The writer (right) preparing for a reaction test with Red Bull Racing's human performance coach David Osgathorp. MILTON KEYNES, England – My thighs are burning, I am out of breath and the back of my T-shirt is soaked – and I am only 20 minutes into a preview of what it takes to be a Formula One driver. I am here at Red Bull Racing’s headquarters in Milton Keynes, home to F1’s six-time constructors’ championship winning team.
David Osgathorp, the team’s human performance coach, is putting me through the paces of a driver’s gym routine. Ominously, he says: “F1 is a sport where a number of people..
. just think it’s all about the car and someone just needs to turn up and get into a car. “An average person on the street getting into a car, they’re not going to last more than a lap or two before they really suffer the physical demands of being in that car.
” First Osgathorp guides me through a quick warm-up involving a stationary bike with the resistance dialed up. When my thighs feel the burn, he loads me with information and poses several mathematical questions. This mimics race situations where drivers must multitask, respond to their teams via radio while putting maximum effort into driving.
The ability to go full throttle, take in information and give a comprehensible response is vital. Out of breath, I struggle with the equations. It is definitely not a test I enjoy as I prefer gym sessions with mindless music in the background.
Listing cardiovascular f.
