The Honda Racing F1 car is made up of 3,200 individual parts, and if you go the the British International Motor Show this week or next, you’ll be able to see every single one. Literally.

Then a raft of energy-recovery techniques come in to play (see diagram, below). Since 2009, F1 cars have used a regenerative braking system, like that used in hybrid cars, to charge the car’s 25 ...