6 episodes · 10th June 2001
Why do some people love speed when some others don't? To find out Jeremy Clarkson takes his mother on a rollercoaster, rides with the British Army bobsleigh team and visits California to investigate dragboat racing. Formula One World Champion Damon Hill explains how he thrives on thrill-seeking, artificially creating pressure in situations. Clarkson learns that enjoying thrill-seeking is a result of dopamine, a hormone released by the brain to provide enjoyment and serotonin a chemical that causes a person to feel frightened. The amount of these chemicals released during an activity vary from person to person.
What makes some people better at coping with high speed than the rest of us? Clarkson interviews Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher, World Rally Champion Colin McRae and tennis player Greg Rusedski.
How do our fragile bodies cope with high speed?
Air resistance and how the human race tries to overcome this invisible enemy.
Machines which achieve the greatest speed in the world.
What speed has done for humanity and what is the best machine speed has given us?
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