Written by Annalise Huang, edited by Gabriel Tsui
A blur of colour is all that can be seen from a passing Formula One car, speeding by at over 200 MPH. But behind the scenes— or rather, behind the wheel— there’s a lot more happening than what initially meets a viewer’s eye.
From notorious team radios to hydration hacks, let’s dive into what it’s like to be inside an F1 car.
When you think of driving a car, you probably imagine the driver sitting upright. In an F1 car, drivers are actually closer to a laying down position, with their legs elevated to about chest level, above their hips.
However, not all F1 seats are created the same. Because drivers have such variation in their height and build, teammates or substitute drivers can’t just switch cars on a whim. Every driver’s seat is moulded to the shape of their body.
But even if a driver inserted their customized seat into a different car, the experience still wouldn’t be as comfortable. That’s because everything from the width of the headrest to the distance to the brake and accelerator pedals are crucial, especially when considering how physically demanding the sport is.
“When you sit in a car and get thrown around for two hours, everything’s going to hurt a bit. Your shoulders, your upper body, your neck, your legs… sometimes your hip flexors can get quite sore and your back,” Oscar Piastri admitted in an interview with Sky Sports F1.
Inside the car, drivers have a very narrow field of vision. They are able to see straight ahead and slightly upward, but everything from the front wing to the opponents beside them are entirely out of their view.
This makes even simple operations difficult, as drivers can’t see things like the markers they’re supposed to stop on when heading to the starting grid. It makes the complex, strategic maneuvers that drivers make throughout a heated two hour race even more impressive.
Throughout the race, communicating with the team engineers is crucial. Team radios are a notorious favorite of many F1 fans, where everything from humorous jabs to tense, strategic comments offer a unique facet to the viewing experience.
Drivers have a button on their steering wheel that enables their radio, activating the microphone built into their helmets. Their earpiece is always on, however, allowing the team to communicate with drivers whenever is needed. Communication is key for conveying tyre conditions, pit stops, race strategies and more.
Inside the car, temperatures can reach up to 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit). This is partly affected by the climate of the race location, but the heat from the brakes and engine significantly increase the internal temperature as well. Not only is the engine in close proximity to the cockpit, but the aerodynamic design of the car funnels the heat of the brakes directly to the cockpit.
Because of these scorching conditions, staying hydrated is pivotal. One to two liters of the driver’s drink of choice is prepared in the car prior to the race. A “DRINK” button on the steering wheel activates the pump, drawing fluid from the bag of liquid and directing it up the tube. This tube gets placed directly in front of the driver’s mouth.
For some drivers, this hydration function is an essential for every race. For others, consuming liquid under such immense physical exertion is sickening.
"I don't drink ever during a race. I often don't run with a drinks bottle. I think I've drunk from my water bottle twice ever in Formula 1 and both those times when I've just been very ill, like in Barcelona a couple of years ago,” Lando Norris revealed in an interview with RacingNews365.
It’s no surprise that being an F1 driver is no easy feat. But when you really put yourself in their shoes, it’s clear just how demanding the sport truly is.
Even with an abundance of tools and mechanisms aimed to make the driving experience as painless as possible, the process of actually being inside an F1 car is still exhausting.
Next time you’re watching a race from the perspective of a driver’s helmet camera or listening to your favorite compilation of witty team radio moments, take a moment to envision yourself sitting or laying in an F1 seat. Chances are, you’ll gain a newfound admiration for what these drivers do.
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