Watch: Lewis Hamilton Shows That Driving An F1 Car Can Be As Difficult As Flying A Plane
Anytime I saw F1 steering wheels, I always wondered: Why the fuck does it have so many buttons? I mean look at these things:
So you're telling me that these guys are able to drive at speeds topping 200 mph, while adjusting things like brake balance, rotary switches (wtf does that even mean) and brake differential? It's a sport within a sport. Not only do you have to master corners, but you also have to become a pro gamer by memorizing each button and their respective locations.
Sidebar: I barely recognized Lewis with this haircut
He looks like the cool substitute teacher, not a 7-time F1 World Champion!
Lewis right off the bat says that every single lap he's making adjustments to the car. Depending on each corner and turn will change how much rear and front brake he wants. Once he starts going on about diff mid, diff entry and so on, I immediately get flashbacks of Phil Mickelson talking about his golf swing.
In the back of your head, you always know these athletes are playing a completely different game or sport than what the average joe sees. But in these short interviews, you also realize that these top tier pro athletes understand the sport at a different level than the casual watcher could ever fathom.
So much so that it can even impact the size of their head:
Alright, I'm sorry. That was a cheap shot from a kid that wears a cumrag to hide his receding hairline. I can't say jack shit, but I simply can't stop looking at this picture of Phil…
Back to F1, remember your first time playing the N64? Anytime one of your friends called out a button to press, you'd have to stop playing, glance at the controller, find the up arrow C button and then resume playing. After playing for a few hours or so, it would become muscle memory. I'm sure that's extremely similar to how F1 drivers feel in their cars. They're able to drive at ridiculous speeds while making adjustments on the fly because it's second nature to them at this point.
As someone that's really falling in love with the sport, it's crazy to see just how many things the F1 teams and drivers have to be on top of to successfully compete in each race.
One of the coolest things Lewis talks about is towards the end of the video. F1 cars only have a certain amount of fuel in them. So each driver has to maximize their fuel usage. Obviously, it's not as simple as drive the car and it'll run out at the end.
The driver always has to be aware of their fuel remaining to know when to push the car and go for a quicker lap or when to save fuel and maintain position on the track. Lewis breaks down the situation where he's going for a pit stop. He'll push that lap and use more fuel, while knowing he's going to have to save fuel when he's coming out of the pit.
It's truly fascinating to think about all the different situations F1 drivers have to be aware of. It's similar to an NFL QB reading a defense. There's simply so many levels to this shit.
One thing I know for certain, Barstool can't even drive in a straight line when we give them just a wheel. Imagine the chaos if they had to manage their brakes and fuel!?
Big Cat Plays F1 22
The Barstool Miami Grand Prix
First Look at F1 22 plus an interview with the lead creative director: