The Complete Beginners Guide to Formula 1

If you’re new to Formula One and fast cars fascinate you, we will bring you up to speed in this Beginners Guide to Formula 1. Formula One is an entrancing sport and it is quite easy to fall in love
with it. As a beginner, you may feel a little bit like an outsider when other fans are discussing a driver, car, or race. That’s nothing to worry about. In this article, we will give you enough knowledge to
set you on your way to becoming an F1 fan.

Formula One is the fastest motorsport in the world, let us help you to find your feet in the F1 world with equal speed.

Here is our Beginners Guide to Formula 1…

The Beginners Guide to Formula 1: Formula 1 Explained

What is Formula One?

Formula One (F1) is a series of races held at different venues around the world, of the fastest open­wheel, open­cabin, single­seated, four­wheeled autos in the world. There have been a few years
when even six­wheeled cars participated in F1.

The word ‘Formula’, included in the name, refers to a set of rules that the constructors of the car, its mechanics and the drivers have to strictly follow during the tenure that they are members of F1.

When motor racing first began, there were no limitations on the power or the size of the cars. The races became unequal with cars with more power and bigger sizes easily outpacing the smaller cars.
The races also created dangerous situations in which many participants got seriously hurt, some even fatally.

When racing resumed after World War II, the governing body of the sport, the FIA, introduced a set of rules that set limits on the size and the power of the cars. This created an even playing field for
the participants and drivers, while more stress was laid on the efficiency and design of the cars and also the capability of the drivers.

The word ‘One’ comes from the grading FIA issues to the racing tracks, the approved cars and the drivers’ licences. The ‘One’ is also to distinguish F1 from street car racing and also to indicate that it
is the ultimate in formula racing.

Formula One is governed by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) owned by the Formula One Group. The FIA, established on 20 June 1904, is a non­profit organisation and represents
the interest of motoring organisations and motor car users.

The organisation amends, alters and introduces rules to Formula One so as to ensure the safety of the participants in the races, promote fair play, and ensure that the followers and spectators of
Formula One get a good deal.

The History of Formula One

Formula One originated with the European Championship of Grand Prix races. Though the ‘formula’ or a set of rules was agreed to by several Grand Prix organisations before World War II, races
were suspended during the war.

Formula One, a new set of rules, were agreed upon by the racing organisations in 1946. The first non­championship race was the Turin Grand Prix held the same year in Italy. The following year the
World Drivers’ Championship was formalised. Achille Varzi, an Italian driver, won the race in an Alfa Romeo.

The first world championship race was held in 1950 at Silverstone in the United Kingdom. Guiseppe Farina, an Italian driver in his Alfa Romeo, was the first driver to win the World Drivers’
Championship that year.

Juan Manuel Fangio, an Argentinian driver and Farina’s teammate, narrowly missed the championship title in 1950. But Fangio came back strongly to win 1951, ‘54, ‘55, ‘56 and ‘57 championship
titles. His record of 5 championship titles was surpassed 45 years later when Michael Schumacher won his sixth World Driver’s Championship in 2003.

The Constructors Championship was introduced in 1958. Then called the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, the first cup in 1958 was won by Vanwall.

According to FIA, the Constructors Championship, “the constructor of an engine or chassis is the person (including any corporate or unincorporated body) which owns the intellectual rights to such
engine or chassis.”

That is the reason teams have had names such as McLaren­Renault in the past. It meant that while the chassis of the F1 car was built by McLaren, the engine was supplied by Renault. Both parties
worked together to build a car suited to the tracks and their drivers.
Over the years there have been only five countries that have shared the Constructors’ Championship between them. The countries are the UK leading with 33 championships, Italy (16), Germany (8),
Austria (4) and France (3). Ferrari of Italy with 16 championships is the top constructor to date.

Formula One went through many changes in its rules. Most of the changes were aimed at minimising risk to the cars and drivers and increasing the spectator appeal of the sport. There were changes in
engine sizes, car width and lengths, fuel tank sizes and the sizes of the tyres.

Those rules do not concern us. Suffice it to say that spectators are better off for the changes, the sport is more competitive and the participants are safer. We will go on to take a look at the cars which
we are sure you are most interested in.

