Everything you need to know about formula one racing

Everything you need to know about formula one racing

Formula one racing is one of the most prestigious type of motorsport. It features high tech cars which are built as per a set of rules-formula- racing around the world from Monaco to Malaysia. It is run by FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), an international body that governs motorsport.

Brief History of formula one racing

Formula one racing traces its roots back in late 1930s but the championship were shelved due to the ongoing World War II.

The idea was rekindled later in 1946 when the first races were held and the drivers’ championship launched the following year. The first race championship in the world was held in 1950 in Silverstone after the first formula one races which had taken place a month earlier in Pau.

What is a Grand Prix?

Grand pix, a French word for grand prize, refers to formula one races. Every race is an opportunity for the driver and the constructor to accumulate points towards the championship. The cost of putting on a grand pix is extremely high but nations still struggle to land one due to the prestigious nature of formula one.

Each race is broken down into three categories: practice session, qualifying session and the race itself. The practice sessions are held on Friday and Saturday, the qualifying sessions on Saturday and the race itself on Sunday.

The practice phase has several sessions but each driver only need to participate in one in order to qualify for the race. The qualifying phase determines the order of starting where the driver with the shortest lap time takes the first place which is known as 'pole position'. The qualifying phase has three sessions each lasting 15 minutes.

On the grid

Formula one racing uses standing starts, a type of start where the car are stationary at the start of the race. It is more difficult than rolling start which is used in other series. Racers risk stalling and ultimately destroying their winning chances if not destroying their cars especially when taking the first turn.

After the field is set, the drivers get ready for the green flag. Every race starts with the formation lap after which drivers line up on the grip in their positions.

Pit stops

Pit stops are where the racing cars stop at the pits for either refueling, driver change, new tires, mechanical adjustments, repairs or as a penalty.

The shorter a pit stop is, the better the chances of winning.

The checkered flag

The winner of formula one racing is the one that crosses the finish line first after completing all the laps, averaging 190 miles (305 km) for all races except in Monaco where the distance covered is 161 miles (260 km).

The points awarded to the first 10 drivers count toward the constructor and the driver with the first place driver getting 25 points. The amount reduces to one point for 10th place driver. The constructor and driver with the most points wins the championship

The cars used in formula one racing

Formula one cars are specifically built for racing with bizarre collections of shrieking engines and spoilers.

The -formula- represents a set of rules governing the racing cars’ design. It states that all cars should use a hybrid powertrains with 1.4 liter turbo-charged V6 engine and an ERS (Energy Recovery system) that harvest heat energy from the exhaust and brakes.

The engines should produces about 600 horsepower while the Energy Recover system adds 160hp for short bursts.

As per formula one rules, every constructor should build their own cars. But since there are only four engine manufactures; Renault, Mercedes Benz, Honda and Ferrari, teams are allowed to buy power units from competitors.