How mind games work in Formula 1

For all the intricate aerodynamics, complicated engine technology, and phenomenal science that powers Formula 1 machines, the driver - the loosest nut on the car as some would say - still arguably has the biggest say in whether a team wins or not.

"People often ask me what's the ratio between driver and car? And I always say 50 per cent," says Mercedes technical chief Paddy Lowe. "We all agree you can't win a championship without a decent car, and you can't win a championship without a decent driver."

Even one of F1's most prominent technical directors admits there is no component more important on his prototype single-seater racing car than the flesh and blood that sits in the middle.

That means the science of human performance, which has grown massively in all sports in recent years, has a huge part to play in F1.

If you can work out a regimented way to ensure your athlete performs at their best consistently, you stand a much better chance of success.

The obvious focus is physiological - essentially diet and fitness. But this also encompasses the more mystical arts of mind management and psychology.

The brain is a key regulator of your body's performance, so getting the best out of it should naturally pay dividends.

But here the science is inexact, encompassing intangibles such as emotion, personality and attitude - things that cannot be easily measured.

It is here, in the dark reaches of the mind, that one of the big differentiators in elite sports performance lies. And so it is in Formula 1 too.

At the top end of the Formula 1 grid a certain elite level of driving skill and physical prowess is taken for granted.

What often sets drivers apart is their mental make-up - the capacity to make the most of chances when they come along, and rebound quickly when things go wrong.

In this regard there are several fascinating dynamics emerging on this year's grid already.

At the front, how will Lewis Hamilton respond to the sequence of disappointments he's suffered over the first three grands prix of 2016?

Mental fortitude has not traditionally been one of Hamilton's strengths. He has always been a force of nature when all is right in his world, but those who recall the unravelling of his 2011 campaign at McLaren know how easily this delicate mental balance can be upset by turbulence outside the car.

But the Hamilton of today looks utterly unflustered. Age, increasing maturity, and the inner confidence that no doubt stems from his recent championship successes, probably means he is now better able to see the bigger picture, take setbacks in his stride, and prevent any of those nasty 'dark clouds' hanging over his head.

Some, like Hamilton, have to work to reach this place and arrive there through a mix of trial, tribulation and triumph.

Others, like Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, seem born with it. He is one of the most mentally resolute drivers on the grid - honest to a fault, gets on with his job, holds his hands up when he makes mistakes (which is more frequently the case these days) and just moves on to the next challenge.

His will seems unbending. However frustrated he may become vocally, his driving never appears affected.

He is a world champion too, but I doubt he'd be any different had he not claimed that world title from under Hamilton's nose at the final race of 2007.

But what of those who are not born Raikkonen, and do not yet enjoy the hard-earned benefits of Hamilton's 'journey'?

Will Nico Rosberg's six-race winning streak imbue him with enough inner confidence to remain ahead when Hamilton finally enjoys a clean race?

Rosberg has been excellent so far this year, but when he refutes suggestions history is now on his side (given no driver who has won the first three races of an F1 season has failed to claim the crown) by saying "they didn't have Lewis Hamilton as their team-mate" you get the sense there is still a nagging doubt he may end up second best again in a straight fight.

How he overcomes that potential inferiority complex will be key.

As far as group mentality goes, can Ferrari deal with the collective pressure Maranello is under from President Marchionne to beat Mercedes this season?

Everything flowed so nicely last year, as Ferrari recovered from a difficult 2014, but it enjoyed the mental freedom of knowing things couldn't really get any worse.

Now the pressure is on to maintain that upward swing and get real results, and suddenly mistakes are coming - unreliability in the engine, bad strategy in Australia, a poor start by Raikkonen in Bahrain, misjudgements in qualifying and at the first corner by both drivers in China.

How do you stay calm and not force it?

This is something Valtteri Bottas seems to be grappling with right now too. He has struggled a bit in wheel-to-wheel battle recently - particularly on the first laps of races, which he admits has been a historical problem for him.

Williams used to get quite upset with him over this during his rookie campaign in 2013, and in fact each of his last four grands prix have been adversely affected by a difficult first lap.

In Bahrain he made a good start and actively tried to be more aggressive at the first corner to defend position, but ended up clattering into Hamilton, getting a penalty and compromising his race.

In China he went to the outside line at Turn 1 and got hung out to dry as the Ferraris came together.

Is he just unlucky? Or is he making poor decisions when the pressure is on? Is there a pattern? How does he turn it around if so?

Perhaps he should give Romain Grosjean's psychologist a call. Grosjean is someone who happily admits he needed professional help to turn things around, following a consistent pattern of first-lap difficulties in 2012.

Then there is the mystery of Felipe Nasr further down the grid.

He is complaining of a problem with his Sauber C35, but the team is unable to trace it. Meanwhile his team-mate Marcus Ericsson is doing just fine.

Nasr may get a new chassis this weekend, in an effort to finally draw a line under the saga. But if he still struggles then he will have no other place to look than the mirror.

Renault rookie Jolyon Palmer faces a similar challenge, having suffered a "catastrophic" drop in pace since his accomplished debut in Melbourne.

Is it the car? Is it the driver? Is it both? He will need clarity to escape the searching grip of the negative spiral.

But it only takes one good race to turn things around. That will be the comfort to all those with a point to prove.

F1 is a technical sport like no other, but brilliantly augmented by the battleground of the mind.