Formula 1 Cars
Formula One is all about cars and every fan would like to know more about them. They are indeed a fascinating piece of machinery and a lot of effort goes into their construction. That is precisely
why the Constructor’s Championship is awarded at the end of every racing season.

Cars have evolved drastically over almost seventy years of Formula One. Today’s cars are much safer and more manoeuvrable. The dynamics have improved and electronics has crept in substantially
over the years. Because of that, drivers have better control over the cars resulting in better speeds and fewer accidents. However, F1 cars still have open wheels and open cockpits and are single­
seated.

Formula 1 Car Design

Formula One cars are aerodynamically designed to provide the least resistance as they cut through the air. The feature not only helps them attain great speeds but also to consume less fuel as well as to
get a better grip on the tarmac.

Because of their aerodynamic design Formula cars attain a speed greater than that of an airliner at take­off. But the wings and the diffusers of the car produce a negative lift or a downforce that presses
the car down upon the track. Or else, drivers would have little control over the cars as cars would be air­borne over the track because of the airlift.

A formula one car produces 5G of downforce on average. It means that five times the weight of the car is pressing down on the track. This gives the tyres traction and prevents the car from skidding
on bends and sharp corners. The downforce also allows the drivers to take corners and bends at speeds much higher than we could in our road cars.

Formula 1 Engines
Since 2014, all F1 cars have 1.6L, V6 turbocharged engines. To those uninitiated, the number after ‘V’ stands for the number of cylinders on the engine. The number before ‘L’ represents the
displacement volume in litres of all the cylinders of the engine taken together.

F1 cars are required to weigh a minimum of 746kgs without the driver and fuel in them. Constructors, along with the other members of the team including drivers, have to optimise the horsepower,
torque and fuel efficiency to suit their requirements. That is why F1 cars’ engines are fine­tuned for every F1 circuit.

Revolutions per minute or revs as we call it, for F1 car engines are limited to 15000 rpm. F1 cars are capable of speeds of up to 375 (235 mph) kilometres per hour. Juan Pablo Montoya hit a top speed
of 372.6 kph (231.523 mph) during the Italian Grand Prix in 2005 while driving a McLaren­Mercedes car.

Formula 1 Tyres

Tyres play a big part in Formula One races. Pirelli is officially recognised as the tyre supplier by FIA for Formula One. Unlike street car tyres, Formula One car tyres are built to last only between 60
to 120 kilometres (40 to 80 miles).

Because one set of tyres will not last the distance of any F1 race, drivers have to make pit stops to replace tyres so that they can complete the races. Formula One car tyres are rated from C1 to C5 with
C1 the hardest tyres and C5 the softest.

Until the conclusion of the 2021 season F1 used 13­inch tyres, however, from 2022 they moved to 18­inch tyres as part of a raft of new technical regulations designed to make the racing more even.

Formula 1 Teams
Participants in Formula One are not individuals but teams. You may not realise it, but each Formula One team employs hundreds of technicians, engineers and support staff. If you include the
designers and the assembly employees, that number could well exceed one thousand.

There are ten teams enrolled for the 2022 Formula One season with two cars each. According to the rules for the season, a maximum of 26 cars will be allowed to compete. That would mean a
maximum of 13 teams because each team is allowed to field two cars.

A formula One team comprises all the entities that design and produce the car and own the intellectual rights. Therefore if the chassis is designed by one company and the engine is supplied by
another, the two taken together become the participating team. That is the reason you will hear names like Benetton­Ford or Williams­Renault.

Here is the list of F1 teams for 2022, along with their drivers:

1. Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell

2. Red Bull Racing with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
3. Ferrari with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz
4. McLaren with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
5. Alpine F1 Team with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly
6. AlphaTauri with Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries
7. Aston Martin with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
8. Williams with Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant
9. Alfa Romeo Racing with Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou
10. Haas F1 Team with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg

As you can see from the above list, only one entity is listed as a team in each of the ten teams. It means that either the teams are constructing the cars by themselves or the engine and chassis builders
have handed over the intellectual rights to the teams.

Formula 1 Drivers

Formula One drivers are as fit as most athletes in any sport. They have very high stamina and extremely good reflexes. Driving a race is very demanding both physically and mentally. That is why
drivers dedicate a lot of time both during the season and otherwise maintaining their physical health and well­being.

