UNEARTHING THE MENTAL CHALLENGE OF FORMULA 1

Whenever there is a debate about the best drivers on the Formula 1 grid, Marcus Ericsson very rarely enters into the equation. Since making his F1 debut with Caterham in 2014, the Swede has been a steady, if not spectacular, performer and has yet to fulfil the promise hinted at in the junior categories. The 27-year-old endured a much-publicised 50-race points drought, ended in April by a well-executed one-stop strategy in Bahrain, and has rarely established himself over team-mates Kamui Kobayashi, Felipe Nasr or Pascal Wehrlein. In Ferrari protege Charles Leclerc, Ericsson is now facing arguably his most formidable adversary yet.

But while he is an easy target for criticism, you still have to be at an exceptional standard to race in the top echelon of motorsport and not embarrass yourself. The mental exertion of a modern F1 driver, having to manage multiple processes simultaneously, all while trying to hustle a menacing turbo-powered beast with ultra-complex aerodynamics, is considerable and requires enormous capacity to ensure each task is met with due attention, while not detracting from the others. As Phillip Horton discovered with a trip to Formula Medicine’s impressive facility in Italy (page 8), even the Ericssons of the F1 grid are a cut above the norm when it comes to processing power – and perhaps are deserving of a little more respect.

Mental strength will also be key this weekend at Le Mans. It’s a high-pressure event if ever there was one and the attention of the world will be on the endurance classic, not least to see how this year’s stellar rookie crop fare. One man who knows just how they will be feeling is 2017 winner Brendon Hartley, who outlines his top tips for rookies on page 7.

Among the class of 2018 will be his F1 rival Fernando Alonso. He sat down with Edd Straw in Bahrain to discuss advances in helmet safety (page 32) and how his new Le Mans lid was made.