Formula One driver swaps his Ferrari for ambulance

But four-time world champion Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel swapped his Ferrari for an ambulance.

The job swap with a paramedic was sponsored by fuel company Shell, which wanted to show the fuel that is used by F1 drivers has 99 per cent of the same compounds which also goes into the vehicles of emergency services.

Vettel swapped vehicles with South Central Ambulance Service (Scas) paramedic Alex Knapton and got behind the wheel of a three-tonne ambulance.

He went head-to-head against Alex who was in a Ferrari 488 GTB with a 3.9-litre turbo-charged V8 engine and top speed of 220mph.

They did a lap of the track after teaching each other how to handle the vehicles.

Alex, who has been a paramedic with Scas for the last four years, said: ‘Getting the opportunity to swap the ambulance for the Ferrari 488 GTB was a dream come true.

‘It was an unbelievable experience to get that close to one of the stars of F1.

‘Sebastian was on great form coaching on high performance driving tips and joking about the lack of a stereo system in the ambulance.’

Vettel added: ‘Paramedics play an essential role in motorsport around the world and not just in F1.

‘They need to perform to such high standards every day because people’s lives depend on them.’