Formula 1: driving Kimi Raikkonen's race-winning Lotus E20

After that, time to punch it. I respect the strict directive to “never shift up below 10,000 revs” by whipping it up all the way to 17,000rpm through each of the six available gears. The last 1000rpm and seventh gear are reserved for use by professional race drivers only, as are the button- activated kinetic energy recovery and drag reduction systems. Still, I make sure to shift up only when the coloured light bar on my wheel is completely lit–accompanied by a subtle yet clearly audible electronic beep over the intercom.

The acceleration is incomparable to anything I’ve experienced before. Not so much at low speeds, where it seems to lag a tiny bit – possibly due to the traction control, for guest drivers. But the way this machine keeps raising its speed past 80mph is staggering, most notably through medium-speed corners. It doesn’t feel daunting to get around corners at all, in part thanks to the power steering. In fact, it’s quite comfortable. The ride is far more sophisticated than the rumbling and shaking Formula Renault 2.0 car, for instance. The only ‘distraction’ is the invisible force that keeps attempting to rip my helmeted head off my body as I reach speeds of up to 170mph on the straights.

Braking is more of a challenge.

I manage to resist activating the carbon brakes at the 150m countdown sign for the corner entry, but bail out at 100m. True pros can go as late as 80m. That said, they do so by exerting loads of over 200kg on the brake pedal, whereas I can hardly manage half of that.

There’s the downforce in play, too, even for an amateur driver like me, during the blisteringly quick right- hander called Signes. Again, unlike professional F1 drivers, I daren’t enter it flat out, but I certainly sense the ‘magical force’ pushing the car down as I urge it forward through the approaching bend.

As I’m required to enter the pits after just three laps, I realise how fast the whole experience has flashed by.

At the same time, I struggle to imagine how contemporary grand prix drivers at those speeds manage the myriad of settings such as engine mapping, brake balance and differential settings – not to mention the added complexity of current- spec hybrid powertrains – while maintaining their focus on racing for nearly two hours.

Kimi, you really do know what you’re doing.

Joe van Burik