All F1 drivers lose weight at the end of a race. That is because a lot of energy is spent by the drivers in working the brake and throttle pedals and concentrating on the track. Much energy is also spent
when countering the G­force on the bends and sharp corners.

G­force is the force an F1 driver experiences when he accelerates or the car is going around a bend or a corner on the track. F1 drivers will experience a force of 2G when accelerating and up to 6G on
a sharp corner. It means that the drivers are pulled by a force equal to 6 times their weight.

Although a drivers’ body is firmly strapped in his seat, their neck, as well as their legs, are free to move. Keeping legs and neck in position under these high g­forces takes a lot of strength and effort.
That is why F1 drivers assign a high priority to strengthen their neck muscles for high endurance.

Formula 1 Circuits

A Formula One circuit is a loop of a road that is approved by the FIA as a race track fit for F1 racing. A circuit usually starts with a straight stretch and has several turns and corners. Most circuits run
in a clockwise direction. Those few that are anticlockwise give drivers the most trouble because of G­force on their necks in a direction that they are used to.

The average time taken for a race is 2 hours and the average distance of a circuit is 305 km (190 miles). But the distance varies in the length of the track from circuit to circuit as does the difficulty in
negotiating the circuit. One round around a circuit is counted as one lap and races are usually specified as the number of laps of a particular circuit.

For example, Monaco is a slow circuit and the distance of the race is 260 km (161.7) miles. Monaco also has the shortest track length of 3.34 km (2.075 miles). Although the average length of a circuit
For example, Monaco is a slow circuit and the distance of the race is 260 km (161.7) miles. Monaco also has the shortest track length of 3.34 km (2.075 miles). Although the average length of a circuit
is 5 km (3.1 miles), the Spa­Francorchamps circuit, at 7 km (4.352 miles), is considerably longer than the other tracks.

Here is a complete list of every Formula 1 circuit ever used.

