20 F1 cars. 5 red lights. 0.2 seconds to react. 5 seconds to 120 mph. The start of a Formula 1 Grand Prix demands extraordinary skill from the drivers and quick decisions from the team strategists. Katie and Christian explore the start of a race with Mercedes reserve driver and former Haas racer Mick Schumacher, who explains what happens in the cockpit in the moments before the start, and the intense run to turn 1. Former Aston Martin Head of Race Strategy Bernie Collins tells us how the race start affects the team's plan for tyres and pit stops. Send your question to F1 Explains. We'll find the experts to answer it! Record your question as a voice note or write it in an email and send it to [email protected] Listen to our previous episodes: 2024 How Drive to Survive is made - with Exec Producer James Gay-Rees Why F1 pre-season testing matters - with McLaren's Oscar Piastri How new F1 cars come to life - with Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows 2023 What we learned in 2023 - the best bits of F1 Explains in 2023 Why you need to see F1 live - trackside at a Grand Prix Racing lines, driver drinks + 'number 1 drivers' LIVE at the US Grand Prix - with F1 Explains listeners + David Coulthard The incredible logistics of F1 - with DHL + Alfa Romeo How F1 racetracks are designed - with the masterminds behind Miami How car liveries are created - with Alfa Romeo + McLaren The mental pressure of F1 - with David Coulthard Steering wheels - how they're designed + what the buttons do DRS - how F1's overtaking aid works and why it matters Tyres - an engineer, a driver and a designer explains why they matter The 2024 F1 calendar - why it helps make F1 more sustainable Wind Tunnels - the top secret tools where cars are created Race engineers - the voices on F1 Team Radio, with Zhou Guanyu Pit stops - how to do them perfectly Simulators with Aston Martin's Stoffel Vandoorne Racing in the rain with Mika Hakkinen + Haas race engineer Mark Slade Street circuits with Mika Hakkinen + Bernie Collins F1 driver fitness with Alexander Rossi + Sebastian Vettel's former trainer F1 in the USA - why the US has 3 races in 2023 F1 Sprint weekends with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid. For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation.