Antonelli and Bottas’s illness-related absences don’t come as a surprise to Verstappen
Shanna is a Formula 1 journalist at GPblog, specializing in both F1 and endurance and GT racing. With a Master’s degree in Journalism and experience at international circuits, she provides in-depth, reliable coverage and insights based on her presence at Grands Prix and racing events worldwide.
Max Verstappen is not surprised that several Formula 1 drivers have called in sick for media day in Mexico. Kimi Antonelli and Valtteri Bottas were absent from the paddock on Thursday. The Red Bull driver says the run of race weekends at this stage of the season is starting to take its toll, including on the people working behind the scenes.
For Antonelli, falling ill comes at an unfortunate time. The Mercedes driver could claim his first world title in Mexico on Sunday, but had to rest in the build-up to the weekend. Bottas also stayed at his hotel on Thursday to recover. Verstappen knows the strain a packed travel schedule can bring.
“Racing three weeks in a row is obviously always pretty tough on your body,” he said on media day in Mexico City. “Sometimes you’re a bit unlucky and catch a stomach bug or something else. But usually around this time of year, it’s not just drivers who get ill, but mechanics and other people within the team too.”
The Dutchman says there is a limit to what everyone can cope with over the course of a season. “Your body can obviously handle a lot of stress, but at some point it also tells you that it needs time to recover. You have to keep a close eye on that. Some years are better than others. As you race more seasons, you also try to learn from it. But some things can’t be prevented. It remains very demanding either way.”
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Verstappen deliberately rests between races
Verstappen has made his own schedule even busier this autumn. In between his Formula 1 commitments, he competed with his own team in the GT3 race at Portimão. Then, in Austin, he also endured a physically demanding weekend. The bumps at Circuit of the Americas left his back aching, and he used painkillers throughout the weekend.
Max Verstappen is not surprised that people are falling ill now - Photo: RacePictures
To monitor his recovery, Verstappen mainly trusts how he feels. He prefers not to wear devices that continuously record his physical data. “I don’t like being monitored, so I don’t wear anything,” he says. “It’s more about having some idea of what your body needs. A good night’s sleep is one thing that’s definitely important.”
He also tries to take it as easy as possible in the days between Grands Prix. Extra training is by no means always the best way for him to prepare for the next weekend:“Between race weekends, I prefer to do absolutely nothing. You can go to the gym and train a lot, but I feel race-ready and fit enough when I’m in the car. For example, I really didn’t do much on the Monday and Tuesday after Austin.
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“I just took some time for myself, stayed in touch with people back home and, of course, took care of things outside Formula 1 as well. That sort of thing. But overall, I didn’t do anything too strenuous.”
Mexico places heavy demands on the car
Meanwhile, the field faces a circuit in Mexico with challenges all its own. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez sits more than two thousand metres above sea level. The thin air affects aerodynamics and makes cooling the car a key concern.
Verstappen expects teams to make adjustments over the weekend to ensure everything works properly. “Not that much from our side, but everyone will probably have to fine-tune things during the weekend, including us,” Verstappen explains. “It’s about understanding how the engine needs to operate here and how to cool the car and the brakes. That makes this a very extreme circuit.”
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The Dutchman will have one fewer practice session to prepare for those conditions. Ayumu Iwasa will take his seat in the RB22 for the first practice session, before Verstappen gets back in the car for the second session.
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