The RDD's 'Class of 2005' met up together for the first time this season at Enstone early in February and the five drivers were invited by the Oxford United football team to train alongside its players under the watchful eye of former Argentine star Ramon Diaz.
At first sight, the world of motor sport would appear to have little in common with that of soccer other, perhaps, than the form of the steering wheel which vaguely recalls that of a ball. But there is at least one common denominator between the two: the necessity for sporting excellence, for it can't be repeated enough: physical fitness plays a primordial role in the preparation and success of any top level athlete.
To ensure that its drivers are in perfect physical and mental shape at all times, the Renault Driver Development program can count on the services of its resident coach, Daryl Coombes, who keeps them in check throughout the year. Daryl is constantly looking to change and spice up their fitness programme in order to stimulate motivation and February's encounter between two such high level worlds of sport was an excellent opportunity to approach training from a totally fresh angle.
Invigoratingly cold weather and drizzle met Heikki, Jose, Lucas, Loïc and Pastor as they joined the players of Oxford United Football Club for the professional side's rigorous workout. After a few laps of the pitch at jogging pace to warm up, they were successively put through their paces in a series of exercises focusing essentially on speed, nimbleness and rhythm and they had absolutely no call to feel embarrassed by their showing.
And what better way to round off the session than a quick match? It was a first class chance for the racers to mix it with the soccer stars in earnest. There were no losers however; just a group of top-flight sportsmen glad to have an opportunity to share their passion for sport.
The happiest person of the day was incontestably Jose Maria Lopez for whom it was a chance to meet Ramon Diaz, a famous player in his home country, Argentina. Ramon not only played for his national side alongside Maradona, but he also played for and served as emblematic manager of the celebrated River Plate club. He is no stranger to the European football scene either thanks to spells with the likes of Fiorentina, Inter Milan and Monaco.
"I have always admired the consistency, reflexes and great physical shape of the top drivers," he said. "It was very interesting to have these five young drivers train with my players. I was pleasantly surprised to see how quick they were to get a grasp of the different exercises. They are in tip-top shape. It was a positive experience for all of us."
The RDD program's coach Daryl Coombes was also delighted with the way the session went:
"It was an honour and an interesting challenge for these young drivers to train with the Oxford United squad," he commented. "For us, it was an opportunity to exchange information about the way we work. The session enabled the RDD drivers to work on their stamina and reaction time. It was good experience!"
Source: Renault
