What the F1! How tough is it really to drive a Formula 1 car

It was with a sense of déjà vu that I wiggled my distinctly non-F1 frame into the tight confines of the carbon fibre tub and, with knees pinned together, stretched my legs into the narrow nose to probe the pedals. This was an environment I had experienced twice before, first in 2001 and then in 2008. Ten years is a long gap, but the memory of piloting a Formula 1 car is so vivid that it seemed like yesterday.