Revie Lake shared with us how important preparation is for him as a racing driver.
Racing drivers aren’t just people who turn a steering wheel and drive in circles — more and more, they are professional athletes who work hard on both their physical and mental fitness. Their performance on track is strongly influenced by both. During a race, drivers are exposed to high g-forces in the corners and, on hot days, also to extremely high temperatures inside the cockpit. On top of that, motorsport — like any sport — is mentally demanding. You’re under a lot of pressure to deliver the best possible performance, and if you let that pressure consume you, it’s very easy to make mistakes.
We asked racing driver Revie Lake about this topic:
Physical preparation is a very important aspect of motorsport. How do you approach physical training? Do you follow a specific training plan? "Physical training is key for racing, so I do my best to go to the gym as much as possible every week to help me as much as possible. It’s a simple plan of a bit of running and weights each time."
Besides physical fitness, mental strength is also extremely important. Do you have any kind of mental preparation before a race that helps you stay focused and calm? "Mental strength is needed in many different occasions, I found out this year I tend to race better with less pressure. That way I am calmer and more focused instead of overthinking. But this may change in coming years if when I get more used to pressure and have more general racing skill."
In today’s motorsport world, simulators are used more and more for preparation ahead of individual races. Do you use them as well? "Racing simulators are an amazing way to learn new tracks, a bit of race craft and also different driving styles, while being in your bedroom! I started on the simulator teaching myself everyday new things starting off with no prior knowledge or skill in racing so it taught me loads leading up to the start of my racing career. I would say it is a great place to start in racing or even have as another way to practice whilst you are waiting for your next race weekend or test day."
Revie’s approach to preparation shows us how drivers train even away from the track. As Revie progresses through the racing world, every detail will play a significant role, and better mental and physical fitness can be the deciding factor between winning and losing.