Alonso vows to lose weight for KERS return

Fernando Alonso has joined Rubens Barrichello in vowing to lose some weight ahead of the 2011 season.

As in 2009, the return of heavy KERS systems is once again putting a higher premium on driver weight, despite moves to further increase the overall car-plus-driver minimum weight.

A report in Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo said Ferrari driver Alonso - who currently weighs in at 68 kilograms - wants to lose between 2 and 3 kg before Bahrain in March.

"The fans should get ready for me being thinner," the 29-year-old smiled during Ferrari’s Christmas celebrations at Maranello.

"With the return of KERS, every kilo a driver can trim can be used as ballast. So I’m going to lose a little weight," confirmed Alonso.

"I will also improve my athletic preparation for the longest championship in history because it will be necessary to be fully fit for ten months," he added.

Williams’ Barrichello admitted recently that his engineers had asked him to lose some weight before 2011 for the same reason.

Source: NextgenAuto

Petrov ordered to lose weight

Renault has told its rookie Russian driver Vitaly Petrov to lose some weight.

The German publication Auto Motor und Sport said the 25-year-old newcomer, who is bringing EUR15 million to the team in 2010, is significantly heavier than his teammate Robert Kubica.

Kubica and Petrov, both among F1's tallest drivers, are roughly the same height, but the report said Petrov weighs 10 kilograms more than the slight Pole.

Source: F1 Complete

Mark Arnall admits that the F1-regulations changed to Kimi's disadvantage last season.

- The driver's weight was important in F1 because of the KERS-drvice. We did a lot of work to make Kimi smaller because he was 2-3 kg overweight after KERS was put in. Some bigger drivers had even more difficulties, Arnall told MTV3.

In rally Räikkönen is weighed together with Kaitsu.

- The minimum weight is 150 kg. We are a little above it. We are more or less where we should be, Arnall said.

- Driving rally is more easier on Kimi because he doesn't have to put up with the same G-forces as in F1. The driving position is quite different so the muscles work in a different way. We will change the training according to which parts work more than before and which less, Arnall tells.

- In rally you sit in the car more than in F1 with pace notes and transitions. The rally car bumps the driver up and down more than a F1-car. That kind of bumping strains the lower back, Arnall continues

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Nicole