Lewis Hamilton’s Former Trainer Angela Cullen Shares a Peek Into Training as an F1 Driver

Lewis Hamilton won four world championships with Angela Cullen as his trainer, before they parted ways in 2023. She used to take care of Hamilton’s health and fitness to ensure he was on top of his game during Grand Prix weekends. In a recent interview, she revealed her strict training regimen.

Cullen is currently in the US, where she works as Marcus Armstrong’s trainer in IndyCar. When the series’ official YouTube channel asked her about her plans for the New Zealander, she said,

“You know the demands of the heavy races, so that’s what you’re training goals are. But training fits in around busy schedules, they normally train twice a day.” 

Cullen reveals that Armstrong completes four hours of training sessions every day — an hour of cardio, followed by one or two weight sessions. She was then asked about the current summer break in F1, and whether it affects the drivers’ fitness when they return at the end of three weeks.

Speaking from experience, she says that the break is a “reset” for drivers, because the schedule is demanding. But at the same time, finding time to put in bigger workouts becomes easier. During normal Grand Prix weekends, it becomes difficult for them to train hard, as it tires them out for the races. She said,

“Coming into race weekends they taper off a little bit, they rest a bit more to make sure they are fully recovered so they’ve got the energy for the mental game as well as the physical game during a weekend. So it’s a really fine balance.”

Hamilton, meanwhile, in a previous interview stated that adapting to a training schedule is difficult. He talks about the importance of recovery and other aspects that contribute to an overall healthy lifestyle. The Briton highlighted that drivers have to maintain a fine balance of their diet and physio training, and it can dynamically change each week.