What makes a good Formula One driver?

While it’s true that anyone you can physically fit into the car can drive one, the reality is that Formula One drivers are a special breed. Although they vary in size and physical form, they all have the following important qualities that allow them to compete at the highest level.

physical strength and dexterity

Formula One cars demand driving on the limit. The enormous G-forces experienced during cornering and braking, as well as the incredible heat inside the cabins, mean that drivers must be very strong, especially their neck muscles.

Concentration

Racing drivers are well aware that at 200 mph they cannot hesitate for even a fraction of a second if they want to avoid crashing. Formula One stars have to maintain full concentration for nearly two hours, pushing their minds to the limits. They must be aware of changing track conditions, they must feel the changing characteristics of their cars, and they must be on the lookout for warning flags, pit signs, and their rivals.

Fast reaction times

When learning to drive a road car, one of the first lessons any driving instructor teaches you is to keep a safe distance from the car in front of you. This distance allows you enough reaction time to get out of trouble if an accident occurs or someone slams on the brakes. Formula One drivers have to throw that rule out the window every time they get in their cars. In the fight for victory they have to drive behind the cars of their rivals at high speed, and if it’s raining with almost no visibility. If a problem occurs in front of them, like a spinning car or a piece of debris on the track, they have to rely on their super-fast reaction times to get out of trouble.

Endurance

Being a good Formula One driver isn’t just about performing at your best on a lap like qualifying; it’s about performing at your best on every lap of a Grand Prix distance. Most races last about an hour and a half or more and during that time there is no rest except maybe a few seconds to catch your breath during a pit stop or on the pit straight.

The drivers have to cope with the pressure of racing, avoid accidents, keep up with the team’s strategy and be able to withstand the bumps, shocks and heat throughout this distance. This pressure is so intense that most drivers lose around 3kg of body weight through sweat in a normal Grand Prix.

Consistency

Being able to consistently perform at the top of your game without making costly mistakes. If you make a mistake exiting a junction in your road car, at best, you stop the car, or worse, cause an accident. Racing drivers cannot afford to make such mistakes and have to do every aspect of their job well when driving on the limit.

Although modern grand prix cars have semi-automatic gearboxes and computer controls to make a car stop more difficult, drivers still need to ensure that every time they turn the steering wheel or step on a pedal, they do so at exactly the right moment. Right. They can’t afford to brake 10 meters too late or hit the gas when they were supposed to hit the brakes. The result may not be just a harmless twist; it could be an accident that puts them out of the race or even costs them the World Championship. Just as the driver expects the team to never make a mistake when preparing their car, the team has the same expectations of the driver. If the driver makes a mistake that puts him out of the race, he can expect a tough time when he returns to the pits.

Courage

Formula One racing is not a sport for the timid or timid. Going wheel-to-wheel with someone at almost 200 mph takes incredible bravery, especially when you understand that one mistake could result in a crash that could injure or even kill them.