FIT FOR F1: How drivers stay healthy during the season

At the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after claiming his second top-three finish of the season, George Russell, looking visibly weary, walked onto the podium above the track and proceeded to splutter and cough his way through the prize-giving ceremony.
“I’ve been really ill the last two weeks,” he confessed in the post-race press conference. “Firstly, in [Las] Vegas with a big fever. I couldn't sleep and just felt awful. And then I've had a horrendous cough that’s stayed with me all week. In the car I was coughing every single lap but when you're strapped into the car, you can't breathe. You can't take a deep breath in to get the cough out, so it was just constantly with me. It was pretty, pretty miserable.”

Unlock exclusive F1 content and more with F1 Unlocked. Totally free.
Membership gets you closer with:
Curated insider content
Live like an F1 insider with exclusive access and VIP experiences
Member benefits, rewards and offers
Next Up
Related Articles
Norris wins Sao Paulo GP as Verstappen climbs to third
Driver of the dayVerstappen's pit lane-to-P3 drive easily wins your vote
HighlightsRelive the drama-filled Sao Paulo GP as Norris wins
Bearman praises Haas' 'perfect race' in Sao Paulo
Power RankingsWho impressed our judges at the Sao Paulo GP?
Monday Morning DebriefCould Verstappen have won the Sao Paulo GP?