Ferrari driver James Calado has revealed that he was hospitalised with malnutrition early on this 12 months’s World Endurance Championship marketing campaign because of his efforts to drop extra pounds.
The Briton has disclosed that he turned “correctly in poor health” after the Qatar season-opener as he strived to beat the efficiency drawback that comes with carrying further kilogrammes within the WEC’s Hypercar class, which doesn’t embody the motive force within the minimal weight of the automotive.
“I used to be sick this 12 months as a result of I misplaced a lot weight – I went to hospital after Qatar with malnutrition,” he defined. “I used to be on medicine as a result of I used to be working and never consuming, attempting so exhausting to drop extra pounds.
“It is too harmful for me to go all the way down to the load I need.”
Calado defined that he’s “70-something kilos” and that would end in a efficiency drawback of as a lot as half a second a lap on an everyday circuit to a driver who weighs 20kg much less.
“I’d love to have the ability to qualify, however I am too heavy,” he mentioned. “I’d love one thing to make it extra equal like karting or in different championships.
#51 Ferrari Af Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi
Photograph by: Shameem Fahath
“It is not simple to handle as a result of it is endurance racing – three drivers per automotive, two in others – I do know that, however let’s try to do one thing.”
Calado’s revelation comes at a time when there’s a push to mitigate the benefit that working lighter drivers brings.
BMW M Motorsport boss Andreas Roos revealed to Motorsport.com that he has raised the problem with the FIA and the Vehicle Membership de l’Ouest, which collectively run the WEC.
“There must be compensation for driver weight as there was previously in LMP1 and we’re pushing for that,” he mentioned.
“We should not get to a scenario the place the producers are searching for the lightest drivers; there must be a scenario the place each driver could be aggressive.
“That is additionally a security subject: drivers attempt to drop extra pounds, however that is endurance racing so it may be harmful.”
James Calado, Ferrari AF Corse
Photograph by: Nikolaz Godet
ACO technical director Thierry Bouvet admitted that the thought is being mentioned, however harassed that no determination has been made.
“When folks have concepts, we and the FIA have a look at the professionals and cons and see in the event that they have to be adopted or not,” he mentioned.
A rule launched in LMP1 for the 2015 WEC season elevated the minimal weight of a automotive during which the typical weight of its two or three drivers was lower than 80kg.
Three drivers with a median weight of 75kg needed to carry 5kg of ballast of their automotive, for instance.
The rule did not take away the benefit a lighter driver had over heavier co-drivers however equalised the vehicles throughout the grid.
The vehicles of System 1 drivers who weigh lower than 80kg of their racewear have to hold ballast to convey it as much as the 798kg minimal.
The Hypercar technical guidelines for 2025 have already been accepted and revealed however could possibly be modified with the unanimous help of the producers.