On the eve of winter testing, there are hundreds of unanswered questions about what we can expect from the new technical regulations that have come into force for this year. However, there is one point that everyone agrees on, namely that the drivers will have to be fitter and stronger than in the past.

Faster cornering speeds produce higher g-forces, so the drivers will have to endure greater horizontal and lateral forces. The increased downforce means drivers will be able to brake later, but in simple terms they will have to hit the brake pedal much harder, so a driver who can reach peak braking force in about 0.2 to 0.3 seconds, producing the necessary force quickly and explosively, might gain an advantage this year.

One aspect of driver fitness that has not changed, is that they have to build up a "reserve" of fitness in the off-season, as once the testing and racing begins, it becomes a case of maintaining a level, fitting in training as and when possible. In the winter time however, it is every driver's primary focus.

"On 9th December last year, Daniil and I reviewed the past season and looked ahead to the new era," recalls Daniel Kvyat's trainer Pyry Salmela. "We established a plan and spent a day doing baseline assessments, a process which we will repeat four to five times this year and then we officially kicked off our preparation for 2017. Even though the 2016 season had been a long one, it was clear to see that after a challenging season, Dany had a hungry tiger in the tank, which set a nice atmosphere for our training sessions.

"We started with general preparation, where the emphasis is mainly on general strength and aerobic qualities. Many athletes tend to like this training phase, because the response is rewarding when, after lots of sweat and agony, the numbers in the weights room and on the running trail improve nicely. Dany likes to spend time in the weights room and he is surprisingly strong in some areas, with his favourite exercise being the deadlift. He can lift over twice his bodyweight, which shows that even though drivers have to be lean and avoid unnecessary body mass, they can still be generally strong.

"February has been a busy month, with work in the simulator and meetings at the factory, so finding the ideal time for physical preparation is often challenging, but manageable. Dany understands the importance of this work, because physical fitness is the tool to help a driver maximize his potential at the racetrack."

"These past months have been arguably the toughest winter of my life," reckons Carlos Sainz. "Our level of preparation for previous seasons would just not be enough for this year."

This winter the Spaniard has worked on a very varied programme planned by his trainer, Rupert Manwaring. "I have used the crossfit method, but I call it ‘Formula 1 crossfit, working at a heart rate of between 180 and 190 beats per minute, combining work with weights with the toughest ever cardio sessions. Instead of the usual 50 minutes, we now do between 90 and 120 minutes, the same length of time as a grand prix.

"I also include boxing in those sessions, which all in all means I work my physical endurance way more."

In addition, there have been sessions in the swimming pool, lasting an hour or more. The neck has been the focus of much attention, to cope with the expected higher g-forces.

"We have worked on that in two ways," says Carlos. "Firstly, we pull and hold weights with the neck in the gym, which is very similar to what we will experience on the track and secondly we did a specific go-karting programme two or three times a week, putting weights of between 1.5 and 2 kilos on the helmet to replicate the g-forces I will experience in the F1 car. On the one hand, I believe you get to the best physical form of your life when you're 21 or 22 years old, and that could be good, but on the other hand, some of the older drivers on the grid will have the advantage of having already experienced the kind of g-forces we will see this year, back in 2005 to 2007."

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