F1 fans are baffled by how drivers sit in their cars

Formula 1 fans have been left baffled at how drivers sit in their cars after an image displaying the inside of the vehicle went viral on social media.

F1 teams are well renowned for making their car designs as aerodynamic as possible to help reach extreme speeds on the track.

Races can last for up to 2 hours so it’s also vital that the drivers remain as comfortable as possible throughout the session.

Each driver has a seat specifically moulded to their body shape to ensure their body stays in a fixed position.

Meanwhile, the headrest also helps keep the driver's helmet secure. As a result, the drivers are seated as though they are lying down - and fans still can't get their heads round it.

Reacting to a diagram of how drivers sit in their cars on Twitter, one fan user wrote: "Is that even sitting?"

In case you ever wondered how F1 drivers actually sit in their cars 😳

(h/t AnxiousIndicator/Reddit) pic.twitter.com/RL59SHIyRs

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) November 14, 2023

Another asked: "How do they not fall asleep?" While a third joke: "That's how I lay on my bed all day. Maybe I was born to be a F1 racer.

A fourth chimed in: "How on earth they staying for even an hour?

Explaining how the design helps drivers for Mercedes F1 YouTube channel, Lewis Hamilton said in 2016: "This is actually so comfortable. It's very easy to fall asleep during practice.

"The seat is moulded to my body so there is no room for movement. The seat s very light as well, we try and keep it as light as it can possibly be.

He added: “[Sitting that far forward] changes the attitude of the car and how you perceive its movement, and it makes it harder to predict compared to when you’re sitting back, more in the centre…”