So You Want To Get Into Formula One, Eh?

5 Things You Need to Know About the Sport

Fast cars, luxury, fortune, and fame. What an exciting time! With the Montreal GP starting off strong and overall an increase of interest, now is the perfect time to learn about the basics of Formula One. 

So What’s Formula One?

Formula One is a motorsport that dates back to the 1920s and 1930s, but the first non-championship races took place in 1946. The first official race occurred at Silverstone Circuit in the UK on May 13, 1950. Today, this is a race featuring cars that go over 200 mph, that takes place throughout the weekend, finishing off with an exciting Grand Prix.

On to the basics…

F1 is a Mental, Physical, & Team Sport

You may not know this but F1 drivers do a lot of mental and physical training to race their car around the track. They are high-performance athletes, balancing both physical and mental strength. It is also a team sport, consisting of two drivers per team (alongside their backup drivers). The team also consists of engineers and strategists. 

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) on the Track, Image Courtesy of Motosport.com, photo by Alastair Staley

What is DRS?

DRS stands for Drag Reduction System and it is used mainly for the excitement or in this case, overtaking! There are designated parts of each track known as DRS Activation zones, which is often used in practice and qualifying races. A vital tip is you have to be within one second of the car ahead of you to overtake. That’s what makes overtaking and DRS so exciting. DRS can increase a car’s speed by 10-12 km/h (6.2-7.5 mph).

Pit Stops are Key

Ferrari Pit Stop at Spanish GP, Image Courtesy of Scuderia Ferrari on Twitter

Little did you know, pit stops are key. This is an opportunity for cars to have their tires changed appropriately for longer-lasting or better-performance tires. This is key because the team must decide which tire will be ideal for their strategy to get the best pole position possible. 

The Point System

Each Grand Prix win equals 25 points. Since there are no individual winners, but team wins, having a higher team placement will be able to give a better financial standpoint for them to improve their car’s performance. 

F1 Isn’t Just a Race, It’s a Race to Sustainability

The engineers in Formula 1 have built the most efficient hybrid engine and are continuously working towards sustainability within their teams. They are also on track to building cars that run off on 100% sustainable fuels. To read more about their Sustainability Strategy, click here!

Now You’re Off to the Races!

Max Verstappen of Redbull Racing with another win at the Monaco Grand Prix 2023, Image Courtesy of Oracle Red Bull Racing Twitter

Now that you know the basics and some key terms like ‘DRS,’ who are you looking forward to this upcoming race? What future races are you excited for?