Inside the bubble: How Lance Stroll got ready for the 2026 F1 season

Shakedown, testing, 24 Grands Prix – and a brand-new car. As F1 enters its most demanding season yet, Lance Stroll's performance coach reveals what it really takes to keep a driver functioning, fast, and focused when everything around them is constantly moving.

"Anyone doing my role asks the same question," says Henry Howe. "How do I help my athlete produce the best version of themselves every single week?"

In most sports, the answer is simple. Control the environment. Train in the same gym. Eat the same food. Sleep in the same bed. Repeat. F1 doesn't work like that.

"We don't even get the same pillow in bed," Henry says. "You constantly have to adapt. To evolve."

This season, more than ever, adapting isn't optional. F1 is entering the longest season in its history – 24 Grands Prix, spread across five continents – layered on top of a new technical era that begins with early testing before the season has even reached Melbourne. The conditions normally associated with peak performance – routine, familiarity, control – are largely absent.

Drivers may be surrounded by engineers, strategists and mechanics, but only a small inner circle influences how a driver actually functions from one weekend to the next. Henry is part of that group. His role sits between medicine and performance, covering injury management, physical preparation, and the quieter task of creating space when it's time to drive.

"On the medical side, I manage musculoskeletal care and recovery," he says. "On the fitness side, I'm keeping Lance healthy and in race trim. Because he's played sport his whole life, that's pretty easy, and it's more about me directing him towards the best stuff to do, rather than motivating him to do it.

"As a taller driver (1.84 metres), Lance has always had to be on top of his physical wellbeing to avoid giving away lap-time through weight. So it's about constantly being on top of his diet and training rather than having to manage big swings in his weight."

Most of that work happens long before a race weekend begins.

"If you arrive at a race weekend not fit or healthy, it's too late,” Henry says. "Once we're at the track, my job is to create an environment where Lance can focus purely on driving."

Modern F1 is filled with demands that have nothing to do with the cockpit. Nutrition and hydration are a given, but Henry also liaises with equipment manufacturers, monitors recovery and shields Lance from the endless requests on his time.

"There are a lot of things in F1 that drain your battery that aren't driving," he says. "I try to take care of as much of that as possible. It's about trying to create a bubble for him."

That bubble is tested by a calendar that barely pauses. A short off-season – shortened further by early shakedown of the new car and pre-season testing – leaves little margin for error.

"Last year, Lance had about four weeks post-season where training was active but unstructured," Henry says. "This year, it was closer to five days before we were back into a regime."

TRAIN LIKE AN F1 DRIVER: LANCE'S PRE-SEASON REGIME

Think you can handle Lance's pre-season? Here's how he gets ready for a 24-race marathon.

Phase 1 – Recovery and light training

3–4 weeks | 3 gym sessions + 1–3 sports sessions

Full-body gym: Rebuild muscle lost during the season. Loading the body without too much stress.
Sports sessions: Padel, tennis, or whatever keeps you moving without overloading.
Purpose: Recover from last season, ease back into training, stay active without overloading.

Phase 2 – Base fitness and aerobic conditioning

4–6 weeks | 3–4 gym sessions + 3 low-intensity runs

Full-body gym: Squats, deadlifts, bench press, pull-ups, core work.
Cardio: Long, slow runs 3x per week. Low heart rate.
Purpose: Build endurance, develop strength, address injuries and niggles from the season.

Phase 3 – Race readiness and weight management

4–5 weeks | 6 structured sessions + intervals

Gym: Full-body, slightly shorter sessions. Split squats, deadlifts, bench press, pull-ups, core exercises.
Neck conditioning: 10–15 mins using a bespoke overweight helmet + cable machine holds.
Cardio / Intervals:
- Long runs 1x per week, low intensity
- Threshold intervals, 4-5 rounds of 4-5 minutes, 2 min recovery
- Still play some sport to help with weight management

Diet (daily): Whole foods. Lean protein (animal sources, eggs, whey), vegetables, fruit, grains, nuts. Minimal dairy.
Race weekend adjustments: Gels, chews, fluids for fast energy. Carbs for focus and sustained energy. Everything is easily digestible around driving sessions.
Purpose: Hit race weight, peak fitness, prepare neck for G-forces.

Sample gym session

1 | Warm-up / Mobility: 5–10 mins

2 | Rehab / Injury management: 5–10 mins

3 | Strength work: 30–40 mins

4 | Neck conditioning: 10–15 mins

There's no magic. No shortcuts. Everything is designed to keep Lance moving fast, thinking fast, performing at the very limit – no matter where in the world the next race lands him.

"We're always looking for small gains," Henry says. "New research, new methods, new products."

"Take CELSIUS, which recently joined the team as a partner. Most of its energy drinks contain caffeine to help focus and cognitive function, B vitamins to support the conversion of energy, and amino acids to aid recovery.

"It's things like that; we're constantly exploring and searching for ways we can do things better and improve. In a sport where the only constant is change, we have to keep evolving.

"We control what we can control. We refine. We research. And then we do it all again."