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Fast food for fast races

2011-07-22

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You may not consider current WTCC champion Yvan Muller or American Le Mans Series 2010 champion Tommy Milner to be athletes in the traditional sense, but they keep as fit as any world-class long-distance runner in order to cope with the incredible physical demands put on their bodies during a race. These drivers also follow strict diet and exercise regimes designed by the world's best nutritionists. Not only that but specially-equipped kitchens are set right alongside the racecars and chefs are constantly kept on standby to serve up a turbo-charged meal at a moment's notice. Fast food is given a whole different meaning.

"FIA research shows that in a race, drivers sweat up to 3kg of their body weight and burn the same calories as an Olympic triathlete. Thus, food high in minerals (salt and potassium) is vital," says David Alaria, nutritionist and personal trainer to Yvan Muller. "Diet is also key to the Chevrolet Cruze as WTCC rules govern the total weight of the car – including the driver."

The World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) is one of the world's most exciting and challenging races, which visits 23 countries throughout the Far East, South America and Europe. And every time they travel, the team literally packs the kitchen sink with them. In all, Team Chevrolet travels with a 14-tonne fully equipped kitchen with a walk-in fridge, ovens and every conceivable utensil for every race.

Mike Raby is a specialist fast food chef with the job of having Chevrolet's World Touring Car Champions fully fed to keep them alert and focused all day at some of the most famous races and tracks around the world. "In our world, literally every second counts and because of this, the teams spend most of their waking hours in the garage, so that they're near to the car and able to respond quickly if a practice session is cancelled or for a driver change. So, we have a dedicated garage chef constantly on call who can make a meal for a driver in less than five minutes."

After a long car ride, the first thing most of us do is to stretch stiff legs and arms because they feel tired. This is similar to racing driver fatigue. Time on the track puts the drivers' bodies inside the championship winning Chevrolets under huge strain, as they get jostled around, and constantly flex their muscles as they corner, brake or change gear. Kind of like being thrown around on a rollercoaster ride for two hours.

In light of this, two days before a big event, athletes 'load up' on carbohydrate-rich pasta to provide energy and give stamina, but in Chevrolet's race track kitchens there's not a plate of sad-looking spaghetti – jerk-seasoned pan-fried fish with rice, tuna steak and pumpkin tortellini are on the menu. However, each dish needs to be ready to eat in just a few moments.

"The secret to any five-minute meal is to be super prepared. So, for example, basic ingredients like onions, garlic and vegetables are chopped way in advance and kept in the fridge so that they're ready to be thrown into the pan in a matter of seconds."

The Chevrolet kitchen trucks are on the road for most of the season and where possible, the team chefs use fresh local ingredients. But no matter where Chevrolet is traveling, some home comforts are as important as the culture. It's not uncommon to find English baked beans on the menu, alongside a national dish, for example, Tapas in Spain or Pollo alla Cacciatora at Monza. In addition, small, high-powered meals like a supercharged mix of bananas, dried fruit and porridge are served to stave off drowsiness in a specially designed pit lane kitchen (at Le Mans, breakfast is at 2:00 a.m. to keep everyone going through the early hours of the morning.)

"Everything has a low GI (Glycaemic Index) rating in order to encourage the body to release energy slowly which is critical for endurance events," Mike adds. "WTCC and Le Mans is a moving feast that presents us with unique challenges. Heat is often the biggest issue. The kitchen thermometer regularly hits over 38ºC (100ºF) when we are in Brazil. Lunch for 200 people is an experience, as it's like cooking in a sauna."

"All in all, the drivers are as passionate about food as they are about their racing. With cars and drivers being pushed to the limits, food and nutrition has to be finely tuned, just like the cars. Ultimately, our drivers are what they eat," concludes Mike.

Chevrolet's Five Minute Moving Feast

There's no denying that modern life is fast-paced, so our Chevrolet chefs, who prepare meals for Yvan Muller or Tommy Milner, have given us a deliciously simple, five-minute recipe absolutely perfect for people on the go:

Ingredients

• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 large carrots
• 1 small bag of broccoli
• 1 tin of bean sprouts
• ½ zucchini
• ½ pack/tin baby corn
• ½ pack mange tout
• Tbsp olive oil
• Tbsp chicken stock or water
• 2 Tbsp tomato ketchup

Preparation

1. Wash and dry the chicken breasts then cut into thin strips.
2. Wash and chop your selection of vegetables into thin strips.
3. In a wok or large frying pan, stir-fry the chicken in the olive oil for 3 minutes, then add the vegetables and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked.
4. Add the stock and tomato ketchup and simmer for 1 minute
5. Serve immediately with brown rice or noodles.

Driver's favorite food:

Yvan Muller: Beef Bourguignon
Alain Menu: Whole-grain pasta
Rob Huff: Parma ham and melon

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of about 4 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet cars combine passion, bold design and practicality. They provide outstanding value for money. After re-launching the brand in Europe in 2005, Chevrolet more than doubled its sales to over 500,000 in 2008. In 2010, Chevrolet grew its market share in Europe to 2.5 percent, selling 477,194 cars. Chevrolet has a network of more than 2,700 dealers and service points in Europe. The Chevrolet line-up includes the Spark city car, the small Aveo, the compact four-door Cruze, the Captiva SUV and the legendary Corvette sports car. In 2011, Chevrolet is launching seven new cars: the all-new Orlando family van, the new Captiva SUV, the Corvette Grand Sport Coupé, the all-new five-door and four-door Aveo, the five-door Cruze, the Camaro coupé and convertible and the award-winning extended-range Volt electric car. Chevrolet's biggest markets in Europe are Russia, Italy, Germany, Spain, France and Turkey. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand is celebrating its centenary in 2011. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www.chevroleteurope.com or media.chevroleteurope.com.