F1 should give us drivers' reaction times to the green light

[JaxsonIan]

Typical reaction time is around 0.2 secs. It would be great to see who has the best reaction and the worst after each start. Or maybe just top 10.

Also, heart rates during different stages of the race would be nice. When cruising, when about to make a move etc.

[Steven]

Why do you want to know reaction times, and heart rates?

Personally I think we have enough data. In cycling, they have been showing bpm values sometime in the last few years, but they use it sparingly, and the duration of a road cycling race hardly compares to a Formula One race.

I might be thinking old school here, but I have never heard anyone wondering about the heart rate of Hamilton, Alonso or Senna when they made a great pass, or took pole position, or saw their engine blow up. I think in these moments, the most important thing is the actual event. And when nothing is happening, and everybody is bored, are you then going to spice it up by showing heart rates? I'm not convinced...

[jjn9128]

Yeah, then they should then rank them and decide how good Senna and Kovalainen's comparative starts would have been all under a big "sponsored by AWS" banner.

[TimW]

Given that they are unable to detect false starts, how do you expect FIA to measure reaction times....

[NathanOlder]

I think its a very interesting point. I remember MotoGP had the live heart rates on screen not long ago.



I would love to see this in F1, just to see how drivers differ from each other.

[Zynerji]

Typical reaction time is around 0.2 secs. It would be great to see who has the best reaction and the worst after each start. Or maybe just top 10.

Also, heart rates during different stages of the race would be nice. When cruising, when about to make a move etc.

Bottas would have two -0.2s reaction times with his rolling starts

[rscsr]

I think its a very interesting point. I remember MotoGP had the live heart rates on screen not long ago.

https://m.facebook.com/MotoGP/videos/415455049123978/

I would love to see this in F1, just to see how drivers differ from each other.

Well, in MotoGP they wanted to show off Vinales heart rate. It is so crazy low that no one believed it. He seems to be hovering between 120-130bpm on the bike. While Jack Miller is somewhere in the region of 160-165bpm.

[NathanOlder]

I think its a very interesting point. I remember MotoGP had the live heart rates on screen not long ago.

https://m.facebook.com/MotoGP/videos/415455049123978/

I would love to see this in F1, just to see how drivers differ from each other.

Well, in MotoGP they wanted to show off Vinales heart rate. It is so crazy low that no one believed it. He seems to be hovering between 120-130bpm on the bike. While Jack Miller is somewhere in the region of 160-165bpm.

Yeah maybe so, maybe an F1 driver is similar, we don't know, the teams will know about their own drivers but fans know nothing and it would be a way for the fans to find out.

[hudnut]

Why do you want to know reaction times, and heart rates?

Personally I think we have enough data. In cycling, they have been showing bpm values sometime in the last few years, but they use it sparingly, and the duration of a road cycling race hardly compares to a Formula One race.

I might be thinking old school here, but I have never heard anyone wondering about the heart rate of Hamilton, Alonso or Senna when they made a great pass, or took pole position, or saw their engine blow up. I think in these moments, the most important thing is the actual event. And when nothing is happening, and everybody is bored, are you then going to spice it up by showing heart rates? I'm not convinced...

I suppose it would be something different to talk about than who is saving their tyres the best for a change.

[El Scorchio]

Reaction times would be interesting to see actually. It would give extra insights into how a race start unfolded like it did. Very interesting to see variations up and down the grid. Not fussed about heartbeats etc. You’d probably find most of them are weirdly calm throughout.

[Wass85]

The one thing that infuriates me is the terrible camera work, I was watching some 2000's footage of Schumacher and the sense of speed was mesmerising.

[henry]

What precisely would one want to measure? Lights out to ....?

An interesting number would be lights out to 120kph. It would reveal how well the driver managed reaction and the traction limited phase of the start.

[Just_a_fan]

What precisely would one want to measure? Lights out to ....?

An interesting number would be lights out to 120kph. It would reveal how well the driver managed reaction and the traction limited phase of the start.

The driver's reaction time would be lost in the noise over such a long period. Did driver A get to 120 first because he had better reaction time or because he was on the clean side of the grid? Or on better tyres? Or had got his tyres in better condition in the formation lap? Or has a car with a more friendly clutch paddle arrangement?

[Wass85]

I think we can guage visually who got a good start or a bad start, a waste of time IMO.

Better camera work is something definitely worth looking in to, oh and a new race director as the current one needs their P45.

[henry]

What precisely would one want to measure? Lights out to ....?

An interesting number would be lights out to 120kph. It would reveal how well the driver managed reaction and the traction limited phase of the start.

The driver's reaction time would be lost in the noise over such a long period. Did driver A get to 120 first because he had better reaction time or because he was on the clean side of the grid? Or on better tyres? Or had got his tyres in better condition in the formation lap? Or has a car with a more friendly clutch paddle arrangement?

I’m not really interested in reaction time. Whatever that is.

But I would be interested in differences between tyre choice or side of grid. Or influence of a tow. Lots of variables but over a few races I’m guessing it would be possible to learn some things. Purely from a curiosity point of view.