Scuderia Ferrari HP is all set for the subsequent spherical of the calendar that takes place on the acute jap fringe of Europe, in Azerbaijan.
The Baku Metropolis Circuit is exclusive in some ways, with the vehicles racing previous the long-lasting rock of the previous metropolis earlier than flying down the very lengthy straights which have made this avenue circuit probably the most in style with followers who stay up for the same old thrilling duels.
At simply over six kilometres in size the format affords a little bit of every thing, with onerous braking, 90 diploma corners and chicanes that put a premium on driver capability. The straight that goes from flip 16 to show 1 is over two kilometres lengthy and is the scene of loads of motion throughout the race, with drivers slipstreaming each other at over 320 km/h. From turns 4 to 12, the drivers need to undertake a extra traditional avenue circuit driving type, with boundaries very shut and proper angle corners, together with the well-known left hander underneath the traditional tower which is simply vast sufficient to accommodate one automobile at a time.
The forecast is for loads of sunshine all weekend, however as we head in direction of autumn, there may be all the time the prospect of robust winds blowing in from the Black Sea, which make the driving force’s job way more difficult, particularly when braking. Sudden rain showers can’t be dominated out, even when none are forecast in the intervening time. By way of tyre selection, this has usually been a one-stop race, beginning on the Medium tyre earlier than switching to Hards for the run to the chequered flag. Nonetheless, there may be all the time an opportunity of the Security Automotive placing in an look, so it’s prudent to have saved a set of Softs in case the race is changed into a brief dash end over a handful of laps.
Fred Vasseur, Crew Principal: The Baku avenue circuit contains a mixture of very excessive velocity sections and intensely twisty ones, presenting a novel set of challenges. Previously, we’ve got normally been fairly aggressive right here and additionally it is one among Charles’ favourites. We’re on a excessive following the win in Monza and we’re decided to keep up this run of kind. As soon as once more, we will count on to see a really shut combat between the highest 4 groups. I typically say we’re focussing on ourselves and it is clear that is the appropriate method, as a result of we’ve got seen a dramatic change within the hierarchy among the many groups because the early a part of the season. Our win in Italy additionally helps my view that the way you execute the weekend from Friday to Sunday can play as vital a task because the precise efficiency stage of the automobile, so with Charles and Carlos we are going to once more be aiming to do every thing completely in Baku, to try to convey dwelling one other excellent outcome for the staff.
Ferrari in Azerbaijan
GP contested: 7
Debut: 2016 European GP (S. Vettel 2nd; Okay. Raikkonen 4th)
Wins: 0
Pole positions: 4 (57.14%)
Quickest laps: 2 (28.57%)
Podiums: 4 (19.05%)
Azerbaijan Information & Figures
4. The principle bazaars within the metropolis of Baku. Essentially the most well-known is Yashil Bazaar, which implies ‘inexperienced market” in Azeri, the most important supply of meals within the capital, filled with natural fruit and greens, herbs and spices, nuts and dried fruit, fruit juices, sauces and jams, in addition to native delicacies reminiscent of caviar and saffron. Strolling alongside the numerous rows permits one to expertise tastes and aromas from varied components of the nation. It’s a extremely popular spot with each locals and vacationers. The stall holders are completely happy to assist select and provide samples to style. The opposite bazaars are the Sharq (the east market), the Teze (new market) and the 8 Kilometre.
15. The variety of tracks at which Charles Leclerc has racked up his 25 System 1 pole positions. There are three tracks the place the Monegasque has set the quickest time in qualifying 3 times: Monaco, Spa-Francorchamps and Baku. He has began from the primary grid slot twice in Sakhir, Monza, Singapore and Mexico Metropolis, with one pole at Spielberg, Sochi, Melbourne, Miami, Barcelona, Le Castellet, Austin and Las Vegas.
18. The nations that was once a part of the Soviet Union and are actually impartial or semi-independent, a listing which in fact contains Azerbaijan. The others are Armenia, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. There are additionally three breakaway states, with restricted recognition however which might be de facto impartial. These are Transnistria (a breakaway from Moldova), Abkhazia and South Ossetia (each breakaway from Georgia).
1411. The yr wherein the Shirvanshah Palace was constructed, an important constructing in Azerbaijan, located in Baku’s Outdated Metropolis. The construction contains the Divanhane buildings, a vaulted tomb, a mosque with a minaret, the Seyid Yahya Bakuvi mausoleum, the Murad gate, a water tower and the stays of the baths. The palace options on the ten Manat banknote. The Shirvanshah dynasty, dominated by Ibrahim I, moved the capital from Shemakha to Baku and commissioned the constructing of the palace.
