell63)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote><h2>The all-important neck and butt muscles</h2>The most important muscle group for an F1 driver to keep strong might be his neck muscles. This is due to the G-forces exerted on the body — <a href="https://motorsportexplained.com/f1-g-forces/">as high as six times the force of gravity</a> — during turns, braking, and accelerating in their rockets on wheels. Josh St. Clair of GQ described the neck-strengthening exercises Ricciardo uses."Ricciardo favors a neck harness and resistance band for building both strength and endurance. For strength, trainer Michael Italiano has Ricciardo step back with the band taut around the back of his head. Ricciardo then moves his head from side to side for 4 sets of 30 repetitions. For endurance, the band pulls Ricciardo's head in one direction as he tries to keep his neck stable. This endurance hold imitates the g-forces in cornering."<div type="image" title="Esteban Ocon" height="1667" width="2500" msid="94884041" hostid="261" sizebytes="124542"></div><a href="https://www.insider.com/kevin-magnussen-f1-return-haas-2022-7">During an interview with Tom Kollmar and Michel Milewski for the German magazine Sport Bild</a>, Haas driver Kevin Magnussen explained how painful it can be if a driver doesn't strengthen his neck before the season.After spending seven years in F1, Magnussen lost his seat at Haas following the 2020 season. He spent the 2021 season racing in the North American IMSA series and was set to do so again this year before getting a call on the eve of the F1 season to replace Russian driver Nikita Mazepin. It had been about 18 months since Magnussen had adequately trained for driving an F1 car. Specifically, he missed out on preparing his neck to withstand the extreme G-forces."I did that year without cockpit training," <a href="https://www.insider.com/kevin-magnussen-f1-return-haas-2022-7">Magnussen said</a>. "The pressure in the car is so great that the body only gets used to the forces while driving. When I learned a week before the opening race in Bahrain that I would race, I had to immediately start with fitness sessions ... After the first two races, I was hardly able to hold my head up."This video shows some of the neck training F1 drivers must go through.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YpFbv0KUK40" frameborder="0"></iframe>Below the neck, muscle mass is more important in the lower parts of the body.Ricciardo's trainer, Michael Italiano, further explained some of the off-season exercises he puts the driver through <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a40880501/daniel-ricciardo-workout/">for Men's Health</a>. While there is an emphasis on the shoulders and forearms (for steering the car), there is a heavy emphasis on the core and the posterior chain (back, glutes, and hamstrings).Hamilton says he must adjust his body to be lean instead of bulky, and the weights he does are designed to keep the center of his mass as low as possible."You have to have really good core stability," <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBx3843DI8I">Hamilton told Graham Norton in 2019</a>. "You can't be big and bulky. If I was super-muscly [in my shoulders], my weight would be too high [vertically]. So, I do lots of squats for my butt."<div type="image" title="Lewis Hamilton" height="1406" width="2500" msid="94884044" hostid="261" sizebytes="192974"></div><h2>Cardio work is needed for a surprising reason</h2>The G-forces experienced by drivers, especially in corners and while braking and accelerating, don't just impact the muscles in the neck and the muscles used to control the car. They also have a significant impact on breathing.In a recent look behind the scenes, AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly explained how much the G-forces impact a driver's ability to breathe. It is similar to a swimmer who spends a large portion of their race with their face underwater. "Breathing is obviously very important," <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kMyNAI74As">Gasly said</a>. "We spend, let's say, 70% of the lap not breathing, in apnea. So that's what makes it really challenging and really physical for us because we obviously have the G-forces, but we also can't breathe in the car because the G-forces are so high when you brake, when you go through a corner, when you accelerate. You can't breathe because you have too many forces on your body [pointing to his chest]."Gasly and teammate Yuki Tsunoda use endurance exercises and cardio work, such as running on a treadmill, to train the heart and lungs to be more efficient during the moments they can breathe during a race. <div type="image" title="Pierre Gasly on a treadmill" height="672" width="1212" msid="94884046" hostid="261" sizebytes="28652"></div><h2>Making weight is a battle aiming at a very specific target</h2>The weight of the F1 driver is a constant struggle between opposing forces, while trying to aim for the perfect number.While drivers must be strong, the teams also want the cars to be as light as possible. However, there is a limit to how light they are allowed to be.F1 recently changed the minimum weight for drivers to 80 kg (176 pounds), including what they wear. The gear and equipment on the driver during a race weigh approximately seven kilos (15 pounds). That means the driver's actual minimum weight is 73 kilos (161 pounds). <div type="image" title="Alex Albon" height="1667" width="2500" msid="94884049" hostid="261" sizebytes="174362"></div>Carrying extra weight slows the car down, so teams want their drivers as light as possible. That means the drivers are pushed to land at or below the 161-pound minimum (if they go under, ballasts are added to the cockpit to reach the minimum).A single kilogram can mean a huge difference in races where teams constantly look to shave tenths-of-a-second off times."Ten kilos of fuel in the car costs three-tenths of a second every circuit, per lap," <a href="https://www.insider.com/racing-driver-lewis-hamilton-loses-10-pounds-weight-in-race-2022-5">Hamilton told Norton</a>. "So if I'm one kilo overweight, I can lose up to two seconds in the race distance. So my weight is very important."With that comes precision. Harding explained that Albon's in-season weight consistently hovers between 72.5 and 73.5 kilos (160-162 pounds), depending primarily on his hydration level. "Most of my concerns are when his weight drops below that 72.5 because then I know we're losing muscle mass," Harding said. "He's losing muscle glycogen. He's probably not fueled enough, and he's maybe not hydrated enough."<div type="image" title="Alex Albon" height="1667" width="2500" msid="94884052" hostid="261" sizebytes="146630"></div>During races, drivers can burn <a href="https://www.askmen.com/fitness/workout/formula-1-driver-training-tips.html">as many as 1,000 calories per hour</a>. So, often, in the thick of the season, drivers are more concerned with keeping the weight on, even for a taller driver like Albon."Our biggest issue [during the season], believe it or not, is keeping weight on Alex," Harding told Insider. While the drivers need to have strength, they also need to be lean to fit into the tiny cockpits. <a href="https://www.insider.com/f1-drivers-tall-weight-diet-training-2022-9">This is especially tough for taller drivers like Albon</a>, who is 6-foot-2. "These cars are built to be as compact as possible. The cars are designed not for 6-foot-2 athletes," Albon told Insider. "They're designed for 5-foot-7, 5-foot-8 preferably. [Those drivers] fit much better in the car right now. [Taller drivers are] kind of arched over. Your knees are touching the top of the car. Your hands are in the way of your feet."So, it's all tricky. You get put in a position that's, to be honest, very uncomfortable."Interestingly, the one sport where the training might be most comparable to F1 is boxing, where the competitors have to have the right mix of endurance and explosiveness as well as strength and maintaining a specific weight. It is a sport where Harding also trains athletes."Boxing is another sport where they need to exist across the really broad spectrum of physical performance to be successful," Harding said. "F1 is up there in terms of that level of fitness that is required to be successful."