Grands Prix
Circuit Type Direction Location Length Grand Prix Years Used Held At
Circuit
Adelaide Street Street 3.780 km Australian
Clockwise Adelaide, Australia 1985–1995 11
Circuit circuit (2.349 mi) Grand Prix
Road 7.618 km Moroccan
Ain­Diab Circuit Clockwise Casablanca, Morocco 1958 1
circuit (4.734 mi) Grand Prix
Aintree Motor Racing Road Aintree, United 4.828 km British
Clockwise 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961–1962 5
Circuit circuit Kingdom (3.000 mi) Grand Prix
Street 5.303 km Australian
Albert Park Circuit Clockwise Melbourne, Australia 1996–2019 24
circuit (3.295 mi) Grand Prix
Algarve International Race 4.692 km Portuguese
Clockwise Portimão, Portugal 0
Circuitdagger circuit (2.915 mi) Grand Prix
Race 4.360 km Portuguese
Autódromo do Estoril Clockwise Cascais, Portugal 1984–1996 13
circuit (2.709 mi) Grand Prix
Autodromo Enzo e Race Anti­ 4.933 km Italian
Imola, Italy 1980–2006 27
Dino Ferraridagger circuit clockwise (3.065 mi) Grand Prix
San Marino
Grand Prix
Emilia
Romagna
Grand Prix
Autódromo Race 4.304 km Mexican
Clockwise Mexico City, Mexico 1963–1970, 1986–1992, 2015–2019 20
Hermanos Rodríguez circuit (2.674 mi) Grand Prix
Autódromo
Race Anti­ 5.031 km Brazilian
Internacional Nelson Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1978, 1981–1989 10
circuit clockwise (3.126 mi) Grand Prix
Piquet
Autódromo José Race Anti­ 4.309 km Brazilian
São Paulo, Brazil 1973–1977, 1979–1980, 1990–2019 37
Carlos Pace circuit clockwise (2.677 mi) Grand Prix
Autódromo Juan y Race Buenos 4.259 km Argentine 1953–1958, 1960, 1972–1975, 1977
Clockwise 20
Oscar Gálvez circuit Aires, Argentina (2.646 mi) Grand Prix –1981, 1995–1998
Autodromo Nazionale Race 5.793 km Italian
Clockwise Monza, Italy 1950–1979, 1981–2019 69
Monzadagger circuit (3.600 mi) Grand Prix
Road Anti­ 8.300 km German
AVUS Berlin, Germany 1959 1
circuit clockwise (5.157 mi) Grand Prix
Bahrain International Race 5.412 km Bahrain
Clockwise Sakhir, Bahrain 2004–2010, 2012–2019 15
Circuitdagger circuit (3.363 mi) Grand Prix
Street Anti­ 6.003 km European
Baku City Circuit Baku, Azerbaijan 2016–2019 4
circuit clockwise (3.730 mi) Grand Prix
Azerbaijan
Grand Prix
West
Race 3.703 km British 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 197
Brands Hatch Clockwise Kingsdown, United 14
circuit (2.301 mi) Grand Prix 4, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982–1986
Kingdom
European
Grand Prix
Buddh International Race 5.141 km Indian
Clockwise Greater Noida, India 2011–2013 3
Circuit circuit (3.194 mi) Grand Prix
Race 4.430 km French
Bugatti Circuit Clockwise Le Mans, France 1967 1
circuit (2.753 mi) Grand Prix
Caesars
Caesars Palace Grand Street Anti­ Las Vegas, United 3.650 km
Palace 1981–1982 2
Prix Circuit circuit clockwise States (2.268 mi)
Grand Prix
Road Saint­Genès­ 8.055 km French
Charade Circuit Clockwise 1965, 1969–1970, 1972 4
circuit Champanelle, France (5.005 mi) Grand Prix
Road 7.208 km Swiss Grand
Circuit Bremgarten Clockwise Bern, Switzerland 1950–1954 5
circuit (4.479 mi) Prix
Circuit de Barcelona­ Race 4.655 km Spanish
Clockwise Montmeló, Spain 1991–2019 29
Catalunyadagger circuit (2.892 mi) Grand Prix
Street 3.337 km Monaco
Circuit de Monaco Clockwise Monte Carlo, Monaco 1950, 1955–2019 66
circuit (2.074 mi) Grand Prix
1950–1956, 1958, 1960–1968, 197
Circuit de Spa­ Race 7.004 km Belgian
Clockwise Stavelot, Belgium 0, 1983, 1985–2002, 2004–2005, 20 52
Francorchampsdagger circuit (4.352 mi) Grand Prix
07–2019
Street 5.440 km Portuguese
Circuito de Monsanto Clockwise Lisbon, Portugal 1959 1
circuit (3.380 mi) Grand Prix
Circuit de Nevers Race 4.411 km French
Clockwise Magny­Cours, France 1991–2008 18
Magny­Cours circuit (2.741 mi) Grand Prix
Circuit Gilles Street 4.361 km Canadian
Clockwise Montreal, Canada 1978–1986, 1988–2008, 2010–2019 40
Villeneuve circuit (2.710 mi) Grand Prix
Circuit Mont­ Race Mont­ 4.265 km Canadian
Clockwise 1968, 1970 2
Tremblant circuit Tremblant, Canada (2.650 mi) Grand Prix
United
Circuit of the Race Anti­ 5.513 km
Austin, United States States Grand 2012–2019 8
Americas circuit clockwise (3.426 mi)
Prix
Race 4.252 km Dutch 1952–1953, 1955, 1958–1971, 1973
Circuit Zandvoort Clockwise Zandvoort, Netherlands 30
circuit (2.642 mi) Grand Prix –1985
1971, 1973, 1975–1976, 1978, 198
Race 5.842 km French
Circuit Paul Ricard Clockwise Le Castellet, France 0, 1982–1983, 1985–1990, 2018–20 16
circuit (3.630 mi) Grand Prix
19
Race Heusden­ 4.262 km Belgian
Circuit Zolder Clockwise 1973, 1975–1982, 1984 10
circuit Zolder, Belgium (2.648 mi) Grand Prix
Street Anti­ 7.775 km Portuguese
Circuito da Boavista Porto, Portugal 1958, 1960 2
circuit clockwise (4.831 mi) Grand Prix
Race Jerez de la 4.428 km Spanish
Circuito de Jerez Clockwise 1986–1990, 1994, 1997 7
circuit Frontera, Spain (2.751 mi) Grand Prix
European
Grand Prix
Race San Sebastián de los 3.404 km Spanish 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976–197
Circuito del Jarama Clockwise 9
circuit Reyes, Spain (2.115 mi) Grand Prix 9, 1981
Dallas Grand Prix Street Anti­ 3.901 km Dallas
Dallas, United States 1984 1
Circuit circuit clockwise (2.424 mi) Grand Prix
 Street Anti­ 4.168 km Detroit
Detroit street circuit Detroit, United States 1982–1988 7
