Maureen hangs on to her hat for fast lap

Maureen Burgess back in the pits after experiencing the thrill of ride in a Formula One race car. Photo / Supplied

Paengaroa lifestyler Maureen Burgess gripped her helmet when she encountered the brute force of a Formula One racing car head-on at Hampton Downs on Saturday.

In the ultimate adrenalin-charged ride, the 61-year-old with a love of speed experienced a place she never thought she would go - a spin in an F1 Arrows AX3.

Speeds were so extreme that Mrs Burgess found herself clutching the front edges of her helmet.

"The speed we went down some of the straights made me think my helmet might come off, along with my head," she said after being maneuvered out of one of the two passenger cockpits behind the driver.

And while shortness is good when it comes to squeezing into the cockpit of an F1 car, Mrs Burgess' 152cm stature created special challenges. She was unable to brace her feet because her legs only reached halfway down the compartment.

It meant a special strap had to be attached to a full harness to stop her shooting forward if the car stopped suddenly. Together with the neck brace and all the other seat belts, she said she felt like a swaddled baby.

"It took longer to get into the car and ready to go than it took to do our warm up, fast laps and cool-down lap."

The winner of the national competition found the prize everything she imagined it would be, minus the sense of danger. "Fast is awesome."

She was treated to the once-in-a-lifetime thrill after her name was drawn from the hundreds of correct answers to promote the New Zealand Festival of Motorsport that continues next weekend.

Mrs Burgess said the demo session with other F1 cars was an "awesome experience" in which she felt like they were really racing.

The fuel tanks of the AX3 had been reduced and the sidepods widened to allow two passengers to slot in behind driver Andy Higgins, allowing a clear view and the full force of the wind rush.

After being advised to strengthen her neck muscles in preparation for the G-forces on corners, she found that the safety gear and requirements were so stringent that g-forces ended up not being an issue.