Erik Vance at the New York Times:
Scientists have long studied elite athletes as a way to understand the inner workings of the human brain. But Formula 1 drivers offer them a unique window: how the brain adapts to impossible speeds.
The first thing to know is that while reflexes are important, they are not what distinguishes a truly elite driver.
“This is something that people don’t realize when they think of racing drivers living off their reflexes,” said Dr. Lappi, who studies eye movements of various types of athletes. “Most of their skill is anticipation. The anticipation is how the brain buys itself time.”
In other words, a great driver doesn’t react to the road, he predicts it. In many ways, this isn’t surprising because the entire brain is often said to be an elaborate prediction machine. But in Formula 1 drivers, this looks a little different.
More here.
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