Proving that his preparations for the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup are perfectly on track, Ross impressed Mark Webber at the Formula One star’s annual ‘Get Race Fit’ event at Silverstone.
He was just one of fifteen drivers invited to join the nine-time Grand Prix winner at the Porsche Human Performance Centre for the two day event (26/27 January).
Ross was put through his paces in a series of sessions covering a variety of disciplines – including cardiovascular fitness and strength conditioning – whilst constantly under the watchful eye of Webber and the team of sports science and coaching experts from Porsche Human Performance.
He impressed throughout and was delighted to beat the F1 star on the Batak machine, something he’s never even tried before: “The Batak tests hand-eye co-ordination and reaction speeds. I’ve never done reaction tests before, but performed really well. I was rubbish at first, but ended up beating Mark’s score.”
He added, “I met Mark briefly at last year’s event and he recognised me straight away this time round. He also commented on the great shape I’ve kept myself in and offered me advice on a number of subjects, including the pressure to perform. He told me to take each race as it comes, keep focused and don’t worry about the bigger picture. Even when things aren’t going your way, he told me to maintain positive thoughts. He’s so down to earth; he’s a good role model for me.”
In addition to his tough gym regime, Ross is also working with iZone Driver performance, to learn the circuits he will compete on this year: “It’s handy that I can train at Porsche Human Performance and then head over to iZone’s facility nearby, and pound round simulations of circuits like Hockenheim and the Nurburgring. I found a chunk of time during my last visit and took a lot on board, so made good progress. My preparations are going well. “
He will make his Scirocco R-Cup debut at Hockenheim on 5May and it can’t come too soon: “I can’t wait! The championship forms a popular part of the DTM’s support package. This means that I will be part of the biggest European motorsport event outside of Formula One and racing in front of crowds of over 65,000 people. The Championship is also screened in over 180 countries, so this is a fantastic opportunity for Scottish brands to form a marketing partnership with me and reach out to Europe’s biggest economy and beyond.”