//:: Driving an F1 car

How hard is it really to drive an F1 car? Formula 1 is the top most step of motorsport, the pinnacle of motorsport, the most technological sport, etc. and so on... Formula 1 cars are the most advanced cars in the whole world. It also has the most savage and terrifying engine in it. An engine that can rev up to 20,000RPM and when the engine is sitting on idle mode it's already screaming at 6,000RPM. 6,000RPM!!! sitting down doing nothing but spin it's drive shaft 6,000 times per minute! Can you imagine how hard it is to control the clutch with your fingers behind the steering wheel and your foot controlling a very powerful engine?

Formula 1 drivers are the best in the business, in the whole world! They're unique! A group of people who has the skill to tame such a beast! They have the quickest reflexes, strongest neck muscles, tremendous skill for feeling the grip of the tires, the skill to be able to push a car to it's limits....

I could go on and blabbbbb about what Formula 1 is, the F1 car and the drivers and the teams who spends billions a year just to earn the top step of the podium... but I won't do it for now cause you'd be bored reading it ....

A few days ago Renault held a roadshow "Car show" in Dubai. Where they featured mainly they're Formula 1 car which they used to compete in the 2008 F1 season, the Renault R28. I was following the road show and was reading about news and happenings and the drivers around to show of the real power of the F1 car. Nelson Piquet, Jr. who is a current driver of the Renault F1 team now competing in the 2009 season along side 2 time world champion Fernando Alonso. Roman Grosjean was also there to drive the R28 in front of the crowd in Dubai....... One of their many shows and events was to show everyone how an F1 would easily out accelerate road cars. They chose the Dubai Autodrome for this venue where they will set a drag race with their R28 against a road car. Which road car? Hmmm good question.. It's not a Honda civic or any other road car you might have in your mind. They placed it on the line againts a super car! particularly the Ford GT40! A road legal car that's capable of doing 205MPH (330KPH). A road legal car that has an engine that produces 550hp! To be honest, that's not where I was really surprised with Renault. The biggest question I have was.... Why did they not put a real F1 driver when they planned to raced it? I mean during the demonstration. The driver only have to drive the car around a car park and burn some rubber and all that smokeyyy stuff and let their real f1 driver do it... and yet when they planned to race the car they did not!

Renault R28 (Fernando Alonso, during the 2008 Singaporean GP)

2006 Ford GT40

Remember when I asked ... "How hard is it really to drive an F1 car?" ... well watch this video first ...

Mohammed Bin Sulayem! One of the greatest in Rally Racing. He has won more FIA(Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) regional championships, and more international rallies, than any other racer in history. This guy has already lots of medals and trophies under his belt and yet ... look at the video again. The F1 car has a colossus engine! Even from a standing stance and get it moving. The video showed how hard it is to control an F1 car mainly for it's power. You just can't get inside the cockpit and turn the engine and drive it! No!!!! You even need at least 16 highly skilled ENGINEERS just to prep it up and then start the engine. Driving it is a different story!

That is why most F1 drivers has started their driving career since they where 6 to 8 years old. They already compete in Karting race series' as early as 8 years old. Move to higher ranks with bigger cars and more power... until they've proved it that they are champions in lower series' before they can even drive an F1 car. Then again! Winning a race in F1 is also a different story. You are competing against the worlds best drivers. Drivers who are able to control the car going through corners at speeds more than 150MPH (240kph).

"So.... wanna be an F1 driver? Nope, Too late man!"

Formula 1, Renault F1, F1 Road Show, Dubai Autodrome, Muhammed Bin Sulayem //TAGS