Andrea Ferrari on Leclerc’s preparation for the Australian Grand Prix

Ahead of the weekend at Albert Park, Charles Leclerc’s personal trainer Andrea Ferrari spoke about the driver’s preparation for the Australian Grand Prix…

Q: The Australian Grand Prix is ​​the longest journey of the season. What do you do to minimize the effects of a long journey and adjust the rider to the time zone?
Andrew Ferrari: Adjusting to changing time zones is the most difficult task. The Formula 1 calendar spans four continents, we have to work in different time zones.

Decreased sleep time (we talk about sleep deprivation when it lasts less than five hours) and reduced sleep quality can significantly impact an athlete’s performance by negatively impacting fitness, memory, pain perception and health the immune system.

Australia’s time zone is one of the most difficult to adjust, being nine hours ahead of Italy. In such a situation, the most important thing is to optimally plan sleep time during the flight, determine when to sleep and when it is better to stay awake to minimize the effects of jet lag after landing. We prepare the trip down to the last detail.

Question: Is there a special diet for such trips? Does it work in flight? How do you handle food after arrival?
Andrew Ferrari: The schedule of food and drinks is planned taking into account the flight. We determine the best time to eat on board, which often does not coincide with the time when airlines offer food, we closely monitor the choice of products. Food can affect sleep, it is better to give preference to light foods with a low content of spices.

Q: What is your role? What do you like about your job and what not?
Andrew Ferrari: My job is to take care of Charles’s physical form. In addition to planning his training sessions, I coordinate the work of physiotherapists, nutritionists, biologists, physiologists and medical specialists. Given the busy schedule of the competition, my challenge is to ensure that these people are perfectly aligned and can make decisions quickly based on the latest changes in the program.

I really like my job, I feel like I’m making an important contribution to his performances. This is what I studied for, and I constantly strive to expand my knowledge, dedicating most of the year to this.