Submission – How Formula 1 Drivers Train Their Reaction Speed

[nicogs]

Presentation video of my submission

In this week's Algorithm Arena coding challenge, I was struck by the importance of reaction speed in sports, inspired by @vjeux's original focus on baseball. However, being from Brussels, where baseball isn’t as popular, I wanted to draw from something closer to my interests: Formula 1. Reaction time is a critical skill in F1, whether it’s drivers avoiding collisions or mechanics achieving flawless pit stops. This high-stakes environment made it the perfect theme for my project, as it highlights just how crucial every millisecond can be.

The Real training rig

I developed a digital version of a reaction training rig inspired by the tools that F1 drivers use. The tool presents a 60-second challenge where users have to click on discs that light up as quickly as possible. Each disc lights up randomly, testing not only reaction speed but also accuracy and focus. The goal is to hit as many lit discs as you can before the timer runs out, simulating the pressure and quick decision-making that’s so essential in Formula 1.

Digital version of a reaction training rig

Want to test your reaction speed & see how fast you really are? 👉 Try it out

Check out the code

Although I managed to finish the project a day before the deadline, it wouldn't have been the same without a cool new YouTube Video to accompany my submission. The editing took a little longer than expected, but as a new challenge wasn't yet announced I did take my time with the edit and I'm very proud of the end result 🙆‍♂️