Patrick Harding was born in Leash, simply outdoors of Dublin, Eire, however now travels the world utilizing his expertise as a efficiency coach, physiotherapist, and psychological growth coach with the intention to get one of the best out of his shoppers, such because the Williams’ Components One famous person, Alex Albon. M&F caught up with Harding between races to learn how his profession route led him to working with racers, and the way his partnership with the person who grew to become the primary ever Thai driver to make an F1 podium end when he positioned third, is getting stronger on a regular basis.
How did you end up changing into a efficiency coach for Alex Albon?
I’d been in skilled sports activities for about 14 or 15 years. I had been working in Olympic sports activities, and at Arsenal Soccer Membership as nicely, and moved from squad-based sports activities to working one-to-one with an Irish golfer and an Irish boxer. Working with people, I began to essentially benefit from the stage of element that I may get into; analyzing the gaps and placing plans in place bodily and nutritionally, and from a behavioral viewpoint, in order that we may bench mark what one of the best on this planet have been doing, and work in direction of that.
A contact I knew, from my days of gaining a Energy and Conditioning Grasp’s diploma, related me to motorsport. I began working in Components 2 for a 12 months (with racer, Tadasuke Makino, who moved on to Tremendous Components), and that was additionally when Alex was there. We sort of knew one another from the season and we sat and had a dialog about how we preferred to work and what our personalities have been, and what we felt like we wanted from one another. Now we’re in our seventh season collectively. The connection has grown from power to power.
There may be a number of information that goes into racing, how vital is physique composition?
The best way the laws work, it’s really a weight-making sport. (The minimal weight is 80 kilograms together with helmet, race swimsuit, and footwear). Something above that, and also you’re penalizing your self, proper? (If a driver is beneath 80 kilograms totally kitted, then the burden distinction is corrected with a ballast). So, from our viewpoint, on the burden administration facet, (Alex) is about 78 kilograms, with package. Alex is 6’ 1”, he’s in all probability one of many tallest drivers on the grid. This has it’s challenges each positionally, and ergonomically within the automotive. He’s tremendous lean, tremendous athletic, in order that makes it simpler.
F1 races can final 80 minutes and upwards. How a lot weight would possibly a driver lose in that point?
I’d say, on common, between a kilogram and a kilogram and a half. Then you definately’ll get particular races, like Singapore, or like Quatar final 12 months, the place it may be something as much as two and half, or three kilograms. So, it’s a major shift in weight. With anyone like Alex, who’s fairly lean, there’s not a number of reserve there by way of power, in order that’s why diet, for us, particularly by means of these sizzling weekends is so vital, in addition to hydration, combining each of these collectively. It’s actually one thing that we’ve to be conscious of.
Let’s begin with hydration, how do you strategy this?
We’ll calculate the quantity of water that Alex is allowed, within the automotive, primarily based on the general weight of the driving force and the automotive. Temperature circumstances are vital as a result of what you don’t need to do is begin including tons of fluid, including weight to the automotive, after which that fluid doesn’t get used and also you’re simply carrying round further ballast. Usually, we allot for 200 milliliters. Then, in a very sizzling race we’ll do 750. We may do 1,000 mils. We’ll maintain it actually easy; it’s water and electrolytes, so we ensure that he’s nutritionally fueled earlier than the race, and that he has entry to fluid on board. We aren’t making an attempt to chase hydration throughout a race, as a result of that’s a harmful state of affairs to be in. We make it possible for we’ve finished the entire work beforehand.
When it comes to that prep work, what well being dietary supplements are usually good for racers?
When you concentrate on the quantity of journey that Alex does, and his power expenditure, we complement for normal well being. So we complement with a multivitamin together with vitamin D, vitamin B advanced, vitamin C and zinc. We’ll ensure that he’s acquired a powerful, wholesome immune system but in addition that he’s getting a praise of nutritional vitamins that he wouldn’t all the time get in his eating regimen. We use probiotics, at occasions, to assist assist intestine well being. There are all the time choices, by way of the overall well being facet.
Within the pre-season, we spend a while making an attempt to place some muscle-mass on Alex. So, good high quality protein is absolutely key for us in that interval. If he’s not getting sufficient from meals then we will complement with powders and protein-based snacks.
How does Alex’s diet differ in a race weekend in comparison with the pre-season?
