In preparation for the longest season in the history of F1, Lewis Hamilton has a new trainer, Antti Vierula, to get him through the most strenuous period of winter training in his entire career.

Hamilton spent the Christmas period in the mountains of Colorado, where he went snow-hiking, cross-country skiing and worked out in the gym - all between altitudes of 2600 and 3700m in order to maximise cardiovascular efficiency.

It has been a punishing schedule but one that will hopefully set him up perfectly for the 2011 season. Antti, a Finn, will be working closely with Hamilton both in the gym and at the racetrack to co-ordinate his fitness programme, dietary requirements, and to ensure that he's operating at peak physical form throughout the gruelling season that lies ahead.

"We're committed to building a team with incredible strength in depth in every department," said McLaren Racing managing director Jonathan Neale. "By appointing Antti to oversee Lewis's trackside fitness regime and Clayton Green to a senior position within our Human High Performance programme at the McLaren Technology Centre, we're convinced that we've assembled the most experienced, capable and committed team to oversee Lewis's training requirements."