Fernando Alonso has joined Rubens Barrichello in vowing to lose some weight ahead of the 2011 season.
As in 2009, the return of heavy KERS systems is once again putting a higher premium on driver weight, despite moves to further increase the overall car-plus-driver minimum weight.
A report in Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo said Ferrari driver Alonso - who currently weighs in at 68 kilograms - wants to lose between 2 and 3 kg before Bahrain in March.
"The fans should get ready for me being thinner," the 29-year-old smiled during Ferrari’s Christmas celebrations at Maranello.
"With the return of KERS, every kilo a driver can trim can be used as ballast. So I’m going to lose a little weight," confirmed Alonso.
"I will also improve my athletic preparation for the longest championship in history because it will be necessary to be fully fit for ten months," he added.
Williams’ Barrichello admitted recently that his engineers had asked him to lose some weight before 2011 for the same reason.