F1 drivers happy to gain weight with new rules

With new regulations in 2019, the minimum weight for Formula 1 drivers has increased, something which the drivers themselves are very happy with as they're finally allowed to put on some extra mass.

For a driver like Romain Grosjean, who is known to be a passionate chef when he's not driving for Haas F1, being allowed to eat more freely is the greatest gift he could ask for. Now, the minimum weight for drivers is 80 kilograms with all their gear on.

"I was 68 kilograms last season, now I weigh 73 kilograms, in the morning!" the Frenchman laughs when speaking to Motorsport-Magazin.

"I feel stronger now, I do not know if I need it in the car, but in any case [I feel stronger] in life."

When the hybrid system was first introduced back in 2014, it meant the cars suddenly weighed a lot more because of it. What that meant for drivers was that they couldn't weigh a gram too much, heavily restricting them in their diets.

"It was not great to starve yourself down and not be able to eat as you please," Grosjean added.

His teammate Kevin Magnussen added that the weight he's gained actually make him feel more powerful, increasing his performance on the track.

"I've gained four kilograms, I can tell from my body mass that I've gotten strong, all over my body, it's nice to see that in the car, these four kilos were really worth it," the Dane said.