circuit clockwise (2.590 mi) Grand Prix
Race 3.886 km French
Dijon­Prenois Clockwise Prenois, France 1974, 1977, 1979, 1981–1982, 1984 6
circuit (2.415 mi) Grand Prix
Swiss Grand
Prix
Castle
Race 4.020 km European
Donington Park Clockwise Donington, United 1993 1
circuit (2.498 mi) Grand Prix
Kingdom
Race 4.563 km Japanese
Fuji Speedway Clockwise Oyama, Japan 1976–1977, 2007–2008 4
circuit (2.835 mi) Grand Prix
United
Long Beach Street Street Long Beach, United 3.275 km
Clockwise States Grand 1976–1983 8
Circuit circuit States (2.035 mi)
Prix West
Hanoi Street Street Anti­ 5.607 km Vietnamese
Hanoi, Vietnam 0
Circuitdagger circuit clockwise (3.484 mi) Grand Prix
1970, 1977–1984, 1986–2006, 200
Race 4.574 km German
Hockenheimring Clockwise Hockenheim, Germany 8, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018–20 37
circuit (2.842 mi) Grand Prix
19
Race 4.381 km Hungarian
Hungaroringdagger Clockwise Mogyoród, Hungary 1986–2020 35
circuit (2.722 mi) Grand Prix
Indianapolis Motor Race Speedway, United 4.192 km Indianapolis
Clockwise 1950–1960, 2000–2007 19
Speedway circuit States (2.605 mi) 500[a]
United
States Grand
Prix
Race Anti­ 5.338 km Turkish
Istanbul Park Istanbul, Turkey 2005–2011 7
circuit clockwise (3.317 mi) Grand Prix
Korea International Race Anti­ 5.615 km Korean
Yeongam, South Korea 2010–2013 4
Circuit circuit clockwise (3.489 mi) Grand Prix
South
Kyalami Racing Race Anti­ 4.200 km
Midrand, South Africa African 1967–1980, 1982–1985, 1992–1993 20
Circuit circuit clockwise (2.610 mi)
Grand Prix
Marina Bay Street Street Anti­ 5.063 km Singapore
Singapore 2008–2019 12
Circuit circuit clockwise (3.146 mi) Grand Prix
Street Anti­ 3.791 km Spanish
Montjuïc circuit Barcelona, Spain 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975 4
circuit clockwise (2.356 mi) Grand Prix
Mosport International Race 3.957 km Canadian
Clockwise Bowmanville, Canada 1967, 1969, 1971–1974, 1976–1977 8
Raceway circuit (2.459 mi) Grand Prix
Mugello Race Scarperia e San 5.245 km Tuscan
Clockwise 0
Circuitdagger circuit Piero, Italy (3.259 mi) Grand Prix
Race 3.724 km Belgian
Nivelles­Baulers Clockwise Nivelles, Belgium 1972, 1974 2
circuit (2.314 mi) Grand Prix
1951–1954, 1956–1958, 1961–196
Race 5.148 km German
Nürburgringdagger Clockwise Nürburg, Germany 9, 1971–1976, 1984–1985, 1995–20 40
circuit (3.199 mi) Grand Prix
07, 2009, 2011, 2013
European
Grand Prix
Luxembourg
Grand Prix
Eifel Grand
Prix
Street 6.316 km Spanish
Pedralbes Circuit Clockwise Barcelona, Spain 1951, 1954 2
circuit (3.925 mi) Grand Prix
Road 25.800 km Pescara
Pescara Circuit Clockwise Pescara, Italy 1957 1
circuit (16.031 mi) Grand Prix
United
Street Anti­ 3.720 km
Phoenix street circuit Phoenix, United States States Grand 1989–1991 3
circuit clockwise (2.312 mi)
Prix
South
Race East London, South 3.920 km
Prince George Circuit Clockwise African 1962–1963, 1965 3
circuit Africa (2.436 mi)
Grand Prix
Race Spielberg bei 4.318 km Austrian
Red Bull Ringdagger Clockwise 1970–1987, 1997–2003, 2014–2020 33
circuit Knittelfeld, Austria (2.683 mi) Grand Prix
Styrian
Grand Prix
Road 8.302 km French 1950–1951, 1953–1954, 1956, 1958
Reims­Gueux Clockwise Gueux, France 11
circuit (5.159 mi) Grand Prix –1961, 1963, 1966
Riverside United
Race Moreno Valley, United 5.271 km
International Clockwise States Grand 1960 1
circuit States (3.275 mi)
Raceway Prix
Road 6.542 km French
Rouen­Les­Essarts Clockwise Orival, France 1952, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1968 5
circuit (4.065 mi) Grand Prix
Scandinavian Race 4.031 km Swedish
Clockwise Anderstorp, Sweden 1973–1978 6
Raceway circuit (2.505 mi) Grand Prix
United
Sebring International Road 8.356 km
Clockwise Sebring, United States States Grand 1959 1
Raceway circuit (5.192 mi)
Prix
Sepang International Race 5.543 km Malaysian
Clockwise Sepang, Malaysia 1999–2017 19
Circuit circuit (3.444 mi) Grand Prix
Shanghai
Race 5.451 km Chinese
International Clockwise Shanghai, China 2004–2019 16
circuit (3.387 mi) Grand Prix
Circuitdagger
1950–1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 196
Silverstone Race Silverstone, United 5.891 km British 3, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 19
Clockwise 53
Circuitdagger circuit Kingdom (3.660 mi) Grand Prix 75, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1
987–2019
70th
Anniversary
Grand Prix
Sochi Race 5.848 km Russian
Clockwise Sochi, Russia 2014–2019 6
Autodromdagger circuit (3.634 mi) Grand Prix
Part
clockwise
 and part
Race 5.807 km Japanese
Suzuka Circuit anti­ Suzuka, Japan 1987–2006, 2009–2019 31
circuit (3.608 mi) Grand Prix
clockwise
(figure
eight)
Okayama Race 3.703 km Pacific
Clockwise Mimasaka, Japan 1994–1995 2
International Circuit circuit (2.301 mi) Grand Prix
Valencia Street Street 5.419 km European
Clockwise Valencia, Spain 2008–2012 5
Circuit circuit (3.367 mi) Grand Prix
United
Race Watkins Glen, United 5.430 km
Watkins Glen Clockwise States Grand 1961–1980 20
circuit States (3.374 mi)
Prix
Yas Marina Race Anti­ Abu Dhabi, United 5.554 km Abu Dhabi
2009–2019 11
Circuitdagger circuit clockwise Arab Emirates (3.451 mi) Grand Prix
Road 3.186 km Austrian
Zeltweg Airfield Clockwise Zeltweg, Austria 1964 1
circuit (1.980 mi) Grand Prix

