Could your body and mind cope with the pressure? Here are the facts:

· The psychological stress for F1 drivers is frequently more extreme than the physical stress. An indicator for this is 30 minutes before the race the driver's heart rate is 60bpm, Starting line up 90bpm, Warm-up lap 110bpm, Start 130 bpm and first corner 180bpm. The peak reached for F1 drivers is 210bpm, which is higher than the 170bpm of someone about to freefall on a rollercoaster.

· A successful racing driver should be aggressive, but that aggression must be controlled by good judgement. At 100 mph you are covering around 150 feet per second; the length of a commercial jet, so a small mistake in judgement can be potentially life-threatening!

· Driving predominantly in a clockwise direction leads drivers to build up neck muscles on one side, if training is done incorrectly this can lead to a 'displaced head'. This must be counter-acted with a strict weight regime to build up the opposite side of the neck.

· The ability to mentally 'slow things down' is key for a successful racing driver as it gives them time to see things, react and improve them next time around. "One of the advantages a racing driver has over an ordinary driver is to look ahead so much and absorb so much. The racing driver can already read the situation far quicker. It's like a snooker player. He's at the shot but he's already worked out the next shot."Mark Blundell

· To reduce aerodynamic "drag," cars are designed to make air flow around them, rather than through them. With cockpit temperatures rising to over 120 degrees, a driver must be able to process oxygen through his body resourcefully and do it in heated, physically demanding conditions for the length of a race. Therefore, peak cardiovascular fitness is a necessity and can only be achieved by a heavy cardio training schedule.

· Drivers experience speeds of up to 300km/h while an average skydiver at terminal velocity will only reach 200km/h.

· Racing drivers must be highly focussed on their goal, with no emotional distraction and able to achieve an extreme degree of mental precision while at the peak of a race."In 1990 Derek Warwick crashed the Lotus at Monza. While the car was upside down and travelling at 140mph he was thinking with perfect clarity."Christopher Hilton

· A racing driver is physically wrestling with his car for the duration of a race. At all times he must control the wheel and work the pedals while G-forces of the cornering speed are pulling his head, torso and legs in the opposite direction to the way he is trying to go. To top it off, his ribs and shoulders are jamming into his seat restraints.

· During an average race a driver will change gear 2500 times.

Still think you can do it?

For a chance to make it into the Dunlop Race Academy this summer visit www.driversknow.co.uk and simply apply online.