Formula 1: The World’s Most Dangerous Sport, Explained
Written by Rajan Das
What is Formula 1?
The top level of single-seater racing and the pinnacle of motorsport is Formula 1. F1 competes on both permanent race tracks and on-road circuits using open-wheel vehicles. Every season, F1 travels to well-known racing hubs like the United Kingdom, Monaco, Italy, and Belgium. More recently, it has also visited new places like Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Azerbaijan.
There are ten teams competing in F1, and each squad has two drivers. With points accrued throughout the season, it is essentially a league table structure.
The FIA, which establishes the laws and regulations, officially recognised the world championship when it was established in 1950. The sport is distinctive because each year, teams create their own distinctive cars in accordance with the FIA’s standards and regulations. They frequently design vehicles with fast cornering speeds. On the straights, F1 cars typically reach maximum speeds of more than 200 mph (320 kph).
The drivers of Formula 1 have been known to risk their lives while competing throughout the sport’s 70-year existence as a dangerous activity. With vehicle modifications to protect the drivers, such as the halo over the cockpit, safety has significantly increased over the past few decades.
The History of Formula 1
With the European Championship of Grand Prix competitions came the birth of Formula One. Although several Grand Prix organisations agreed on a “formula” or series of guidelines prior to World War II, competitions were postponed during the conflict.
The racing organisations decided on Formula One, a fresh set of rules, in 1946. The Turin Grand Prix, contested in Italy the same year, was the first race without a championship. The World Drivers’ Championship was formally established the following year. The race was won by Italian racer Achille Varzi in an Alfa Romeo.
At Silverstone in the United Kingdom, the inaugural world championship event took place in 1950. The first driver to win the World Drivers’ Championship that year was an Italian named Guiseppe Farina in his Alfa Romeo.
Argentinian driver Juan Manuel Fangio, who raced alongside Farina, came close to winning the championship that year. But Fangio fought back strongly to capture the championship in 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957. Michael Schumacher earned his sixth World Driver’s Championship in 2003, breaking his own record of five championship victories set by him 45 years earlier.
1958 saw the debut of the Constructors Championship. Vanwall won the first cup, which was first known as the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, in 1958.
The individual (including any corporate or unincorporated body) who owns the intellectual property for an engine or chassis is said to be the function Object of that engine or chassis, according to the FIA’s Constructors Championship.
Teams in the past have had titles like McLaren-Renault because of this. It meant that while the F1 car’s chassis was constructed by McLaren, Renault provided the motor. Together, the two groups created a car that was appropriate for the drivers and the tracks.
The Constructors’ Championship has only ever been split between five nations over the years. The UK is the most successful nation with 33 titles, followed by Italy (16), Germany (8), Austria (4), and France. (3). The most successful championship to date is Ferrari of Italy, with 16 titles.
The regulations of Formula One were frequently altered. Most of the modifications were made with the intention of reducing danger to the vehicles and the drivers while also making the sport more appealing to spectators. The sizes of the engines, fuel tanks, vehicle widths and lengths, and tyres all changed.
These laws are unimportant to us. To sum up, the adjustments have improved spectator experiences, made the sport more intense, and made participants safer. The vehicles that you are likely most interested in will be the next topic of discussion.
How Many Races Are There in Formula 1?
The Formula 1 calendar is somewhat variable from season to season as new tracks can be added or existing circuits can be removed. Pre-season testing takes place in February, and the season typically consists of between 19 and 22 Grands Prix, lasting from March to November.
The number of races has greatly increased in recent years; just a few decades ago, the season consisted of about 18 or 19 races. The longest season in history took place in 2022 with 22 events spread across 21 nations (the United States will host two GPs). There were 23 Grands Prix at first, but after the annexation of Ukraine, the Russian Grand Prix was postponed.
What is a race weekend?
The Grand Prix weekend usually starts on Friday when drivers get their first taste of a circuit during Practice One, even though the actual race always takes place on a Sunday. They will complete a few more circuits during Practice Two in the afternoon.
The teams have their third and final practise session on Saturday before the qualifying exercise in the afternoon, which determines where they will start the race.