Pits and Pit Stops

Pit stops are essential for cars to change tyres and for making repairs, mechanical adjustments, refuelling or as a penalty. Refuelling is not allowed in F1 for now. However, drivers have to make at
least one pit stop to change tyres because F1 tyres are designed to last much less than the distance of one race.

Pits are located at the side of racing lanes and they are assigned in the order of qualifying rankings of the team. A pit may have even up to twenty mechanics who prepare for all eventualities one lap
before the car makes a pit stop.

Drivers make a call on taking a pit stop depending on the state of their tyres and any mechanical repairs or adjustments their car might need. The team leader in the pit will usually remind the driver
that he has to make a pit stop one lap before a pre­scheduled stop. The less the number of pit stops drivers make, the more advantage they get in race times.

Formula 1 Seasons

A season of Formula One consists of a number of Grands Prix conducted over the course of a year. The F1 season usually starts in March and ends in December. There are 23 venues across the world
where the Grands Prix are held.

The 2023 FORMULA 1 calendar will feature 23 races, including a debut race at the new street circuit in Las Vegas.

The Chinese Grand Prix has once again been removed from the calendar due to the covid testing and isolation requirements that would not suit the needs of F1.

At the end of the F1 season, the World Drivers’ Championship and the Constructors’ Championship are awarded to the winners. The drivers’ championship is decided by the cumulative number of
points the driver has accumulated in that season. The constructors’ championship goes to the team with the highest total of the points accumulated by both its drivers during the season.