How to train like a F1 driver, whose fitness routines are unlike anything else seen in sports

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/haas">Haas</a>' team principal Guenther Steiner spoke to Insider to explain what his job is all about.</li><li>Steiner joined <keyword id="12038068" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="haas" source="Orion">Haas</keyword> at its inception in 2014 and was a breakout star of Netflix's "Drive to Survive." </li></ul>Behind the drivers, the role of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/formula-one">Formula One</a> team principal is arguably the sport's most crucial job. Effectively acting as the manager of the team, they are charged with ensuring everything keeps running smoothly.It is an extremely rarified role, with only 10 people in the world doing the job at any given time. One of those people is Guenther Steiner, team principal of the Haas <keyword id="11953261" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="f1" source="Orion">F1</keyword> team, and one of the sport's most colorful characters."There are not many quiet days," Steiner told Insider a day out from the start of the Turkish Grand Prix weekend at the start of October."You start with the race on Saturday and Sundays, then on Monday you get back and have to deal with the more mundane things like managing people, HR stuff, business stuff with our partners and sponsors. There is so much stuff you have to deal with."There is always a surprise every day."<h2>'You have to deal with the people, drivers, the politics of the sport.'</h2><div type="image" title="Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner in the paddock during the F1 Grand Prix of Spain" height="2301" width="3069" msid="87105229" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5WVVls74mI">Through his colorful language and tell-it-how-it-is approach</a>, the Italian-American Steiner became a breakout star of Netflix's "Drive to Survive," a fly-on-the-wall documentary credited with hugely increasing the popularity of F1, particularly among younger American viewers.Born in the Northern Italian town of Merano, Steiner is into his 35th year in the motorsport industry. He has been Haas' team principal since the team's inception in 2014 and describes his role as like a general manager or CEO of a company."You look after the whole company. I would say the only thing different to a standard company is that you have to do a lot of things you don't normally have to do in a standard company. "You have to deal with the technical stuff, you have to deal with the people, drivers - who are very complex people - you have to deal with the politics of the sport. There is a lot to deal with."<h2>'I don't know if I always wanted to be a team principal, I don't know if I want to be one right now!'</h2><div type="image" title="Team Principal Guenther Steiner and Haas F1 Founder and Chairman Gene Haas" height="3384" width="4513" msid="87105231" hostid="261"></div>Steiner was tasked by team owner Gene Haas to not only create a new team from scratch, but the first American team in the sport since 1986, the same year Steiner entered the industry. Back then, becoming team principal was never a target for him."I don't know if I always wanted to be a team principal, I don't know if I want to be one right now!"It's not something I gave myself as a target 20 years ago saying 'I want to be an F1 team principal' - no."I've worked in motorsports for 35 years now, it's a long time. It's step-by-step so at some stage, that became the only place to go to."There are only 10 principal jobs in this sport, so there are only so many places you can go. It's not like football where you've got a lot of places to go to. "I started when Gene Haas got to know me and said I think you're the right guy to do this." <h2>Providing a 'bigger picture' look on race day</h2><div type="image" title="Guenther Steiner during the Formula One preseason tests in Barcelona, Spain." height="2832" width="3776" msid="87105234" hostid="261"></div>The role of a team principal come race day can vary.<a href="https://twitter.com/c4f1/status/1441734095101435909?lang=en">Red Bull's Christian Horner, who can be spotted on the pit wall alongside the engineers, took a swipe at his Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff, saying the Austrian "is in the garage next to the press guy."</a>For Steiner, he likes to see the bigger picture."I wouldn't say I'm hands-on but I'm also not hands-off. "With our chief race engineer (British-Japanese staffer Ayao Komatsu), I've got a very good relationship. We work well together, I don't interfere."They get in their race mode whereas I can see the bigger picture. I understand racing pretty well and I like to do it but I know that somebody needs to take the decisions and it shouldn't be me. "He sometimes asks me my opinion, I sometimes tell him some things which I see out on the race track and just make sure that he sees them but I'm not making the calls here. "I just try to support as best as I can and if I'm needed, I'm there to help. Sometimes I'm needed because they trust me pretty well. "I'm just there to support them. That's my role but I'm quite involved mentally in that. I'm not just watching the race as a spectator."