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In motorsport, we often talk about ‘the zone’ – a state of self-control where no task is unachievable, no challenge is insurmountable, and a place where even the laws of time can seemingly be defied.
Last year, Maserati MSG Racing teamed up with health and wellness innovator, Craft 1861, to support the physical and mental wellbeing of the team in a ground-breaking collaboration.
The partnership was the first of its kind in World Championship motorsport, and as part of our efforts to raise awareness around stress this April, we’ve joined forces with Craft 1861 to explore the pressures and stresses we face in high-performance competition.
Craft 1861 founder Eric Lujan lives and breathes wellness and embodies the belief that everyone can unlock their personal best.
Reflecting on the past 12 months, Eric explains how Craft 1861 has helped Maserati MSG Racing to improve its wellness, how cerebral health can transform quality of life, and helping the team unlock its flow state.
“We’re still new to Formula E, so in the beginning our time was spent understanding the pressures that each individual in the team experiences,” he says.
“While motorsport is highly visible, very few people get to see everything that goes on behind the scenes.
“Aside from the overall pressure of working for a highly competitive racing team, there’s the travel and all the work that goes on continuously between races.
“Understanding those forgotten stressors is very important when unlocking incremental gains for individuals and for the team as a whole.
“Pretty early on we noticed that the team wasn’t hydrated enough, and identified physical ailments like blisters, foot pain, knee pain and back pain. Our products were able to bring quick symptomatic help, but they are just a piece of our overall wellness puzzle.
“Finding the time to look after all of the aspects of our physical wellness, such as sleep, pain, and cerebral health, can also have big impacts on our quality of life.”
From racing side-by-side on track to executing the perfect strategy in the garage, motorsport is the ultimate high-pressure, high-stakes scenario.
Every split-second decision counts and one choice can spell the difference between victory and defeat. Stress is a part of the job, and effectively managing it is crucial.
“It’s important to understand that stress is a natural part of the human experience. We all have a fight or flight instinct,” says Eric.
“Some people find that pressure can make diamonds, and that’s because from an evolutionary standpoint, fear and stress are designed to heighten our senses, increase our energy, and allow us to do things that are difficult.”
Problems arise, however, when people live in a constant state of fight or flight. When stress keeps mounting, it can snowball in the opposite direction, increasing the chances of having negative health consequences – not just burnout and fatigue, but physical illnesses and worse.
“Even diamonds can break,” adds Eric.
Craft 1861 aims to steady the fight or flight stance by helping people find a calming flow state – a feeling where good things constantly happen which can cascade to a point where people are healthier and happier.
Eric continues, “That’s why it’s important that we regulate our system and build good habits. That way, when stress does come, we can turn it into an amazing performance that’s good for ourselves and for everyone around us.”
With Craft 1861’s help, Maserati MSG Racing has encouraged its team members to explore meditation techniques and took advantage of a mindful minute before our most recent race in Berlin.
“We recognize that each individual within Maserati MSG Racing has been hand selected for the role they play,” adds Eric. “Every individual is an expert in what they do, and we see that they love doing their job.
“One of the most rewarding challenges for us at Craft 1861 is when we work with an organisation to help people perform at their best on a consistent, day-to-day level and it becomes effortless, a flow state.”
Achieving a flow state requires the right approach. By controlling your routines, it’s possible to build better habits, and in the right circumstances, you can control your day.
“We start by prioritising habits to achieve deep, productive sleep,” explains Eric. “In the morning, we find a comfortable place, even if it's only for a short amount of time, and begin each day with simple breathing techniques, meditation, and visualisation.”
Eric’s guidance allows team members to become more open, relaxed, and present, visualising success, and compassion for the day ahead.
“We strive to be calm, focussed, confident, and most importantly, ahead of that stress curve. There we can enter our flow state and transfer that energy to others to move the entire performance environment towards success.”
“We are excited to be here to help Maserati MSG Racing achieve the flow of success.”
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