Slang Terms Used in Formula One

Now that you have got the hang of what F1 is about let us go to some of the slang used in F1. The words listed below are some of the technical jargon used by team staff and commentators. Once you
know them, you will be in a better position to understand what some ‘expert commentators’ are talking about when they say ‘marbles’ and ‘polesitter’.

Backmarker

Trailing drivers are often lapped by the leading drivers. The trailing drivers are referred to as backmarkers just as we refer to back benchers in schools and colleges.

Blistering/Graining

Blistering is when the cold surface of the track causes pieces to blow out of the tyre surface because the inside of the tyre is warmer. Graining is just the opposite. It is a situation when the tyres are
cold and the hotter surface outside causes the rubber chunks to come off and stick to the tyre.

Bottoming Out

When the underside of the car comes in contact with the track, it is referred to as bottoming. It happens because of uneven tracks and in cases of sudden rise or crest. You get a shower of sparks when
a car bottoms out because F1 cars use titanium skid blocks underneath their chassis.

Box

‘Box’ is a reminder to the drivers coming from a controller in the pits that they have a pit stop coming during the lap or in the next lap. The word is derived from the German word ‘Boxenstopp’
which means a pit stop.

Brake Bias

Brake bias is what allows the drivers to adjust the difference between how much the front wheels and the rear wheels brake. Normally, both the front and rear wheels will break equally when the
driver pushes down on the brake pedal. In wet conditions, the driver may want to increase the braking in the rear tyres and reduce it in the front wheels.

Drivers adjust brake biases throughout the course of a race to balance the car depending on the condition of the tyres and the amount of fuel left in the tanks.

Dirty Air/Clean Air

Dirty air is the turbulent air left in the wake of the preceding car. The car coming in the wake of the leading car will experience a drag because of the dirty air. Clean air is the undisturbed air
encountered by a car speeding all on its own. The air flows smoothly around the car’s streamlined surface but leaves dirty air in its wake.

DRS

Drag Reduction System (DRS) is allowed to be used in only marked zones on the track. Turbulent air behind the leading car can lead to a drag on the car following it closely, reducing the downforce.
A flap on the car is then used to reduce the drag and increase the downforce which can help the car in overtaking on a straight.

Falling Off the Cliff

Falling off the cliff describes the situation when the tyre compounds deteriorate unusually rapidly during the race. Ths slows down the car and renders it uncompetitive. Drivers say “ my tyres fell off
the cliff and I had to pit stop early” to describe their predicament.

Flatspot

When a car driver locks his front brakes, the front tyres skid along the surface of the track rather than roll across it. This wears the tyres giving it a prominent flat spot. A flat spot on the tyres results in
unscheduled pit stops spoiling the chances of the driver in the race.

Green Track

A green track is an almost unused track that drivers encounter on the first day of practice. The track has little rubber laid down onto it affording the cars less than optimum traction on the dry.

Lift and Coast

If a driver feels that he is going to run out of fuel before the end of the race, he has to conserve his fuel. The driver then lifts off the throttle and cruises. The driver is said to be ‘lifting and coasting”
into the braking zone at the cost of speed.

Marbles
Tiny pieces of rubber that are shredded off the tyres while cornering are called marbles. They accumulate off the racing line and driving on them can be dangerous as the car loses traction.

Oversteer/Understeer

When a car is cornering and the rear wheels of the car lose grip and step out of line, the driver is said to have oversteered. On the other hand, if the front wheels lose grip and the car takes a shallower
turn than the driver intended, the car has been understeered.

Polesitter

A polesitter is the driver who sets the fastest lap in Q3 of the qualifying sessions. Pole sitters have an advantage if they get away from the pack and hold the lead into the first corner.

Power Unit

The engine of a modern­day F1 car has ‘power units’ rather than just engines as in the olden days. This unit consists of six components. The Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), the Turbo Charger
(TC), the Motor Generator Unit – H (MGU­H), Motor Generator Unit – Kinetic (MGU­K), the Energy Store (ES) and the Control Electronics (CE) taken together is called the Power Unit. These
components combine to give an F1 car just below 1000 bhp of power.

Tankslapper

A driver is said to have got a tankslapper when a sideways movement causes the rear end of the car to step out of line.

