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Watch Brembo punish its Formula 1 brakes with some red-hot testing cycles

No, you probably don't want these on your street car.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok

Formula 1 is a rigorous sport, not only for the drivers but also for every component in the series' cars. Over the course of a two-hour race, F1 cars regularly reach speeds of 200 mph, only to brake hard before nearly every turn. Made of light and incredibly heat-resistant carbon, the pads and discs undergo an incredible amount of stress, so naturally, they need to be tested with the same rigor. Enter Brembo.

Brembo is Formula 1's brake manufacturer, and their testing rig is, well, exactly as hard on the brakes as you might expect. It's not a terribly complicated setup -- a machine spins the disc up to speed, and the system actuates the brakes as necessary -- but it's still impressive to watch those rotors glow under the stress. Your car's brakes should never glow like this, and if they do, you really need to calm down.

The sheer stopping power on display might have you considering a heavy-duty brake upgrade for your personal vehicle, but you should choose wisely. Race brakes work poorly when cold, and building up a suitable amount of heat is impossible in city driving. There's also the matter of cost. A set of discs and pads for a Formula 1 car can cost up to $15,000 (that works out to £9,713 or AU$20,644), which is also the price of a brand new Ford Fiesta.