<h2>Haas and the opportunity to shape things in his image</h2><div type="image" title="Toto Wolff, Christian Horner and Guenther Steiner" height="3487" width="4650" msid="87105235" hostid="261"></div>Before Haas, Steiner worked alongside <keyword id="12085677" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="christian-horner" source="Orion">Christian Horner</keyword> at Red Bull when the team was in its infancy but starting a team from the ground up provided Steiner with the opportunity to shape it in his image."From my perspective, as a general manager you can mold it as you want to see it. You don't come in somewhere where you have to fix things and change things which takes a lot of time as well."On one side, it's nice sometimes if you get into a successful team and you just have to run it. It's pretty easy and when everything is right, running anything is easy."But when you start something new, you have to make it your way and make sure you make it successful for the future, not only for the short term. "I quite like to start something from new so you can get your ideas in."Gene Haas let me do quite a lot of stuff because he said 'you have done this before, you have started race teams before, you have done this quite a long time.' "I just tried to do what was best, I always exchanged notes with him on what I was trying to do obviously, but he always supported me which was fantastic for me."<h2>'COVID was the biggest challenge in Haas' history'</h2><div type="image" title="Guenther Steiner wearing a mask" height="3132" width="4176" msid="87105236" hostid="261"></div>Under Steiner's leadership, Haas finished its debut season with 29 points then improved the following year to earn 47 points. Life has been tough since then, and in 2021, the team is far and away the slowest on the grid.Steiner admitted it became a matter of keeping the team alive rather than aiming for podiums and described the impact of the COVID pandemic as the hardest thing the team has ever faced."It hit at the complete wrong time for us. "Our car wasn't good, then COVID hit and the commercial agreement we had expired. It was a challenge keeping the team going and that's the biggest challenge up to now. "The challenge last year was bigger than starting the team up in my opinion because there is something there, you want to keep it going but you need to make a case so that the owner keeps it going."That was the biggest challenge in Haas' history."<h2>A change in approach with the arrival of two rookies in the paddock</h2><div type="image" title="Haas drivers Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher" height="2000" width="2668" msid="87105238" hostid="261"></div>The start of the 2021 season saw the introduction of two new drivers to the grid in Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, replacing veterans Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.Neither had ever raced in F1 before, with both arriving from the sport's feeder series, Formula 2.Steiner said he has changed his approach with the arrival of two rookies, both 22 years-old, to the garage."I had to change because I can't expect rookies to be at the level the other guys were because the other guys were on a pretty good level. "With these guys, I need to explain more why things happen and how they happen."That is what I try to do. When I see they are ready to be pushed harder, that is what I will do but in the moment, I try to give them as much as I can of my experience so they are getting prepared quicker."Steiner says with the introduction of budget caps, the goal now is for Haas to be fighting for points."Next year [the goal is] to be back in the midfield, to fight for points."Mid-to-long term, it is to get podiums and hopefully at some stage, Haas can get wins. "I'm realistic about it, that is not a short or mid term thing. With the budget caps that are coming in, the playing field should get more even. That is what we are working on and I think it's achievable."

You Searched For "nikita mazepin" and got 7 results

Charles Leclerc disagrees with Lewis Hamilton's claim that Formula One is a billionaires boys' club

Barnaby Lane

Chaos reigned at one of the best F1 races in decades, marked by crashes galore, gamesmanship, and more twists than a Hollywood thriller

Sam Cooper

Lewis Hamilton says it would be impossible for someone like him to break into Formula 1 now, because the sport is a 'billionaire boys' club'

Barnaby Lane

Michael Schumacher's 21-year-old son will race in Formula 1 next season, exactly 30 years after his dad made his debut

Barnaby Lane

The creators of smash-hit F1 documentary 'Drive to Survive' say turning the sport into a 'soap opera' is the key to the show's success

Barnaby Lane

How to train like a F1 driver, whose fitness routines are unlike anything else seen in sports

Cork Gaines

F1 boss Guenther Steiner, the breakout star of Netflix smash-hit 'Drive to Survive,' broke down what it takes to manage in the world's fastest sport

Sam Cooper