1960. The yr wherein Baku’s “Little Venice” was inaugurated on the ocean shore. It consists of two giant islands and some smaller ones, linked by bridges made from ornamental stone. There are even gondolas navigating the canals. Over time, the Mirvari caf was constructed there, together with a Little Venice water park, the Bahar cinema and plenty of outlets. The eating places on the islands, function varied varieties of delicacies, together with tasty Azeri dishes.
In Depth, Andrea Ferrari and Pierluigi Della Bona, health trainers for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Bodily health is a key contributor to a System 1 driver’s efficiency on monitor. The highest stage of racing requires not solely pure capability, but additionally extraordinary bodily and psychological energy. Subsequently, there is a staff of consultants working with the drivers to handle onerous coaching classes, recuperation therapies and fixed administration of their common well being, beginning with their eating regimen. Andrea Ferrari works with Charles Leclerc and Pierluigi Della Bona with Carlos Sainz to assist them function on the optimum stage all through the season, particularly within the hardest races, such Singapore, the second of the upcoming back-to-back pair of races.
What types the idea of a driver’s preparation?Andrea Ferrari: As in each sport, bodily preparation relies on situation and coordination expertise. Then, specific consideration is paid to elements particular to motor racing and the particular wants of every particular person driver. Cognitive work can be vital, reminiscent of dashing up response instances and managing efficiency nervousness.
Pierluigi Della Bona: We work on bodily situation and cognitive areas. Situation means engaged on energy, resistance and joint mobility or flexibility. The cognitive components are a bit tougher to coach and enhance, however they’re labored on consistently whereas making ready the driving force. They concern the velocity of reflex, velocity of execution and adaptation to any exterior stimulus. At velocity within the automobile, these components could make the distinction and result in one driver having the ability to react faster than one other. Focus might be improved by combining these two varieties of expertise. The concept is to emphasize the driving force, making him run, whereas on the identical time getting him to do workout routines that stimulate reflexes, fast considering and focus.
What are the variations in how a driver trains away from the races and on the races?AF: Many of the preparation is finished away from the races, when there may be extra time for in depth and focused coaching. This method permits for extra detailed work on all elements of a driver’s efficiency. On the race monitor, it is about effective tuning, a exact job that goals to take away any distractions in order to permit the driving force to focus utterly on driving. Other than that, on the monitor there are particular classes constructed across the driving, reminiscent of bodily and cognitive activation workout routines together with restoration classes involving therapeutic massage, cooling previous to going out on monitor and restoration.
PdB: On the monitor, there’s normally a 30 minute session involving stretching, mobility and light-weight activation of the abdominals, then a full 10 to 12 minutes of actual activation prior to each session, combining every thing: muscular and psychological work and awakening reflexes. Away from the monitor, coaching is extra rigorous, together with lots of health club work, biking, energy resistance and cardiovascular work and particular workout routines aimed on the neck and stomach. With Carlos for instance, the work carried out on his core proved invaluable on the time of his appendectomy earlier this yr. Other than time spent on the simulator, there may be all the time mild work on mobility, muscle stretching and coaching aimed toward reflexes, velocity and varied cognitive skills.
What do the restoration classes include?AF: These are aimed primarily at quickly restoring a driver’s bodily situation after intense effort, making an attempt to cut back restoration time as a lot as doable. These contain a number of important elements, reminiscent of therapeutic massage classes to alleviate muscle pressure and promote circulation, a balanced eating regimen aimed toward replenishing spent power and adequate evening sleep to advertise bodily and psychological regeneration. As well as, physiotherapy classes and low impression coaching are included, particularly designed to keep up bodily exercise with out additional stressing the physique. All these strategies collectively guarantee the driving force recovers effectively, able to face new challenges.
PdB: There are numerous varieties of restoration: dietary, hydration and bodily. By way of vitamin, a driver have to be taught drink to interchange fluids misplaced and he additionally wants an consumption of protein within the type of sugars blended with milk or yoghurt after every session. Massages focus primarily on the neck and lumbar space, after which we do mobility and stretching as a result of flexibility and muscle plasticity means you’re feeling much less ache. Then, on the actually sizzling races, restoration classes contain ice baths as cooling is likely one of the greatest methods to vascularise muscle mass and the complete cardiovascular system.
A driver’s eating regimen is essential: how is it structured and the way strict is it by way of sustaining a really perfect weight?AF: Food regimen is essential in relation to optimising efficiency and dashing up restoration. It is vital for the driving force to keep up a continuing weight over the course of the season and over a race weekend, with out fluctuating. The eating regimen is labored out along with a vitamin biologist. There needs to be a continuing dialogue between the driving force and his staff, as a result of whereas we try to slot in with a driver’s preferences and tastes, the plan nonetheless needs to be primarily based on power wants and on limiting weight fluctuation. So, whereas giving the driving force all of the power he wants, on the identical time one has to regulate the quantity and kind of meals in order to assist him preserve and management his weight.
