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“I Am F**ked”: 180 Minutes of Grueling ‘Singapore GP Prep’ Leaves Charles Leclerc Questioning His Decision

Published 09/14/2023, 5:45 AM EDT

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The Singapore GP is just around the corner. After two back-to-back race weekends, F1 moved away from the European circuits as we look toward two upcoming races in Singapore in Japan. However, Charles Leclerc, who is still in Europe, decided to prepare for the Singapore GP. Little did he know that his 3 hours of training would leave him questioning his decision. But what exactly did Charles Leclerc do?

F1 drivers have to train super hard every day to maintain fitness levels to endure the forces exerted on them in the car. But just fitness isn’t enough. Staying in touch with the sport is equally important. This is where simulators and karting come in. Fernando Alonso is spotted multiple times driving his own karts around and now Charles Leclerc seems to have learnt from the Spaniard. However, it’s not that simple.

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A video was uploaded on Twitter where Charles Leclerc is filming a Mini Vlog kind of thing from the third-person point of view. The Monegasque is seen driving from his home in Monaco to Paul Ricard as he leaves just after midnight. Leclerc is seen putting his helmet and other stuff in the back as he advises that it’ll be his warm-up for Singapore. He reaches the track 2 hours later, and is then seen knackered at the end of the video after an hour of karting,

As per the video, Charles Leclerc, before leaving, said, “Hello, we are leaving Monaco. It’s midnight, we’re going to race. We’ve only got a 2 hours drive to Paul Ricard and it’s the warm-up for Singapore. We are going to arrive in the morning, and race from 2:00 A.M. -3:00 A.M…” Before getting in the kart, he added, “I’m feeling good, a bit tired but time to go.”

However, it was the post-race that Leclerc questioned his own decision as he said, It’s been a pleasure. I am f**ked. Let’s go and sleep.” Singapore isn’t an easy track to get to grips with. The karting definitely would’ve helped. Also, drivers go through a special training routine for Singapore. 

Charles Leclerc’s special training to prepare for Singapore Grand Prix

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The location and characteristics of the Marina Bay Street Circuit make it really tough for the drivers. The slow nature of the track, long race, track temperature as high as 45 degrees, and humidity level always around 80% means the drivers have a horrific time in the cockpit of the F1 car. The car essentially becomes a mini-oven for the driver. Charles Leclerc also took some Singapore GP-specific training. 

via Reuters

To prepare for the extreme sweating, Charles Leclerc spent a lot of time in the Sauna and so did every other driver. Someone like Carlos Sainz rides an exercise bike in the Sauna to simulate exertion in hot humid conditions. According to Insider.com, Charles Leclerc said that he’s been “spending a lot of time in saunas, even during the summer, at very high temperatures.”

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Written by:

Pranay Bhagi

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Pranay Bhagi is an F1 writer at EssentiallySports, who has always been passionate about sports and writing. With a degree from a prestigious institute, he has channeled his enthusiasm into sports journalism, particularly F1, a sport that has captivated him for over a decade. Pranay's deep-rooted love for the sport began during the Sebastian Vettel era, and he has been following it religiously ever since.
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Edited by:

Akash Pandhare