Max Verstappen has revealed that he and Red Bull are leaner and meaner than ever heading into the 2023 F1 season.
The Dutchman was utterly dominant in 2022, winning a record 15 Grands Prix as he romped to a second consecutive Drivers' Championship.
After that triumph though Verstappen admits he allowed himself a month to fully enjoy the fruits of that success. As a consequence he gained around 10 kilos during the sport's winter break.
Now though the 25-year-old is back at his fighting weight of 74 kilos after an excellent three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain. He returns to Sakhir on Sunday for the season-opening Bahrain GP.
Verstappen back at his fighting weight
He told De Telegraaf: "I feel like I'm below my normal weight all year round. I then give myself a month to eat and drink what I want and enjoy myself a bit. It feels good to me this way.
"Some like it better to be consistent throughout the year, in that regard. I actually like not thinking about training for a month and then going full throttle again in January. To lose weight and also to get completely fit again. It's nice to hurt myself a little bit."
While Verstappen is back at his perfect number, his car for 2023 is also coming in lighter this year.
He explained: "That car was even more overweight than the kilos I gained in December. So that's quite a bit.
"It has been very positive for us. The balance of the car was right from the start. That allowed us to start trying things right away in terms of the set-up. You learn a lot of things that way.
"The year starts easier than last season, because the whole car when was new. But you have to make sure you take a step now and we certainly did."