Chilled Webber Says Recovery Ahead Of Schedule

Webber is due to get back behind the wheel in southern Spain next week after Red Bull unveil their new car at the Jerez circuit on Monday.

Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber says he is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a broken leg thanks to a treatment that involves standing nearly naked in sub-zero temperatures for minutes at a time.

"I've been doing it for three weeks now," the Red Bull driver, who broke his leg in a cycling accident in Tasmania in November, told the team's website (www.redbullracing.com) of his use of a cryogenic chamber.

"You go from a normal, ambient room temperature into a chamber of -50C for about 30 seconds and then for another three minutes into -130C.

"It's very good for your general well-being, your immune system and apparently it's good for cellulite. Not much of a worry for me ... but it's very good for the whole body," the 32-year-old added.

"The results over the last few weeks have been incredible. We had a really good week last week so we're really positive ... dare I say it, we're probably a little bit ahead of schedule."

Webber is due to get back behind the wheel in southern Spain next week after Red Bull unveil their new car at the Jerez circuit on Monday.

The season starts in Australia on March 29 with drivers having to adapt to major rule changes.

Webber, who has a young and hungry new team mate in race-winning German Sebastian Vettel, has not driven a Formula One car since the last race in Brazil last November but has said he will not be using his broken leg as an excuse in Melbourne.

"I will be 100 percent ready to do my job," Webber said of the season-opener.