How do F1 drivers maintain such high levels of concentration for nearly 2 hours?
Firstly drivers sit very low in the car and do have quite a restricted view of things around them. It is not the best position to sit (visually) but it is most aerodynamic and keep their eyes off of the women. Secondly, divers have a space at the back of their garage to relax and become focused before the race. If you go to the science museum in London you can see what Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button use before racing. It is like a pod that they sit in and play music with an air supply with levels of gasses like oxygen and things to get their brain in a good racing mode. In the car they only have their radio to their engineers they do not talk or listen to anything else. As well as that they are at very high speeds and there is nothing really to look at other than the track other cars and the odd tree. Most things are blurred at high speed.
On one hand, it’s not the amazing feat you make out… but it may be even more amazing in other ways. The race is a competition, and for many people and certainly those that are able to rise to the highest levels of motorsport, having the attention span and nature to focus in this way is simply part of their makeup. Racing is engaging! It’s not a dull or mundane activity – maintaining concentration is much more the norm than otherwise. But… that’s not to say it cannot be monotonous. Especially after so many laps and at times when a driver is not engaged in a fight for position. Part of what makes a skilled driver able to drive as they do is the vast amount of seat time they have… over this time aspect of driving the right line, picking up corner workers, adjusting brake bias, etc becomes second nature. Having these things be second nature is what allows for a driver to focus on the race itself. But at those times when the results might seem assured/destined other than actually brin
