A Dive Into The Superhuman Abilities of Formula 1 Drivers

Formula 1 drivers inarguably go through intense experiences that inarguably stretch their cognitive abilities. Well, the definition of intelligence is utterly subjective, but juggling different buttons of a steering wheel console while doing over 300 kilometres an hour is no small feat.

The race begins with 20 cars arranged in 2 rows of 10 each. Engines are rumbling, and each driver is keen to overtake or not be overtaken. But this is just the start. Let’s take a deep dive into what actually makes Formula 1 drivers superhuman.

Rapid Acceleration

An instant can make or break a race. The beginning of a race is a defining moment for every driver.

Five red lights illuminate the race track, and drivers wait in agony for a signal. The cars all go out after a randomly controlled period of between 0.2 and 3 seconds. After accelerating to close to 300 kilometres per hour, the drivers have to make split-second decisions while feeding the paddle clutch, applying more power with the accelerator pedal, going to the outer race track to get two or three positions or staying within the inner safe zone, where they might get locked in.

At this point, the driver is not consciously thinking about anything; otherwise, their response time will plummet significantly. It’s safe to assume that their superhuman capability drives the vehicle.

Spatial Awareness

It goes unsaid that driving a formula 1 requires spatial awareness in quantum proportions. Judging distances with laser accuracy when navigating tight corners, overtaking other vehicles or bundling up with other vehicles within the inner lane requires intense focus.

“You have to raise the temperature, which can only be done if you have extreme control and mastery of the wheel,” says a news correspondent for Silverstone F1 tickets. “Sometimes you have to ‘surrender control’ and trust the car will take corners thrice as fast as you anticipated and brake thrice as close to the corner than you thought you should,” he continues.

Driving around the track at rocket speeds is extremely difficult. On the pit wall, team leads, and fans battle anxiety while watching the racing car.

Intense Mental Activity

Blue light naturally exerts some stress on your mental activity. Now, bundling all that up with neck-breaking speeds, lights that illuminate like flashing stars in a rover accelerating through outer space, and 19 other drivers battling for the same spot exerts intense pressure on the driver’s mind. Any slight lapse in concentration can spell disaster.

With additional scrutiny from the media, their team leads, and sponsors, only intense mental resilience can handle this amount of exertion.

Wrapping Up

Formula 1 drivers have a good amount of cognitive ability. Defending a position is arguably complex, as the driver needs to work out the position of their car at any given moment, making the life of the driver behind them as hard as possible while trying their best to beat the one on the front.

Possibly the biggest things they need are technical knowledge, psychological resilience and a solid degree of grit. While they may not have superhuman abilities in the literal sense, bundling all their abilities makes them superhuman in our own sense.