F1 driver's secret weapon REVEALED as key advantage over rivals emerges

drivers, grid, 2023 — Photo: © LAT Images

Formula 1

F1 driver's secret weapon REVEALED as key advantage over rivals emerges

It's a problem rarely spoken about in F1 but it's absolutely vital to success

Joe Ellis

Tuesday 8 August 2023 18:42 Updated: 20:11

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Jet lag is a problem every F1 driver has to be acutely aware of and try to avoid at all costs during the course of the season.

With a race in a different country almost every week in the thick of the season, it can be easy for jet lag to impact performance on track.

Esteban Ocon's performance coach, Tom Clark, is very aware of that and is now pursuing a doctorate in jet lag research.

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He has helped the Frenchman to keep on top of his health as well as fitness and revealed his secrets to success.

A crucial part of preparation

An F1 driver spends more time than most on a plane going from one race to the next

“It’s probably not glamorous enough for the drivers to talk about their jet lag strategy but that’s obviously a big part of the race weekend," Clark told Alpine's in-house media.

"I don’t think it’s very well documented, so we might assume that a driver jumps on a plane and hopes for the best…

“The ways in which you want to tackle jet lag are in your preparation, and in your behaviour and the way you approach it rather than, say, a pill to fix things.

"Seeing people adopt those strategies when we are at the airport – maybe pulling out light-blocking glasses as an example – is really encouraging.

"With the way the sport is going, with more and more races each season, and big jumps between time zones, it's good to see people are being more wary of it.”