F1 is inspiring Team GB's bobsleighers to go faster

This article was first published in the March 2016 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.

Athletes launching themselves down ice-covered concrete chutes at up to 160kph sounds reckless, but bobsleigh is an exacting science. "At Sochi [during the 2014 Winter Olympics], we were 0.11 of a second off a medal," says Gary Anderson, performance director of British Bobsleigh. So, when Team GB takes to the Olympic run in Innsbruck, Austria, for the World Championships on February 8, every advantage counts.

In competition, Team GB will deploy three new craft, each designed using aerodynamic techniques akin to those used for Formula 1 cars. During a practice run, or lauf, Anderson's team collects data - "speed, angle of the sled, g-force" - that could make a difference. The pilot and crew then need to steer the sleigh down the run with tiny, ultra-fast corrections. "I've never been this excited about a World Championships," says Anderson. Here, he talks us through a winning lauf.

1. The athletes

Bobsleigh teams (either two- or four-person) need speed and strength, plus body mass. "We built a profile," says Anderson. "A sprinter needs to be running 100 metres in 10.3 seconds and weigh 95kg to 104kg."

2. The start

This is all about building maximum momentum. Innsbruck is 1,100m and very fast. "With the shorter tracks, the velocity at the start has a bigger contributing factor than longer ones," says Anderson. The run-up lasts six seconds.

3. Turning

The sleigh is steered down the run using D-rings. In fast turns, athletes can experience up to 5g in lateral forces. Pilots practise each run using simulators and point-of-view video to find the optimal racing line.

4. The sleigh

Bobsleigh specs are tightly regulated: when empty, a four-person craft can weigh no less than 210kg. The chassis is carbon fibre with steel runners. Team GB has three craft, each by different manufacturers: the hull and runners are chosen during preparations before the event. The hulls are designed using wind tunnels and computer simulation to reduce drag and vibration; runners are optimised to reduce friction.

5. The finish

Throughout, on-board sensors send data to broadcasters and race officials. Then it's time to hit the brake - which, at such speeds, can be tricky. After all, when speed is the goal, who cares about stopping?

This article was originally published by WIRED UK