Grapevine: Extreme Military Training for Webber

The Williams driver had a brief look at the facility during a visit to defence technology company QinetiQ last week, who sponsor his team, and he is hoping to spend more time there this winter to help boost his fitness levels.

"I think it could help me improve," Webber told Autosport-Atlas. "They have had some of the most amazing soldiers in the world come here and find out things that they are not doing right. I am sure they can do the same for a driver like me.

"Everybody has got weaknesses - even people like Tiger Woods and Michael Schumacher. You have got to try and work on those, or make your job easier with some of the things that I am sure the guys here can help my preparation with."

QinetiQ's Centre for Human Sciences was born out of the company's former life in the Ministry of Defence and it has gained valuable knowledge through its work with military personnel.

The scientists there have gained a great understanding of how the human body operates under stress.The facility includes two hot chambers, which can simulate the kind of conditions Webber would experience at hot races like Bahrain or Malaysia.

Use of these could give the Australian an edge in lifting his performance by allowing the scientists there to work out how Webber could prepare himself better for such races so he would be performing at a better level than he had before.

"What would be of interest to me is to make my job more comfortable, because when you are more comfortable you are less stressed," he added.

"We know there are some particularly tough races on the calendar which are tough for all the guys and if you are in a more comfortable environment then you are going to be performing better.

"If you are running a marathon in shoes that are two sizes too small for you, then you are not going to do a personal best. You need everything to be right."