Xavi Martos – My Race Weekend

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News | 27/09/2011

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Vitaly's trainer Xavi Martos knows a thing or two about what it takes to get an athlete ready for a big sporting event. Having worked with some of FC Barcelona' biggest stars, he claims to have seen it all. Working with Vitaly at one of Formula 1's most unique races, however, is a different experience altogether. In our third instalment of 'My Race Weekend', Xavi tells us of his experience.

Tuesday
My Race Weekend started on Tuesday when I arrived on a late afternoon flight from Spain. What I always tend to do when I arrive at a race venue is have a good recce of the hotel gym. This is where I spend a lot of time with Vitaly, so it's important I know exactly what's available to us. Even though we had both had long flights into Singapore from Europe, it was important to start preparing straight away so I organised a simple gym session with Vitaly which consisted of some CV training, abdominal work and then a session in the sauna. The sauna is so useful in a place like Singapore because of the humidity outside. It's not something you can prepare for neither in Spain, nor in England for that matter! In terms of what a driver eats, this early in the weekend it's important to only have a light meal; this helps keep the weight down, aids indigestion and definitely stops you sleeping poorly. All round, it's critical.

Wednesday
This is when the oddities of the Singapore race weekend really start to show. I woke up at four o'clock in the afternoon, had breakfast and took Vitaly to the gym before sitting down for lunch at 8pm. To be honest, these meal times are quite strange. Yes, it feels right to have breakfast food soon after you get up but it also feels odd once you look at your watch.

I went shopping with Vitaly after lunch. He needed to buy some clothing for training and, I'm sure he won't mind me saying, he'd not always the most fashion-conscious of guys so he just wanted to buy whatever was available and good value – it did not have to be Burberry! By one o'clock in the morning we were back in the gym doing a light session. Vitaly and I almost shadow each other – if I say we should go on the bikes, we both get on the bikes. One of the funniest things that Vitaly does in the gym to keep himself amused is to bring down his laptop and play games whilst he's cycling – who says men can't multitask?

In a strange sort of way, this is a very good thing for a driver to do because it keeps him physically active and mentally active; the more things a driver can be doing at once, the more similar it is to a race experience. On one occasion, when we were in the gym in Spa-Francorchamps, both Vitaly and I were on our bikes and had our laptops with us. We were watching a Barcelona game on the internet – Vitaly's a big Barca fan like me – and my internet was loading slower than his. So, each time Barcelona scored Vitaly would react a second or two before me which ruined the moment for me! I knew if they had scored or conceded before I could see it; it was a bit like one of those situations at home when the TV is on in two rooms and one TV is slightly ahead of the other.

After the gym, we both ventured to the spa. Vitaly told me he wanted a massage and I reluctantly agreed! No sooner had we booked ourselves in for treatment than Vitaly indicated to me that his masseuse was a little on the fierce side! He, in fact, made his excuses fairly on in the massage and managed to get away. I decided to stay and avoid the embarrassment of leaving, thought it wasn't the best massage I've ever had! It was time for bed.

Thursday
Once again, it was a four o'clock in the afternoon wake up call for me. Thankfully I'd slept well after what was not one of the best massages I've ever had, and both Vitaly and I were feeling spritely enough to go for a run around the Marina Bay Circuit. It really is quite an impressive circuit in Singapore. Clinging to the water, it twists and turns, which makes it an interesting challenge for the drivers. It's no secret that the drivers do find this a tough race endurance-wise. The very nature of the circuit, its length and the humidity make it an exhausting race. The rest of the day consists of the now more familiar meal times, and lots of media work for Vitaly. At half past two in the morning, we did some mobility work, which also helped relax him before going to bed.

Friday Saturday
By Friday and Saturday, we are now very much into the regular race weekend routine. Because it's a night race, the timings still feel slightly foreign, but we are well into the groove by now. By five o'clock in the afternoon we start warming up for the first practice session. It's absolutely crucial to ensure he's in feeling in good physical and mental shape at this stage. The first practice session got under way at half past six; this is when the tension begins (though nothing like race day) and we all hope that he's feeling good. Lunch swiftly followed and then the second practice. After he finishes with engineers, we completed the usual wind down sessions to end the day. This was all repeated for Saturday, though the tension was that much higher because qualifying is when the pressure really starts.

Sunday – Race Day
One thing I noticed about Vitaly this weekend is that he was very relaxed and at ease with himself. That can only help a driver like him during what many call the F1 'pressure cooker'. We have been through many race days together, so he is used to the routine. Regardless of where you are, race day is a day of complete focus. One thing that is crucial to the Vitaly's preparations on race day, and that was especially the case in Singapore is the need to drink lots more water than normal. It's also the same case with food; he needed to stock up a lot in the morning (three hours before the race) to give him the necessary energy to head out on track and fulfil his potential. The race itself in Singapore was, unfortunately, quite underwhelming because neither Vitaly nor Bruno had a strong race. Finishing in 17^th was not where Vitaly wanted to finish, but he took the result like a true sportsman and recovered with the necessary minerals and protein in his drink. He always has these in his drinks because he needs to rehydrate and drink lots more water. Singapore always offers a different kind of weekend and, whilst my preparations are always more or less the same, the unusual timings do throw up some challenges.

Next stop is Japan, where I will do it all over again.