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What Does It Really Take to Be an F1 Driver?

The speed. The pressure. The G-force. We've all watched Formula 1 drivers navigate corners at impossible speeds, but what does it actually feel like inside that cockpit?

To find out, we put two elite athletes to the ultimate test. UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis and strongman competitor Rayno Nel stepped into the world of Atlassian Williams Racing to experience firsthand what the world's fastest drivers endure every time they hit the track.

Four brutal challenges. One mission: Feel the Gs.

Challenge 1: Reflex Resistance
Lightning-fast reactions aren't enough in F1—you need them while fighting against crushing forces. Rayno Nel discovered this the hard way as he took on reflex drills with added resistance, testing whether his strongman speed could match the split-second demands of racing.

Challenge 2: Heavy Braking
When an F1 car hits the brakes at 200mph, drivers experience forces that slam their bodies forward with incredible intensity. Rayno faced the braking simulation under race conditions, feeling exactly what happens when precision meets raw power.

Challenge 3: Steering Stone
Cornering at high speed creates lateral forces that make even turning the wheel an arm-burning battle. Dricus Du Plessis, no stranger to physical punishment in the octagon, took on the steering resistance challenge—mimicking the relentless strain drivers fight through every corner of every lap.

Challenge 4: Neck Pull
An F1 driver's neck endures forces equivalent to holding up several bowling balls—for two hours straight. Dricus tested his neck strength against the gravity-defying forces that come with every acceleration, brake, and turn.

These challenges prove one thing, being an F1 driver requires a level of physical conditioning that goes far beyond what most people imagine. This isn't just about speed—it's about the incredible human strength needed to control a machine at the absolute limit.

Think you could handle it?

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