24h Le Mans
For our series covering the physical condition of the drivers, their nourishment, sleep and how they handle the night: The fourth point addresses their handling of night driving. The No. 12 Rebellion R-One driver, Mathias Beche, reveals his secrets!
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Photo : Arnaud CORNILLEAU / ACO
"Nighttime at Le Mans is very unique. We have to be ready all the time. You must have all your stuff ready in case they wake you. There always has to be one person who is aware of where you currently are if you are sleeping. They wake me an hour and a half before my shift and you have to be in your suit an hour before taking the car in case there is an issue during the pitstop or the driver has a problem, you have to be ready to get in the car. If the teammate does three shifts, you have to be ready during the second. It reduces sleep time and once you get dressed, stand in the pit and get in the car, there is still an hour to wait!
When I wake up, I try to stretch right away and wake up my muscles by jogging a little while warming up my shoulders. I try not to wake up my body too brutally.
When I exit the car, I debrief immediately and eat right away. After that I get a 45-minute massage and I lay down for a bit if I can. Already the massage is a moment of relaxation and letting go. I also use power naps, it is REM sleep not deep sleep. Those are moments of sleep that last 10 minutes, but REM sleep only lasts five minutes. But I refresh well."
David Bristol / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt
