F1
Yes, F1 is a complicated sport to understand, and no, your questions are not stupid. Far from it. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Formula 1.
F1 is one of those rare sports that is both very well known and very mysterious at the same time - even for those who master the main principles.
With that in mind, Red Bull is here to answer 15 not-so-naive questions that you wouldn't dare to ask in the presence of an expert.
Why do F1 cars spark?
Simply because it is great to watch. Kidding aside, the sparks are neither compulsory nor perfectly mastered by the manufacturers. In fact, these sparks are produced by the friction of the protective pads and provide a particularly striking effect during night races. Too bad if some drivers, like Carlos Sainz in 2018, complain about the inconvenience they can cause. The public is king and they love fireworks.
Is F1 really a sport?
Yes. Admittedly, F1 drivers are heavily supported by technology, but don't be fooled into thinking that they don't put their bodies to the test. Subjected to forces sometimes exceeding 5g, the drivers must deal with the weight of a body five times heavier than normal. All in a cabin that can reach 70°C. These athletes – because they are athletes – lose several litres of sweat during each race and burn almost 1000 calories per hour - an effort that is almost worthy of a marathon. Physical preparation and a body that can handle the impact are therefore an absolute necessity to become a successful F1 driver.
How does F1 qualifying work?
To ensure the best possible place on the grid, the drivers go through qualifications divided into three parts. During Q1 everyone is driving, but only the first 15 single-seaters (having achieved less than 107% of the best time) are allowed to continue. In Q2, five new drivers are eliminated and the 10 fastest participate in the Q3 which defines the final grid.
How much fuel does an F1 car consume?
A lot. If a standard car consumes something like six litres per 100 km, an F1 car consumes 45 litres for the same distance. Now factor in that an F1 race is 305km long. Then there are the regulations. For example, teams are not allowed to use more than 100 kg of fuel per hour and 100 kg per race. Fortunately, progress has been made. In the early 2000s, the 10-cylinder engines in single-seaters required up to 80 litres of fuel per 100 km.
Where does the term "pole position" come from?
The term comes from horse riding. Historically, the horses placed next to the piquet ("pole" in English) at the start of a race were favoured due to the reduction in the distance that would be covered. As the expression was born on a racetrack, it was quickly applied to motorsports in the 20th century.
Do the drivers always do the same number of laps?
Not at all. The number of laps varies depending on the circuits, given that a Grand Prix cannot exceed two hours and that the distance must be between 300-310 km. Only the Monaco Grand Prix, at only 260,52 km, is an exception to the rule.
Why are some teams stronger than others?
As with many things, it's a matter of money. Due to the construction of a chassis, the development of an engine and the salary of an exceptional driver, only a few teams are capable of regularly winning championships. This does of course not prevent surprises from happening during the season, due to small technical miracles or mistakes.
Who decides which settings need to be made during a race?
Let's call it teamwork. During the tests, the driver gives feedback to the mechanics, who are then responsible for finding the technical solution to any problems. A precious collaboration, as Pierre Gasly recently said, "it is by going into the smallest detail that we can hope to make the difference with the other drivers, who are at least as talented as you. The last tenth is won by the engineers."
Why are there no female drivers in F1?
There have been female drivers in F1 since all the way back in 1958, when Italy's Maria Teresa de Filippis made her debut. She would be a pioneer for Giovanna Amati, a fellow Italian, in 1992. However, no woman has ever driven for a large team. There are many potential reasons why this could be, ranging from sexism to scientific hypothesis, but there's no reason why drivers like Tatiana Calderon, currently in F2, can't accelerate the process.
It probably hasn’t escaped your mind that F1 cars are extremely fast, and therefore they need impeccable grip. The F1 tyres wear out much faster than when you’re driving down the motorway at 74 mph in a Sedan. In 2005, however, the FIA tried to prohibit teams from changing tyres that weren’t flat, regardless of their level of wear. Result: some drivers, like Fernando Alonso in Monaco, finished the Grand Prix without any grip at all, and the rule was removed from the following season.