Throughout a race weekend, we focus lots on diet however for a driver like Alex, who’s so focussed on the race, typically meals slips down the checklist of priorities (for him). In these circumstances, we’ll complement with some carb and protein restoration shakes. From our viewpoint, dietary supplements are a key a part of our efficiency regime. Naturally, we wish to get all of what we’d like from good wholesome meals, and that’s what we intention for, however we’re additionally very aware that there are prime quality dietary supplements on the market that we will add to the schedule with the intention to assist buffer these areas the place we’d not be hitting what we have to on sure events.
How does Alex strategy diet typically?
He makes actually good selections on the subject of meals and he likes his meals, and he likes good meals. He’ll say he’s cook dinner however he’s completely not (laughs). We’ve an unbelievable nutritionist who helps us from a distance with the plans. However the actuality for anyone like Alex is that he has an enormous power demand throughout a race weekend. And even typically throughout these weeks in between races as a result of we’re coaching, and he’s touring, then he’s acquired simulator work, his physique is making an attempt to get well, and I’d say he’s near an power deficit more often than not simply because it’s tough for him to eat the amount of meals that he wants.
So, on race weekend, if I see him dipping into the dessert part right here and there, I’ve completely no points with that. Typically we’d like these energy on board from an power and restoration viewpoint. About 99% of the time he makes good selections. He likes candy potato mash, stuff that’s straightforward to digest, some greens or a pleasant leafy salad with these good antioxidants in there. A very good supply of protein will probably be one thing like rooster, turkey, or some lean fish.
You talked about that Alex is lean and muscular. Are you able to discuss us by means of his power and conditioning?
The neck is clearly a key part of the game, and we spend a number of time neck loading. His neck max’s are 78 kilograms plus, in facet flexion (facet bending) and extension, so he’s extremely sturdy. Exterior of that, two or three cardio primarily based classes per week are actually vital for Alex, and any driver, as a result of drivers endure 120, 130 bpm for something as much as 5 or 6 hours on a weekend within the automotive. We do Zone 1 work (55 – 65% HR max) both on a motorcycle or operating. Then we’ll intersperse that with some excessive heartrate HIIT work, bursts of something from 30 seconds as much as 2-minutes, and get his coronary heart fee proper up there. Maximizing the stroke quantity with very nice oxygenated blood. If we buffer that oxidative capability and we max that, then I do know we’ve acquired a extremely sturdy cardio base there.
Exterior of that, the classes Alex completely hates are the anaerobic classes. He’s beginning to construct his tolerances with some lactic classes (like quick, heavy bursts on a motorcycle). They’re horrible. There’s no cause to say that they don’t seem to be. However there are durations throughout a race when he’s tapping into completely different power methods and his heartrate will probably be at 170, 180 bpm, defending positions, overtaking automobiles, so he wants to have the ability to exist in that zone as nicely. How he executes these cardio and anaerobic classes tells me extra about the place he’s at from an total, and normal readiness viewpoint.
Singapore is developing in September, so we’ve acquired classes booked the place we are going to get right into a humidity chamber with the intention to recreate these circumstances and can begin to acclimatize Alex’s physique earlier than we even go away the UK. That’s the extent of prep that we have to do to.
Having labored in F1 for a number of years, what impresses you most about Alex and different F1 drivers?
What impresses me probably the most is that these are athletes that must exist on the broadest spectrums of bodily health. In a bizarre manner, they’re similar to boxers, by way of needing a extremely good cardio base, actually good anaerobic base, and power and energy are key for fulfillment. However it’s additionally technical and tactical and I feel what makes F1 just a little bit completely different is the environmental circumstances.
We talked about Singapore; we talked about Qatar. In the event you take Hungary, the observe temperature was 140°F/ 60°C plus. And never solely are they within the automotive for an hour and a half, driving at 190 mph/ 320 kph, enduring as much as 6G corners, however additionally they must react with precision. Then, they’re always speaking with the engineers with info on tires, technique, in order that knowledgeable choices could be made on the pit and within the manufacturing unit with the intention to decide the success of the race. So, it’s the cognitive stage, to have the ability to carry out at that top execution fee whereas nonetheless withstanding these environmental circumstances and bodily load. It’s actually, actually spectacular.
Patrick will assist Alex when the F1 season continues with Spherical 15 within the Netherlands on August 23-25.
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