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Strakka’s Dr Jen Hewitt On Being Fit Enough To Tackle Le Mans

For so many reasons, driving a prototype is tougher than it seems. You often see drivers step out of cars looking unfazed and relaxed, but that’s a testament to the sheer amount of physical training behind the scenes, as much as it is to the drivability of modern LMPs. DSC spoke to Dr Jen Hewitt, Strakka Racing’s fitness trainer, about the importance of a structured driver training programme, especially in the weeks leading up to Le Mans:

Since 2009 Hewitt has worked closely with Strakka Racing, helping optimise driver fitness throughout the motorsport season. Ensuring that the team is prepared to drive for long stints in tough conditions without suffering significant mental or physical effects is key to their race day performance. Especially since the turn of the century when the ability of the driver to sustain the highest average pace and react quickly dictates success in modern sportscar racing.

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“The drivers know that they have to be fit to drive, whether it’s a test session, a World Endurance Championship race, or Le Mans,” Hewitt explains. “The WEC has brought a far greater emphasis on to driver fitness in recent years, as the series has become so much more competitive.”

“If you are unfit and in a physically demanding stressful situation your heart rate becomes elevated beyond what it would if you were fit,” she said. “This means that you are not energy efficient. Carbohydrate rather than fat is the energy source. With limited carbohydrate stored within the body, this means that there is only a finite time that physical performance can be maintained before there is impairment of mental functioning (reaction speed).

“If a driver is not fit in the car their heart rate could be around 150 bpm over a stint. This makes them more reliant on carbohydrates and the break down of blood glucose. Eventually the brain will not react as fast, which is dangerous when driving at high speeds. Imagine skipping lunch and going into a business meeting, you can’t concentrate; now try cornering and overtaking at nearly 200 mph.”

The mental aspect of driving a prototype is huge. Ensuring that a driver is able to concentrate and block out any physical distraction from the accumulated wear and tear on their bodies over the course of a weekend requires a lot of work behind the scenes.

Nick Leventis (GBR) STRAKKA RACING Dome S103 - Nissan

“The more that we can improve metabolic efficiency (the sparing of carbohydrate) with endurance training sessions, the lower the heart rate will be in the car and the better the driver will perform.” She explained. “It’s about the body sparing carbohydrate and utilising fat as a fuel source, so that right down to the final five minutes of a race reaction speeds are optimised.”

“To get a driver to that point, you have to work consistently with them for a long period of time. It takes time and patience to build a driver up to an optimal level. You can’t expect them to be able to sustain the training volume (long bike rides/runs) required to really target carbohydrate sparing straight away, and this also requires additional strength and conditioning and reaction speed work alongside. Simplistically, my job is broken down into three components: a metabolic efficiency or aerobic component, a strength and conditioning component (to prevent injury and ensure that the aerobic component can be sustained) and an optimization of reaction speed.

“The thing is, is that it is really hard to attach a number/ percentage to the difference a structured training regime can provide in terms of raw performance. However, it can make a significant difference in terms of making that podium, with benefits to physical ability/ sustainability of performance and confidence in the car. Psychological benefits regarding confidence alone can make a race winning difference.”

Nick-Leventis-TrainingNick Leventis is the team’s Silver driver. Unlike Danny Watts and Jonny Kane he’s not classed as professional and consequently always looks to ensure that his fitness never has a negative effect on his reactionary ability. In the run up to Le Mans, Jen will ramp up Nick’s regime to ensure his body is prepared to tackle the big race. Although a driver’s program is a constantly evolving process, they always have to plan ahead.

“I started working with Nick six years ago when his fitness was very similar to a stereotypical gentleman driver who hadn’t invested structured and quality hours to get “race fit”. Now, it is a complete transformation, Nick is a developing athlete whose fitness is on par with Formula One drivers.

“The Endurance side of things changes when Le Mans is just around the corner. The drivers need to complete a couple of weeks of very intensive aerobic work prior to the race. For the last two weeks Nick and I really have put in some long endurance sessions (2-3 hours a day) with specific reaction speed work (under fatiguing conditions). There are often double sessions. We train in early in the morning, eat and recover, then there will be another session later in the day.

“A typical run up to Le Mans week would be three to four days of intensive training with one day of rest. A typical early morning running session would be 90 minutes with 15 minutes of core (abdominals) to finish. This is done on no more than 20g of carbohydrate and a couple of jelly babies after the first 45 minutes enroute. Then comes breakfast, with carbohydrate and protein replenishment. Around lunchtime there is strength followed later in the day by swimming/ kayaking to target upper body endurance and rest the legs.”

“Preparation for racing is very individual, just having different coloured hair can mean you respond differently to activities. It’s why you need to go through specific testing but that’s a quicker process than you’d think. I knew what Nick needed after a couple of days seeing how he copes, and his levels of fatigue. That’s the benefit of having a trainer, having someone to constantly monitor you.”

Leventis-Training

Evaluating driver fitness and putting the programme together is not Dr Jen’s only job though. Advising on a driver’s diet throughout the training is also important and necessary for them to be able to complete challenging back to back endurance sessions. At the circuit nutrition is crucial, but Stewart Wild – the team’s performance manager, deals with that side of things; ensuring that the drivers remain hydrated and maintain constant energy levels via nutrition at the right times.

“While training you have to be aware of good nutrition, especially how much carbohydrate and protein you are consuming. When I train with any driver I always advise on diet and keep up the reminders of what should/ should not be eaten/ drunk. It is like putting fuel in a car. Forget to fill up or put in the wrong fuel and you won’t be going anywhere!”

Changing class and car also effects her work with the drivers, as each car and event brings specific areas the drivers need to tackle. Over the years the team have competed in GT1 with a DBR9, and LMP1 & 2 with a Zytek and HPDs before taking on the project with DOME. Some cars may be more testing in terms of upper body strength, which may also increase the aerobic demand, or the seat may be slightly different requiring an increased emphasis on specific areas of flexibility. This year, with the team running the S103, there’s a noticeable difference in conditioning required.

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“This year with the new car we’ve needed to do more strength and upper body training, so we’ve done a lot of swimming and kayaking. It’s just a case that they’ve given me feedback after getting back from weekends that the DOME works their top half more than the HPD before it. I don’t want them getting out of the car at Le Mans and being shattered, they should feel it, but they shouldn’t be distracted by muscle fatigue.”

Strakka-DOME-LeMans

Despite racing drivers sitting down while competing, as in all other sports injury prevention is still a factor. The position that drivers maintain in the car is very restrictive, shortening the muscles that need to be lengthened during training. Therefore Strakka’s drivers are set stability and flexibility work to prevent getting hurt during training.

“Drivers must spend time concentrating on building a strong core and becoming more flexible.” said Jen. “If they don’t the likelihood is injury and not optimizing their strength or aerobic training. Key areas are deep abdominal muscles, glutes, hamstrings and posterior shoulder muscles.

“You wouldn’t think about it, but you don’t want the risk.”

DSC will be following up on this piece, and hope to take on the challenge of training with the team for a day later in the year.

Stephen Kilbey