“Formula One” - the car and the race
AFormula One car is a single-seat, open cockpit, open-wheel racing car with substantial front and rear wings, and an engine positioned behind the driver, intended to be used in competition at Formula One racing events.
The regulations governing the cars are unique to the championship. The Formula One regulations specify that cars must be constructed by the racing teams themselves, though the design and manufacture can be outsourced.
They are the fastest regulated road course racing cars in the world, owing to very high cornering speeds achieved through the generation of large amounts of aerodynamic downforce. The cars underwent major changes in 2017, allowing wider front and rear wings, and wider tyres, resulting in cornering forces closing in on 6.5g and top speeds of up to approximately 375 km/h (235 mph).
The hybrid engines are currently limited in performance to a maximum of 15,000 rpm and the cars are very dependent on electronics, although traction control and other driving aids have been banned since 2008, and also on aerodynamics, suspension, and tyres.
The modern-day Formula One cars are constructed from composites of carbon fibre and similar ultralightweight materials. The minimum weight permissible is 733 kg including the driver but not fuel. Cars are weighed with dry-weather tyres fitted.
Prior to the 2014 F1 season, cars often weighed in under this limit and therefore teams added ballast in order to add weight to the car. The advantage of using ballast is that it can be placed anywhere in the car to provide ideal weight distribution. This helps to lower the centre of gravity of the car and improves its stability and allows the team to finetune the weight distribution of the car to suit individual circuits.
The other main concern is the fuel used. It is fairly similar to ordinary petrol, albeit with a far more tightly controlled mix. Formula One fuel can only contain compounds that are found in commercial gasoline, in contrast to alcohol-based fuels used in American open-wheel racing.
Blends are tuned for maximum performance in given weather conditions or different circuits. During the period when teams were limited to a specific volume of fuel during a race, exotic high-density fuel blends were used which were actually more dense than water, since the energy content of a fuel depends on its mass density.
To make sure that the teams and fuel suppliers are not violating the fuel regulations, the FIA requires Elf, Shell, Mobil, Petronas and the other fuel teams to submit a sample of the fuel they are providing for a race. At any time, FIA inspectors can request a sample from the fueling rig to compare the “fingerprint” of what is in the car during the race with what was submitted.
The teams usually abide by this rule, but there have been incidents when teams strayed away from the rule. In 1997, Mika Häkkinen was stripped of his third-place finish at Spa-francorchamps in Belgium after the FIA determined that his fuel was not the correct formula, as well as in 1976, both Mclaren and Penske cars were forced to the rear of the Italian Grand Prix after the octane number of the mixture was found to be too high.
Formula One, the highest class of single-seater auto racing is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’automobile and owned by the Formula One Group. The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the premier forms of racing around the world since its inaugural season in 1950.
The “formula” in the name refers to the set of rules to which all participants’ cars must conform. A Formula One season consists of a series of races, known as Grand Prix (French for “grand prizes” or “great prizes”), which are held worldwide on purpose-built circuits and public roads.
The results of each race are evaluated using a points system to determine two annual World Championships: one for drivers, the other for constructors. Drivers must hold valid Super Licences, the highest class of racing licence issued by the FIA. The races are required to be held on tracks graded “1” (formerly “A”), the highest grade rating issued by the FIA. Most events are held in rural locations on purpose-built tracks, but there are several events held on city streets.
Unlike most racing categories, Formula 1 isn’t just about competition between the drivers. It’s about rivalry between the cars, too. No team can win Formula 1, without discipline, money and attention to detail.
Formula One, the highest class of single-seater auto racing is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’automobile and owned by the Formula One Group. The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the premier forms of racing around the world since its inaugural season in 1950.