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Inside Anakin’s Podracer: 17 Hidden Features That You Might Have Missed!

Inside Anakin’s Podracer: 17 Hidden Features That You Might Have Missed!

Anakin Skywalker’s podracer from The Phantom Menace is one of the most iconic vehicles in Star Wars. As a kid, I was fascinated by its raw, cobbled-together design a perfect reflection of Anakin’s ingenuity and daring spirit. 

Unlike the sleek, polished podracers of the galaxy’s wealthier competitors, Anakin’s podracer was a masterpiece of improvisation, built from scavenged parts on Tatooine.

But have you ever taken a closer look at the details? From its twin massive engines to its delicate stabilizer fins, every component tells a story of ingenuity, danger, and the sheer will to race.

A Closer Look Inside Anakin’s Podracer

1. Young Anakin Skywalker

2. Throttle levers

3. The telemetry computers of the Podracer cockpit must withstand race conditions while calculating ideal pressure/temperature algorithms and organizing the information flowing from the engine telemetry sensors

4. The interlinked cockpit computer parts require a special power cell that delivers a high-voltage filtered electronic power feed to the computers.

5. Control linkage

6. Control pod

7. Air scoops

8. Tri-carbon anti-turbulence vanes

9. Fuel injector ring

10. Combustion chamber and direct variable air inlet

11. Core fuel tank

12. Fuel injector nozzles

13. Fuel lines

14. Thrust stabilizer cone

15. Triple air scoops

16. Turbine drive energizer

17. Turbine drive motor

18. Fuel atomizer/distributors

19. Energy binder plate

20. Primary intake turbine

So, that’s everything about Anakin’s podracer—but hold on, don’t go just yet, because I’ve got a little bonus for you. If you remember the iconic podracing scene, you’ll recall how Anakin pulled off an incredible win against Sebulba, securing victory in his very first Boonta Eve Classic.

Now, let’s take a look inside Sebulba’s podracer.

Sebulba’s podracer

1. Sebulba

2. Telemetry and control console

3. Mini-acceleration compensator

4. Repulsorlift generator

5. Control linkage

6. Control power generator

1. Engine fuel igniter

2. Annular fuel tank

3. Compressor

4. Energy binder plate

5. Excess air vent fan

6. Excess air spill door

7. Radiator hoses

8. Airflow director fence

9. Coolant radiators

10. Energy binder generator

11. Coolant pump

12. Energy binder arc

13. Split-X repulsor generator housing

14. Upper Split-X air intake

15. Split-X stabilizing vane

16. Over-pressure system valve

17. Afterburner heat dissipator fins

18. Flame emitter weapon

19. Afterburner fuel tanks

20. Combustion chamber

21. Fuel injector.

Fun Fact: Anakin’s podracer’s brakes are from cheap bicycle v-brakes

You might find this amusing—I recently came across a fun discovery shared by a fan on Reddit: Anakin Skywalker’s iconic podracer actually uses cheap bicycle V-brakes for its braking system! Yep, the high-speed, futuristic racing machine seen in The Phantom Menace literally had parts you’d find on a regular, everyday bike. It’s yet another quirky example of Star Wars props using real-world items to create that authentic, gritty sci-fi feel we all love.

Anakin Kept a Podrace Poster in His Room

In The Clone Wars Season 6, Episode 6 (“The Rise of Clovis”), there’s a great background detail when Obi-Wan walks into Anakin’s quarters on Coruscant. As the two Jedi talk about Padmé, a podracing poster can clearly be seen on the wall behind Obi-Wan. And it’s not just any podrace—it’s a stylized poster of the Boonta Eve Classic, the same race Anakin won as a kid in The Phantom Menace. You can even spot Anakin’s podracer front and center in the artwork.