A more accurate car analogy would be to take 3 race car drivers trying to improve their lap times around the Nürburgring. You tell two of them they will be gett

A more accurate car analogy would be to take 3 race car drivers trying to improve their lap times around the Nürburgring. You tell two of them they will be getting special tyres that allow them to go faster, but you only actually give special tyres to one of the two. The driver who gets the special tyres improves their performance, while the control driver performs as usual. The placebo effect is when the driver who thinks he has the special tyres improves his time even though he hasn't received any special tyres.