Guests on the France 5 show, “C à vous”, Alain Prost and Pierre Gasly compared their F1 careers on several topics, including training and physical preparation.
“If in the 1980s, we used to have up to 3-4 testing sessions per week throughout the year,” explains Alain Prost, “it is no longer the case in modern Formula 1, mainly due to budget cuts.”
From now on, drivers must train physically to succeed in countering the G-forces experienced during the Grand Prix races. Weight training machines are used, especially for the upper body muscles and around the neck, but also machines aimed at optimizing reflexes.
« Compared to our period, that’s the real difference. They have 23 races, simulators but they don’t do private tests anymore. Whereas we had 3-4 sessions per week. »
« We used to do physical training, but not as intense. We had tried this machine for the neck and realized that it wasn’t good for me. » explains The Professor. « We had plenty of trials and naturally built our muscles, while they have to do it in gyms. »
Pierre Gasly confirms that training is essential today.
Nobody can feel the forces, the concentration it requires, the heat inside the cars, because we lose up to 2 to 3 kilos in the car, all while driving at 350 so we can’t lose our lucidity under these conditions. It requires a lot of physical conditions, explains Pierre Gasly.
There are several types of exercises: physical, mental. There are races that are more physically challenging, especially in Monaco, when you drive so close to the rails for such a long time, it becomes a challenge to maintain an extremely high level of attention.