There are three phases of qualifying: Q1, Q2, and Q3. All of the drivers take the track during Q1 in an attempt to post the fastest time during the allotted 20 minutes. While the remaining cars proceed to Q2, the five slowest vehicles are removed.
The drivers will once more attempt to post one of the top 10 quickest marks during Q2, which lasts for 15 minutes. If not, they are disqualified and do not advance to Question 3. Those who advance must commence the race on the same tyres they did in Q2 when they recorded their fastest time.
Since it determines who will start in the lead, also known as pole position, the final session is crucial for those wanting to win the race itself. The last 10 minutes are for drivers to be the fastest.
Drivers have 24 hours following qualification before the actual race starts. Whoever crosses the finish line first after they line up in the order set by qualifying wins.
The goal
Like most motorsports, Formula 1 is fundamentally quite straightforward to comprehend: cars drive quickly, and the first car to cross the finish line wins! The driver and team with the most points at the end of the season are named world champions! Drivers and their teams receive points based on their finishes.
Drivers receive points if they place among the best 10 finishers in the following order:
1st — 25,
2nd — 18,
3rd — 15,
4th — 12,
5th — 8,
7th — 6,
8th — 4,
9th — 2,
10th — 1
11th to 20th — 0
One more point is awarded to the driver who completes the race with the fastest circuit, but only if they place in the top 10.
Regardless of where they were in the race when they retired, drivers who do not complete (DNF) or do not start (DNS) are not awarded any points.
Rules and Regulations for Formula One
Thirty minutes prior to the start of the event, the pit lanes are opened for the formation lap, which serves as the opening lap of a Formula One race. Pit lanes are adjacent to the start/finish line and are located away from the grid.
The drivers are allowed to take as many warm-up drives as they like during this time without actually entering the grid. The drivers must line up on the grid in the order they qualified after the pit lane shuts.
The race starts with the starting lights—10 red lights arranged in 5 pairs columns—after all the cars have taken their places on the grid.
From left to right, each section illuminates sequentially at intervals of one second. After the 5 columns are all lit up, they remain that way for a short while before all of them are turned off at once and the competition starts.
If the start is delayed for any reason, the five red lights turn back on but do not go out; instead, orange lights turn on, and the race is resumed.
The drivers who finish in first, second, and third place at the conclusion of the race are recognised with trophies and are seated on a podium. Additionally, the winning squad receives a constructor’s trophy.
Race Distance and Duration
The race’s length is defined as “the smallest number of complete laps that exceeds 305 kilometres” and must be 305 kilometres long (260 kilometres in the case of the Monaco Grand Prix).
The length of a lap, which varies from track to track, is divided by 305 to determine the number of laps in a competition.
The run cannot last longer than two hours. If the 2-hour time limit is exceeded, the current lap’s conclusion is taken as the conclusion of the event.
FAQs
Q.1- Who is the owner of Formula 1?
Formula 1 is owned by Liberty Media Corporation, an American mass media company. The company acquired the rights to Formula 1 in 2017 for $4.4 billion. Liberty Media is led by chairman John Malone, a billionaire investor who also owns the Atlanta Braves baseball team and SiriusXM satellite radio.
Q.2- What are the Formula 1 earning sources?
These are the main sources of earnings for Formula 1 teams:
Sponsorships: Sponsorships are the most important source of revenue for Formula 1 teams. Teams typically have multiple sponsors, who pay millions of dollars each year for the right to be associated with the team.
Prize money: Prize money is another important source of revenue for Formula 1 teams. Teams are awarded prize money based on their finishing positions in each race, as well as their overall performance in the season.
Commercial activities: such as merchandise sales and TV rights also generate revenue for Formula 1 teams.
The total revenue of a Formula 1 team can vary significantly depending on its performance and the size of its sponsorship deals. However, even the smallest teams typically generate millions of dollars in revenue each year.
Q3- Who are the formula 1 drivers?
Here are a few names of Formula 1 drivers
- Max Verstappen
- Lewis Hamilton
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz Jr.
- George Russell
- Valtteri Bottas
- Sergio Pérez
- Esteban Ocon
- Lando Norris
- Pierre Gasly
These are just a few of the many talented drivers who compete in Formula 1. Each driver has their own unique driving style and personality, and they all bring something special to the sport.
