Video: How to start a 1990 Formula 1 car

When you wake up in the morning, and jump into your car for work, you put the key in, and go. Not so with a Formula 1 car.

If you thought a modern F1 car was complex – it is. To be fair though Formula 1 has always pushed technology.

Take the gorgeous 1990 Leyton House March-Judd Zytec, in it’s Miami Blue livery. The car itself was one of Adrian Newey’s early F1 designs, as you can see by how compact it is. Apparently, it was also hard to work on – as with most of Newey’s cars. Aerodynamics, came first, ‘fixabilty’ came second.

The starting process of any race car has fascinated me, as I have watched in many times, and never truly understood it. Some teams rev madly, others idle the engine to get the heat in the oil up. Horses for courses I guess. This video explains a lot.

The 1990 Leyton House had a mixed season in the hands of Ivan Capelli and Mauricio Gugelmin, not qualifying at a number of races. Yet, at Paul Ricard they ran 1-2, Capelli eventually losing out in the final laps, but still finishing second behind Alain Prost’s Ferrari.

Even though it never won a race, the car was a beauty. And now you know it’s not something you can just jump into, hot-wire, and whizz away in at a moment’s notice!

By Andy Hallbery . Follow me @hallbean on twitter.