Why Should You Attend a Grand Prix?

Each Grand Prix is held over three days, from Friday to Sunday, except in Monaco where the Friday practice sessions are held on a Thursday. The action starts on Fridays and culminates in the
crowning event, the race on Sundays. Between Friday and Sunday, there are practice and qualifying sessions that set the scene for the race on Sunday.

Practice Sessions

Practice sessions usually start on Fridays and last till Saturday mornings. If the races are scheduled to be held at night, the timings of the practice sessions may vary. Practice sessions are for individual
teams and their drivers to familiarise themselves with the track and fine­tune their cars.

During practice sessions, the drivers will try out different types of tyres on the track to find out how long they last. They will also keep a close watch on their fuel consumption with different tyres and
tune their engines accordingly.

Drivers use the practice sessions to get a good feel of the track and the car. They will use this knowledge to get a good position in the qualifying rounds. Watching the practice sessions will let you
identify the different cars and drivers during the race. It also gives you a chance to watch all the behind the scenes activities.

Qualifying Sessions

Qualifying sessions are the most exciting experience you will get on a racing weekend. Generally held on Saturday afternoons, there are three qualifying phases Q1, Q2 and Q3. During qualifying
sessions, drivers will push their machines to the brink in order to get a good position on the grid.

In Q1, or the first qualifying round all the 20 cars (if there are 20 cars participating) will take part. The five cars finishing last will be eliminated from any further qualification sessions. They will take
the grid positions from 16 to 20 depending on their timings in Q1.

The remaining 15 cars will participate in the Q2 session. In this session a further five cars that finish last will be eliminated from the last qualifying session. They will take grid positions according to
their performance in the Q2 session.

Q3 is the last qualifying session and decides the grid position for the remaining 10 cars. In this session, drivers will really work their throttles during this session in a bid to win the pole position. The
pole position is considered a distinct advantage. The polesitter gets an unencumbered track and clean air to take a lead which many times tends to be unassailable.

That is why qualification sessions are considered to be the most exciting time of a racing weekend.

The Race

After the grid is set in qualifying, barring any penalties either for wrongdoing or technical changes to the car, the grid will start how they ended qualifying.

The cars come out early for an installation lap, then grid up, where they are assessed by the team, and the drivers have an anxious wait as the clock ticks down until the race begins. During this time
some will be interviewed, some listen to music, and drivers like the affable Kimi Raikkonen avoid eye contact with anyone as they get into the zone.

After a ‘parade lap’ of the drivers being driven around the track to wave to the crowd, they fire up the cars and complete a warm­up lap behind the safety car.

At the completion of the warm­up lap, the starter waits for the signal, then it’s lights out and away we go!

The first corner is always a nerve­jangling time, more so for team bosses and those of us watching, than it is for the drivers.

After a frantic opening lap, it is then time to settle down and race to the chequered flag.

Things Taking Place During a Racing Weekend

Support Races

Support races feature in most GP weekends. Young drivers who are tomorrow going to take the place of F1 drivers compete in F2 and F3 races. These races can be quite intense and make for good
watching. You never know if you can spot a youngster who might feature in the next year’s FI race.

Pit Lane Walks

If you are just getting familiar with F1 and happen to attend a F1 weekend, try not to miss the pit lane walk experience. A pit lane walk will give you a fair idea of what work goes on behind the
scenes in F1.

You will see drivers and mechanics fine tuning their cars for the race. You may even get a chance to take a selfie with a F1 driver or a mechanic of your favourite team. Pit lane walks are however
high in demand and you will have to buy tickets that include pit lane walks.

Get to Know F1 Better

When you are new to Formula One, it is easy to feel left out and you are left wondering when you will gain some level of expertise in the sport. There are plenty of forums on the internet where you
can greatly enhance your knowledge on F1.

Here is a list of places where you can increase your F1 knowledge quickly.

r/formula1 (Reddit)
r/F1 Technical (Reddit)
Formula 1 Fans (Quora)
Formula 1 Grid Talk Podcast

After reading through this Beginners Guide to Formula 1 you’re now up to speed with the intricacies of the sport, so it’s time to choose your favourite team and driver!

If you enjoyed this guide, please take a moment to share it with your friends, and make sure you tune in to the Formula 1 Grid Talk Podcast to keep up to date.