Here's Why You Can't Drive an F1 Car

Bright Side

So, you've dreamt of tearing up the track like an F1 pro? Well, those babes are built for speed, with engines revving up to a mind-blowing 15,000 RPM. F1 cars are like finely tuned instruments, designed for maximum performance by expert engineers. And let's not forget the G-forces! The acceleration and cornering would knock your socks off—literally. Plus, the sheer cost of running one of these beasts would make your wallet cry. So, while it's fun to dream, leave the F1 driving to the pros and enjoy the thrill from the sidelines!  Credit: MercedesAMGF1 / YouTube  SAFEisFAST / YouTube  gatherersystems1547 / YouTube  mzosharing / YouTube eyegymvisualintelligence7587 / YouTube  Formula1 / YouTube Animation is created by Bright Side.  #brightside   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/   Listen to Bright Side on:  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/idhttps-podcasts-apple-com-podcast-bright-side/id1554898078 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brightside/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brightside.official/ Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.official?lang=en Snapchat - https://www.snapchat.com/p/c6a1e38a-bff1-4a40-9731-2c8234ccb19f/1866144599336960  Stock materials (photos, footages and other):  https://www.depositphotos.com  https://www.shutterstock.com  https://www.eastnews.ru  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me

Transcript

00:00Formula One drivers react in just 0.2 seconds, while the average human has a reaction time

00:06of 0.5 seconds.

00:09So if you were to race side by side with Max Verstappen today, he would be 32 feet ahead

00:15of you right after lights out, essentially putting you out of the competition.

00:21The legendary Michael Schumacher averages a remarkable 0.16 seconds at race starts,

00:27a performance level comparable to sprinters like Usain Bolt.

00:33Getting a strong lead at the start is a make-or-break situation in Formula One, and that's all

00:38about brain power and lightning-fast reflexes.

00:41In 2019, Valtteri Bottas had the best start ever in Formula One history during the Japanese

00:47Grand Prix, getting his car moving in only 0.04 seconds after the lights went out.

00:54People still insist it was pure luck.

00:57But Bottas had been training with iGym.

00:59It's a cognitive training software that looks like a video game, with exercises such

01:05as pressing the spacebar as soon as something appears on the screen.

01:10Drivers also train quick reflexes with a Batec board, a device where random light buttons

01:15pop up, and the goal is to hit as many as possible in just 30 seconds.

01:20It's former Formula One champion Jenson Button who holds a world record in this exercise,

01:26smashing about 2 lights per second.

01:32As the lap goes on, drivers hit high-speed corners.

01:36Most Formula One circuits follow the clockwise direction, so when you take a right turn,

01:42the G-force tries to yank your head to the left.

01:45In a Formula One car, that means you're dealing with a force equivalent of about 88

01:50pounds, practically trying to rip your head off.

01:53Drivers have to resist that force to be safe, so they try to keep their heads in a neutral

01:58position as much as they can.

02:00To prepare for that, drivers go through massive neck training, using the help of a neck harness,

02:06a device where someone keeps pulling on the driver's head and he has to tense up to

02:10stop his head from moving forward or sideways.

02:14Some drivers prefer to use resistance bands or are trained by lying on their stomachs

02:19and hanging around 66 pounds of weight on their necks.

02:24An average human neck simply wouldn't survive sudden braking, crashes, or even standard

02:28racing conditions.

02:30While a man's neck measures around 15 inches, Formula One drivers have neck measurements

02:36similar to a middleweight boxer.

02:38Lewis Hamilton's collar size, for example, went from 14 inches in 2007 to an impressive

02:4518 inches today.

02:47Another example is Fernando Alonso, who has a 17.7-inch neck.

02:54The physical effort needed to hit the accelerator or the brake of Formula One cars is unlike

02:59your experience in any other vehicle.

03:02We're here at the Singapore Grand Prix Circuit, and what you're looking at is Turn 7, known

03:07as the highest braking point of the Formula One season.

03:11This turn is so intense that drivers feel the g-force almost 5 times greater than usual

03:17– a level of intensity compared to what the Space Shuttle experienced during re-entry

03:22into Earth's atmosphere.

03:24So for a driver weighing 150 pounds, like Fernando Alonso, it feels like being pushed

03:30into a seat with a sudden force of 750 pounds.

