McLaren's Lando Norris is predicting a physical "shock to the body" for drivers when F1's 2020 season finally gets into gear.
Formula 1 has been on hold since early March following the onslaught of the global coronavirus pandemic and isn't set to resume - if conditions permit - before early July.
During the forced hiatus, drivers are keeping themselves fit and well with intense physical training programs.
But Norris says the return to action after such a long break will equate to a veritable "shock" to the body.
"I’ve been focusing on the things I can focus on, which is my training, physically, trying to keep that up from pre-season testing, especially because when you go back into driving, it’s going to be a shock for the body," he said in an Instagram live video for Formula 1.
"To be able to go from doing nothing – not even testing or driving an F3 car or any car of any sort – it’s literally going from driving a road car, and I’ve not even done that that much, to jumping into one of the fastest cars in the world, pulling x amount of G-forces around the corner. It’s a big shock."
Norris believes even the fittest of drivers will feel the physical constraints.
"The body changes and gets used to driving a car," he added.
"You can do all the training you want at home (with) the neck exercises, but the movement when you jump in a Formula 1 car … you can’t replicate identically in training.
"It’s a shock to everyone’s body – you can be one of the fittest guys in Formula 1 or the world, but it’s still tough on the human body."
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