Have you ever missed when trying to swat a fly? Imagine if that cost a million-dollar race. For Formula 1 drivers, that is their regular pressure. Less of a whimsical distraction, the f1 reaction test is more of a sobering assessment of the split-second decisions undergirding top-level racing.

Imagine drivers fixating on a board dotted with coloured lights. Suddenly, boom, a light flashes up. There is no rhythm or pattern. The work is basic in theory; hit the light before it turns dark. The trick is, though, it penalizes both slow and overly aggressive movements. Consider arcade meets high performance anxiety. Max Verstappen creates childlike play from it. Pierre Gasly makes jokes about how he owes his quick fingers to countless Mario Kart races.

Here’s why the anger is justified: slow F1 performance goes beyond mere bruise egos. You have ground lost that quarter-second fumble at the lights. Perhaps with regard to the podium. possibly worse. The exciting beginning at Spa last year? A textbook example of a driver’s twitching finger slamming the accelerator too late.

You can also join in the enjoyment. Online reaction test scores give a fast taste. When it blinks, tap a brilliant square—sounds natural. Not worry, though, if your average sits at 0.22 seconds or greater. On a good day the pros post sub-0.15 results. Every now and again some middle schoolers destroy the leaderboard while consuming cereal.

Training is more than just sophisticated technology. Drivers will be throwing balls, slamming at erratic strobe lights, or improvising with blinking devices attached to garage walls. There are certain drivers that swear by juggling. Some respond to spotlights by using mental math wiz rounds. They are combining intellect with muscle memory in wild, innovative ways—anywhere to cut a small sliver off their reaction time.

Teams hide their techniques under cover. A few intensely competitive even at practice speed keep their exam results as state secrets. On the stopwatch, a hush-hush victory is winning 1 additional tenth. You could just see teams complaining when someone breaks open a brand-new gadget everyone now wants.

Challenge a friend if you want flavor. Find the fastest sketch among you. Should your grandmother’s reflexes make you ashamed, you should not be surprised. After all, occasionally fast hands show up in the most unlikely places. Then who knows? When you catch a fly the next time, you might just thank a basic F1 reaction drill.