Formula 1 Psychology
Monaco brought home just what a game of mental strength Formula 1 fundamentally is. It’s an often-overlooked but critically important part of the game. After qualifying, Mark Webber sat in the central press-conference seat, reserved for the pole winner, beaming positive energy. His team-mate Sebastian Vettel sat to his left, only third quickest and clearly deeply disappointed, his whole manner downbeat, the usual sunny disposition just not visible. It was the beginning of his process of rebuilding himself, after a team-mate has taken the same car and for the second consecutive weekend, driven it quicker.
The Australian was left fuming that Red Bull Racing took a new front wing off his car and gave it to team-mate Sebastian Vettel. “Even if it didn’t make his team-mate go any quicker, he knows that they chose to put it on his team-mate’s car and not his. Even if the car’s no quicker it still hurts, mentally.
ITALIAN GRAND PRIX 2010 “It was quite a tough race mentally to have Fernando behind me for most of it, very mentally draining, and then we pitted one lap early,” said the Briton. Credit: AUTOSPORT
* Hypnotherapy has many positive benefits, in particular, combating physical tiredness and mental fatigue.
With my love of sport, I’m able to help athletes achieve their best. When competing at any level, there is always an underlining threat, that the athlete might be replaced by somebody else on the team.
Super-Wakefulness
PROBLEM – As human beings we spend more time in the subconscious state, this is not ideal when we are expected to react quickly to given situations.
SOLUTION – With the ability to increase the super-wakefulness/consciousness state has its rewards – lightning reflex actions when there really needed!
Mental imagery – Visualisation
PROBLEM – Drivers not winning?
SOLUTION – By using ‘mental imagery – visualisation’ before the start of each Grand Prix, will define how your race will unfold and avoid costly mistakes – a winning strategy!
Tiredness/Stress
PROBLEM – ‘Sometimes in past Championships in September. I was getting tired. With all these long flights getting very stressed! Credit: AUTOSPORT
SOLUTION – By working at a deep level of relaxation the tension can be alleviated and for the athlete to experience a renewed feeling of well being and vitality.
Accident/Injury
PROBLEM – When an athlete has been involved in an accident or broken a limb, teams are anxious to get them well as quickly as possible. The problem with this is that apart from breaking a limb – the subconscious has taken a battering as well – and so the recovery process is timed with the conscious for it too heal at its own speed. This recovery time can vary greatly and is very much down to the individual. “Slow Healing” has a knock on affect for the whole team.
SOLUTION – By using hypnotherapy and working with the patients subconscious mind and the teams medical staff, a greater speedier healing outcome can be achieved then using normal conventional medical methods and at the same time getting the athlete back on their feet, in a shorter period of time.