PdB: For my part, eating regimen is as vital as bodily and psychological energy and perhaps even outweighs bodily coaching. I consider it is vitally vital to get a driver used to consuming correctly. His eating regimen is like that of some other athlete, with protein consumption the principle component, whereas not ignoring all the opposite dietary components reminiscent of sugars, carbohydrates and saturated fat. This eating regimen additionally pays shut consideration to mineral salts and nutritional vitamins with using dietary supplements. We work with a staff of pros in relation to vitamin. Carlos and I work with the dietician Andrea Masullo with whom we agree a eating regimen plan at first of the yr primarily based on the driving force’s tastes and desires which we then persist with on the races and in Maranello.
What are the trickiest races and why?AF: Unquestionably the hardest races are these the place the climate has a major impact on driver efficiency, in different phrases the place it is extremely popular and humid, reminiscent of Singapore or final yr in Qatar. One other space of problem in my view are these races in a time zone very completely different to Europe. Right here sleep administration is important as sleep deprivation can have a severe impression on a driver’s efficiency and so we try to put together to adapt to this problem as a lot as doable.
PdB: I consider every race has its personal set of challenges and difficulties to take care of and we’ve got to be able to face no matter every monitor throws us. The driving force is used to driving for a most of two hours and, that aside, some tracks are lengthy and others are quick, some are hotter and extra humid than others. On very lengthy tracks the place there aren’t too many gravitational masses as a result of there are fewer laps in a race distance, focus is way more vital than bodily skills and energy. On shorter tracks the place the driving force tackles extra laps and subsequently extra corners, gravitational masses on the core and the stomach are larger, so aside from focus, muscular energy comes into play.
How do you assist the drivers take care of main time zone adjustments?AF: Time zone distinction could make some races tougher to handle and one has to organise issues in order that the driving force will get the correct quantity of relaxation. Earlier than the beginning of the season, we work fastidiously with the Scuderia Ferrari HP Logistics Division to decide on probably the most applicable flights. On the lengthy haul flights we pay shut consideration to vitamin and hydration, additionally avoiding an excessive amount of publicity to mild sources from computer systems and different units.
PdB: The principle factor is to relaxation previous to, throughout and after going into a distinct time zone. Fortunately we work with Med-Ex, the staff’s well being accomplice and so we will depend on their giant and effectively ready staff, which additionally features a neurologist who is a superb assist with this subject. There are some strategies to take care of lengthy flights and jet lag reminiscent of publicity to sunshine, adapting to the brand new time zone whereas on the flight, studying a e-book slightly than trying on the blue mild from units and telephones; consuming on the meal instances of the vacation spot nation as a lot as doable; utilizing dietary supplements reminiscent of melatonin for the complete journey in order to get used to the time zone after which again into your regular rhythm at dwelling.
How typically do you replace your methodologies?AF: It is all the time vital to maintain on high of developments. New analysis and research are all the time being revealed that result in new methodologies. The expertise we use can be consistently evolving and it’s important to maintain updated. As I additionally train at a college I’ve entry to a variety of data, research and expertise and I can put this to make use of in my skilled observe.
PdB: In any job, it is vital to maintain updated. At Med-Ex we’ve got devoted coaching days and dealing with specialist medical doctors reminiscent of Fred Fernando and Alessandro Biffi, I can collaborate with many sports activities medical doctors, who concentrate on varied disciplines, cardiologists in addition to different physiotherapists and sports activities trainers. I additionally suppose it is vital to take an curiosity in the kind of coaching the driving force does, getting away from the same old routine, in order that even strolling across the metropolis the place the race is held, or taking part in padel, tennis or 7-a-side soccer are helpful, the latter additionally as a staff constructing train.
You run the driving force’s coaching however what do you do to maintain match?AF: I undoubtedly launched into these research as a result of I like sport and subsequently I am completely happy to coach and do not contemplate it a burden. For instance, I put my coaching to make use of to gas my love of triathlon with non-competitive classes in addition to participating in precise races.
PdB: I’ve all the time thought, particularly when working with youthful drivers, that if I would like them to do what I say, I’ve to set an instance, so I prepare as a lot as they do, if not a bit extra. I do this as a result of Carlos and the opposite drivers compete in a sport with lots of stress, present process pressures that transcend these skilled in on a regular basis life, so usually they’re stronger than us. How do I prepare? A little bit of triathlon, crossfit, some lengthy distance work and a little bit of snorkeling. Really, I observe a number of sports activities however these are my favourites, these and soccer, a sport which I’ve performed for 26 years.
