MotorCross Racing Main Image By Getty Images, Others Courtesy of Reebok

FUELLING UP

“Generally, I’m always on a diet. I always have to watch what I eat; I always have to take notice of how many calories I take in per day. I’d love to enjoy some chocolates or other sweets, but unfortunately I don’t get to have any of that stuff. We eat a lot of salads, a lot of fish, quite a bit of pasta – not too much, though.”

“The night before a race I’ll have a big bowl of pasta, or brown rice, some fish or chicken ... No desserts, unfortunately. I carry around a bunch of Lucozade health bars which I eat before a race. In the final hours before the big event, I’ll have some chicken and rice. I won’t eat it all ‒ just a little bit of what I’m served up. I don’t like driving on a full stomach; you feel the food you’ve just eaten moving around inside you – it’s not that comfortable.”

LIQUID ASSETS

“Staying hydrated is really important for a Formula One driver. You have to drink two to two and a half litres of liquids before a race; you can lose up to four kilos in body weight during a grand prix just in liquids. After the race you’re just trying to catch up on what you’ve lost. But then, you know, in some GPs you do have a bottle in the car which you’ll drink from cautiously during a race.”

‒ James Smith