Do drivers choose their numbers?
Yes. But these numbers, which they are free to choose, have been permanent since 2014. Each drivers is thus invited to transmit three possible choices (often emotional, the reigning champion is not obliged to wear n ° 1 and can wear His first karting issue) to the FIA, which takes care of the final allocation.
Are F1s really the fastest cars in the world?
Not at all actually. The fastest F1 car in history managed to reach 378 km/h on the Bakou circuit in 2016, and in comparison, a Koenigsegg Agera RS managed to drive at 447.2 km/h on a (closed) road from Nevada in 2017. And that is not the only car that can exceed an F1 car. But because driving on a circuit and in a straight line is not the same thing, F1 remains the absolute reference.
Why do they use a checkered flag?
Most people know what the chequered flag in F1 means. When the flag is vigorously waved, it means that the winner of the race has been found. Its origin, however, is slightly more mysterious. There are several theories around it. Some believe it originates from horse racing. In the United States in the 19th century, horse races ended in large banquets where checkered tablecloths indicated the start of the meal to the jockeys. Others claim that the Damier flag is inspired by the outfits of certain organizers of cycling races in France.
Why is there a constructors championship when not all of them make their own engines?
Certainly, Mercedes, Renault, and Ferrari are the only three brands producing engines for the other F1 teams. And some small satellite teams at times receive single-seaters built by others and ready to use. But the idea is, that each manufacturer must develop its chassis and take care of the aerodynamic development of the car. Which is just as big a task as designing an engine.
How do the mechanics work so fast during the pit stops?
The fastest pit stop in history has been timed at 1.82 seconds (a record broken by Aston Martin Red Bull Racing at Interlagos in 2019). Each tenth account in the race, and the teams leave nothing to chance. From the position of the mechanics in the garage to the choice of tools, everything is studied, analysed and above all repeated and rehearsed. Gemma Fisher, the performance specialist at Williams, goes as far as saying they study "the variability of heart rate, recovery time or the respiratory frequency" of each member of a team. It’s a job that requires impeccable precision when loosening the nuts of one wheel and tightening those of another in 200 milliseconds.
How do the drivers pee in the middle of the race?
In their race suits. Simple as that. But given the number of litres of water lost during each Grand Prix, the bladders of our champions are rarely full. However, a mechanic from Mercedes has once entrusted to Lewis Hamilton - as he himself told Ellen Degeneres in 2016 - that Michael Schumacher cheerfully urged this.
How do you become an F1 driver?
The main gateway to an F1 seat goes through a career in karting. It’s a benefit to have experienced competitions from an early age if you hope to gain access to the elite one day and be spotted by scouts.
Through karting the idea is then to climb the ladder in the lower categories (Formula 3, Formula 2 etc.) and above all to win the Grail: the super license, a specific permit accessible from 18 years old, but only after driving 186 miles in F1 (Fortunately, private tests are there for that.)
How do you get a job with an F1 team?
Well, first of all, you need to figure out what you want to do. From the mechanic to the event manager via the truck driver, an F1 team can employ up to 1,200 people! That said - and it makes sense - most of the positions are directly or indirectly related to engineering. Do not hesitate to apply for internships relevant to the industry and use specific platforms, such as Motorsport Jobs, to find the job of your dreams in the ruthless universe of mechanical sports (but know that you will certainly not start out with F1).
What is the sprint qualifying?
The brand new way, introduced in 2021 for certain races, of determining the final grid for the Grand Prix. To go fast: after classic qualifying on Friday afternoon, the drivers compete on Sunday in a race of 100 short kilometres (a GP is 300) which allows them to position themselves for the race on Sunday. In addition, points are awarded to the first drivers at the finish line (3 for the winner, 2 for the second, 1 for the third.)
Want to know more about the legend of paddocks? Watch the video below where we tell you all about F1:
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