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 pounds.
The Briton has disclosed that he turned “correctly unwell” after the Qatar season-opener as he strived to beat the efficiency drawback that comes with carrying additional kilogrammes within the WEC’s Hypercar class, which doesn’t embody the driving force within the minimal weight of the automobile.
“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 treatment as a result of I used to be operating and never consuming, making an attempt so exhausting to drop pounds.
“It’s too harmful for me to go right down to the load I would like.”
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 a daily circuit to a driver who weighs 20kg much less.
“I might love to have the ability to qualify, however I’m too heavy,” he mentioned.
“I might 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’s not straightforward to handle as a result of it’s endurance racing – three drivers per automobile, 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 operating lighter drivers brings.
BMW M Motorsport boss Andreas Roos revealed to Autosport that he has raised the difficulty with the FIA and the Vehicle Membership de l’Ouest, which collectively run the WEC.
“There needs to be compensation for driver weight as there was prior to now in LMP1 and we’re pushing for that,” he mentioned.
“We shouldn’t get to a scenario the place the producers are in search of the lightest drivers; there needs to be a scenario the place each driver might be aggressive.
“That is additionally a security subject: drivers attempt to drop pounds, however that is endurance racing so it may be harmful.”
ACO technical director Thierry Bouvet admitted that the concept is being mentioned, however pressured that no determination has been made.
“When folks have concepts, we and the FIA take a look at the professionals and cons and see in the event that they have to be adopted or not,” he mentioned.
James Calado, Ferrari AF Corse
Photograph by: Nikolaz Godet
A rule launched in LMP1 for the 2015 WEC season elevated the minimal weight of a automobile by which the common weight of its two or three drivers was lower than 80kg.
Three drivers with a mean weight of 75kg needed to carry 5kg of ballast of their automobile, for instance.
The rule didn’t take away the benefit a lighter driver had over heavier co-drivers however equalised the vehicles throughout the grid.
The vehicles of Components 1 drivers who weigh lower than 80kg of their racewear have to hold ballast to carry it as much as the 798kg minimal.
The Hypercar technical guidelines for 2025 have already been authorised and printed, however might be modified with the unanimous assist of the producers.