With a demanding schedule of 24 races and around 100 travelling staff to look after, Pete Webster’s job goes far beyond physiotherapy. As Human Performance Manager for BWT Alpine Formula One Team, he’s leading a quiet revolution - one that’s reshaping how race teams think about health, performance, recovery, and culture.

From managing forearm strains and jet lag to optimising nutrition and hydration, Pete’s mission is clear: keep the team healthy, sharp, and performing at their peak - wherever in the world they may be.

After the summer break, just two more races remain in Europe before the travelling crew embark on their epic fly-away finale, from Baku to Abu Dhabi, with stops in Singapore and the Americas in between. We sat down with Pete to talk about the physical toll of life on the road, the shift from reactive care to proactive planning. And why a bit of bacon at breakfast can sometimes be the best tonic of all.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve been really focusing on how we create a cultural shift in the team and develop a healthier mindset for the crew that travel to the races,” says Pete. “In decades gone past, team members would leave the track and go straight to the hotel bar, but that has now become a thing of the past.

“Equally, we found that we were treating a lot of people each day - really common injuries that mechanics pick up, such as lower back issues from leaning over the cars, or forearm strains caused by the high torque of the wheel guns. Now, we’re more proactive, working with them to do group warm-ups with dyna bands before pit stop practice, or identifying movement patterns and creating bespoke gym plans to help individuals train the right muscles to prevent injury.”

With a detailed data profile of every team member, Pete can monitor the travelling workforce and tailor specific health plans that incorporate not just physical wellbeing, but also nutrition, hydration, and sleep patterns. The team also works with psychologists on cognitive behavioural routines, which have proved invaluable in managing the high-pressure processes during a pit stop.

“Nutrition and tailored menus are designed to provide the best performance when it’s needed,” explains Pete. “We spend our lives travelling, so it’s important to provide healthy options - but also, with such a wide range of people, there are different tastes and preferences, and it’s vital that they buy into what they’re eating. So no, there’s no need to just eat muesli. Breakfast can be scrambled eggs - and a little bit of bacon for some salt is fine too.”

Time is tight during a Grand Prix weekend, especially with curfews in place to reduce working hours. As a result, lunch is often served in the garage, typically carb-based, easily digestible and designed to minimise bloating. For short-term energy, that might include noodles or rice with chicken or fish for protein, alongside sandwiches, salad boxes or sushi. “Gone are the days of having pizzas or burgers before a pit stop,” jokes Pete.

While the drivers have personal trainers managing their fitness and nutrition, Pete’s main focus is the travelling personnel: the mechanics, engineers, hospitality, marketing and PR staff. The mechanics in particular play a crucial and physically demanding role. They can practice pit stops up to 20 times a day - each one filmed and reviewed in detail to help improve everything from body positioning and biomechanics to the precise angle the gun is applied and removed, all with military precision.

Travelling beyond Europe brings extra challenges, especially with jet lag and disrupted sleep patterns. Trips coming up to Mexico, the USA and Brazil - are especially difficult, as mid-afternoon in the western hemisphere often coincides with the time your body expects to be asleep in Europe. To combat this, the team has partnered with HMN24 to help manage fatigue.

“We use three synergistic products from HMN24,” says Pete. “First, we start the day with RISE, a morning optimisation drink that combines caffeine and L-theanine. This blend promotes mental clarity, sustained energy, and sharpness, setting the tone for the day ahead.”

For the afternoon, the crew relies on FLOW, a caffeine-free nootropic that combines electrolytes, vitamins, and nutrients to help maintain focus and vitality through that natural afternoon dip.

Finally, PRE-SLEEP supports the crucial recovery phase. It aids sleep onset and enhances the quality of rest, especially important after long-haul flights and multiple time-zone changes during the intense fly-away races.

However, the products are just one part of the equation. The real key to performance lies in the combination of a healthy working environment, optimal nutrition, proper hydration, and a supportive team culture - elements that are fundamental to thriving in the high-pressure, high-demand world of Formula One.

“I think what we’re very good at Alpine is being a team - a moving family - and we all understand and support one another,” says Pete. “We look out for each other, try to maintain harmony and protect mental health and I think we do a really good job of that.”

So the next time you see the crew - whether under the lights in Singapore, at high altitude in Mexico City, or in the desert heat of Qatar - spare a thought for the hours travelled, the time zones crossed, and the effort required to get two race cars on the track.

Thanks to Human Performance Manager Pete Webster, it’s a team striving for ultimate performance.