03:35Now imagine just how much muscle power is needed to slow the car down in this situation.

03:40It's kind of like using just one leg to push against the weight of three baby elephants

03:4562 times throughout the race.

03:48And I'm talking about just that one single corner.

03:51Without the leg strength of a fighter, he'd simply be unable to brake the car and would

03:56end up flying off the track and over the safety barriers.

04:04The g-forces are a major factor in making breathing incredibly challenging during the

04:08race, so you'd need lungs as strong as those of a synchronized swimmer.

04:15Drivers spend around 70% of the lap in apnea, I mean holding their breath.

04:21Lewis Hamilton secured pole position in the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix after holding his

04:26breath for more than a minute, while the average person could last just over 30 seconds.

04:33Being breathless while driving at 200 miles per hour for nearly two hours demands top-notch

04:39cardiovascular fitness.

04:41The training routines vary based on the driver's preferences.

04:45Max Verstappen, for example, focuses on a lot of running, while Valtteri Bottas is a

04:50fan of cycling.

04:53Alright, drivers are in the final stretch of the race, and the intensity is through

04:58the roof.

04:59The mind and muscles are reaching peak exhaustion, but what hits them like a ton of bricks is

05:04the insane heat.

05:06The track is burning at around 122°F, the tires are sizzling at 212°F, and the front

05:13brakes are practically on fire at 1,800°F.

05:19Now let's talk about the driver's gear.

05:21Being inside the racing suit is like wearing a fireproof oven mitt, thick and hot.

05:27Out of the cockpit, it's like a sauna, reaching up to 140°F. You're sweating buckets, probably

05:34losing about 3-5% of your body weight.

05:38The driver's heart is pounding at 180 beats per minute for the whole race.

05:42And that's like 80% of what most people's hearts can handle.

05:46They're basically running a mental and physical marathon.

05:50To cope with all these challenges, drivers need to be super fit.

05:54Like less than 150 pounds and less than 12% body fat.

05:59If you're a heavier person with 200 pounds and 20% body fat, you'd struggle big time.

06:05Your focus and reaction speed would tank in those final laps, making a controlled finish

06:10impossible.

06:14It's a tricky situation, as too much weight can slow a car down, but not enough weight

06:18can compromise the driver's safety.

06:21For the 23 season, the driver and car must weigh, together, a minimum of 1,754 pounds.

06:29To find that balance, drivers go through an extremely regulated diet, generally rich in

06:34fruits and vegetables.

06:36Whole-grain complex carbohydrates, like oats, brown rice, and cereals, provide a sustained

06:42release of energy, helping them stay on top of their game throughout each lap.

06:47The insane heat can also lead to dehydration, so drivers have this set-up going from the

06:52side of the car's cockpit through the driver's helmet, where they can sip on drinks during

06:57the race.

06:58It's not always just water.

07:00Saline solutions and isotonic drinks are also an option.

07:04Well, it's time to hit the podium, or not.

07:09But one thing's for sure, at this point, drivers have to be ready for the next race,

07:14which is going to be in a whole different country.

07:18You have to be as adaptable as a pop superstar on a world tour to handle the different time

07:23zones, new cultures, and changing climates throughout a 9-month stretch.

07:28Jet lag can hit anyone hard, causing things like drowsiness, disorientation, and agitation.

07:34So drivers use some tricks to dodge jet lag.

07:39Like slowly getting used to the new time zone before taking off by setting their clocks

07:44to the destination time.

07:46They're also aware of light, either by being exposed to it or by avoiding it.

07:52This way they can reset their internal clock, signaling to their brain and hormones when

07:57it's time to wake up or to sleep.

08:01The impact of flying all the time is also significant, and specialists call that travel

08:06fatigue.

08:07During the Formula One season, teams spend roughly 10 full days, or 240 hours, on planes

08:14every year, zigzagging across multiple time zones.

08:18So even if you're not dealing with jet lag, the cumulative effect of frequent travel ramps

08:23up fatigue levels, making you feel tired, sad, and alone.

08:29Formula One is definitely not just about crazy speed and sophisticated cars.

08:34The driver's toughness, both physical and mental, also determines who comes out on top.

08:40Now you tell me, do you have what it takes to be a Formula One driver?

08:45That's it for today, so hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like

08:52and share it with your friends!

08:54Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!

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