F1 taught me that speed starts with comfort

AS A FAN OF MOTORSPORT, I'M ALWAYS fascinated with the finer details that go into Formula One racing. Piloting the fastest racing cars on the planet subjects drivers to savage forces - up to 6 G's under braking which has led to an almost endless pursuit of comfort.

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Teams spend hundreds of hours and millions of dollars optimising cockpit ergonomics to ensure their drivers aren't distracted by aches and pains during a two-hour Grand Prix. To offer some perspective, it's not uncommon for 2007 F1 world champion Kimi Räikkönen to nap in between qualifying sessions while strapped into his car.

Being an impressionable petrolhead, I began tweaking the seating position in my Volkswagen GTI back in college. The improved ergonomics paid massive dividends even if I wasn't driving on a track. On weekends, I'd drive across the southwestern states for mountain bike races, and after hours behind the wheel, I'd emerge with fresh legs and ready to compete.