Building a vehicle to compete in the pinnacle of motorsport is no mean feat, and fitting all those high-tech components isn’t just daunting — it’s a packaging nightmare. So to show off what makes the Sauber Formula One car go, stop, stick and turn, the F1 team sliced its latest entry in half to provide a glimpse of what lies beneath its aerodynamically perfected carbon fiber body.

As with all forms of motorsport, the trick is to get as much weight as low to the ground as possible. For the driver, that means a seating position that’s not just cramped, but a mere 10 centimeters off the ground. Directly behind him is a Kevlar-lined fuel tank fitted with a series of baffles to keep high-test gas from sloshing around as the car brakes, accelerates and turns at g-forces normally reserved for fighter pilots.

Further back sits the engine, with the gearbox mounted in the rear, all of which is has to be positioned both incredibly low, but also easily accessed if something goes pear-shaped during the race.

It’s an impressive example of what it takes to create some of the fastest vehicles on the planet, and even more impressive is the driver’s ability to manhandle something at triple-digit speeds while sitting in a cramped, carbon composite Barca lounger.