Prep A Key To Le Mans Success

Braselton, June 2, 2009: Guy Smith is running two hours in the morning, and boxing and lifting weights in the evening as he prepares for Le Mans. The numbers from Le Mans grow more and more staggering each year. On a circuit that measures 8.3 miles, the average lap speeds for prototypes are in excess of 150 mph. And the winning Audi R10 TDI raced for 381 laps and more than 3,220 miles in a 24-hour span. Yes, it’s the ultimate test of both man and machine.

In all of racing, there is nothing like Le Mans and the sheer physical and mental strain that it places on a team. Drivers, however, routinely push themselves to – and often beyond – their limits to win the greatest race in the world. Like the race itself, preparation is about endurance and not necessarily strength.

So how do drivers prepare themselves for such a herculean task? A handful of American Le Mans Series competitors offer up their training habits.

Guy Smith, Quifel-ASM Team Zytek 09S (LMP2)

Simon Pagenaud: “I am trying to get back on (French) time; that’s the most important thing." “I am running two hours every morning followed by one hour of weights and boxing in the evening. There is lots going on. My wife Alicia is due to give birth to our second child - hopefully before Le Mans!”

Simon Pagenaud, Pescarolo Sport Peugeot 908 HDi (LMP1) “I am trying to get back on (French) time; that’s the most important thing. I am doing a lot of running and getting my heart rate at a good pace. It’s the same as Sebring. You want to wake up early in the morning and do some training to get used to the cycle. Le Mans isn’t that physical but you need to be able to focus for four hours. It is mental training and being able to focus for a long period of time.”

"The driving at Le Mans is not the big thing," says Mika Salo. "It’s that you don’t get much rest in between the driving." Mika Salo, Risi Competizione Ferrari F430 GT (GT2) “Le Mans is such a long race. I think it’s difficult to prepare for because anything can happen. Personally I’ve been doing my usual training – in the gym, running and some weights to keep the brain working and keep sharp. The driving at Le Mans is not the big thing; it’s that you don’t get much rest in between the driving. You have to be fit enough to deal with that.”