Questions tagged [formula-1]
For questions relating to the class of open-wheeled auto racing known as Formula 1.
102
questions
29
votes
2answers
2k views
In the history of Formula 1, when has the fastest qualifier not started the race on pole?
Lewis Hamilton has a 5 place grid penalty for the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend, due to having to change his gearbox. Harsh, but that's the rule.
He's been on pole for the first two races this ...
29
votes
1answer
25k views
How are the number of laps in an F1 race determined?
The number of laps in a F1 race seem to differ wildly. Obviously the length of each lap varies from circuit to circuit, but how are the number of laps for each race decided?
Additionally, is this ...
21
votes
2answers
6k views
Why does safety car start at the end of the racing grid?
During the start of a Formula 1 race, the safety car is positioned behind the cars, and it starts together with them. Why is that (why does the safety car not wait outside the track like it does for ...
17
votes
2answers
3k views
Why there is no number 13 in Formula 1?
Why is number 13 not used in Formula 1? Is it just superstition? Was the number ever used?
16
votes
1answer
3k views
What's the (official) motivation for requiring cars to have at least one liter of fuel post-race?
I've read in the news about the rule regarding fuel left
Vettel was disqualified from second place after his car was found to have less than the mandatory one litre of fuel required for post-race ...
16
votes
1answer
2k views
How does FIA enforce the Formula 1 testing ban?
Formula 1 has this rule of banning off-season (Apart from the official F1 approved tests at the end of February or the start of March) and in-season testing. This is done mainly to reduce costs to ...
14
votes
2answers
26k views
How does the effectively-free pitstop work during the safety car?
In Formula 1, in the event of a safety car appearing, you often see cars racing to the pits in order to get a pit stop which is effectively free.
How does this circumstance result in the pitstop ...
11
votes
1answer
8k views
Why are Formula 1 tracks usually oriented clockwise?
In other sports, for example track and field athletics, the track is always oriented counter-clockwise.
Why aren't Formula 1 tracks oriented similarly? (Maybe it's just me, but I find it much more ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
Lowest championship finishing position for a defending champion
Which F1 World Drivers Champion has the lowest finishing position in the season following a championship winning year?
Examples:
1981, 1983 and 1987 WDC Nelson Piquet finished 11th in 1982, 5th in ...
10
votes
1answer
243 views
Driver with the longest time between F1 race starts
Robert Kubica, who last drove for Renault in the 2010 season, is now confirmed to be back on the grid for Williams next year, over 8 years since his last Grand Prix start.
Assuming he goes on to ...
10
votes
2answers
2k views
energy efficiency of the 2014 Formula 1 cars?
How much more energy efficient are the new 2014 Formula 1 cars compared to the 2013 cars?
9
votes
2answers
5k views
How can F1 teams be competitive if they produce engines for each other?
There are several aspects I don't understand about teams who build engines for their competitors. Take for example Mercedes AMG who build engines for other teams like Sahara Force India, Williams ...
9
votes
1answer
390 views
Can the official fastest lap of a race be set in the first lap in F1?
Actually there are many reasons that make the cars slower in the first lap of a race.
Cars accelerate from 0 kph
Traffic is at maximum
Tyres are not at ideal temperature (still soft tyres can perform ...
9
votes
2answers
536 views
What does "corrected time" mean in Formula 1?
I was watching an old formula one race (Imola, 1994 to be specific). At some point, Michael Schumacher was behind Gerhard Berger on the track. But the race narrator said that due to this "corrected ...
9
votes
1answer
1k views
Formula 1: KERS and DRS
Over the past couple of seasons, overtaking in Formula 1 has moved from sheer car power and driver skill to also include technology like KERS and DRS.
What exactly are these KERS and DRS?
How does it ...
9
votes
1answer
483 views
Who benefits from FIA fees and fines?
Frequently we see fines being levied in Formula One (for example, for unsafe pit lane releases, a team or driver may receive a fine of several thousand dollars such as Mercedes earlier this year). I ...
8
votes
6answers
290 views
When has the driver who won most races in a season not been champion?
This season could be interesting if Hamilton wins the final race of the season and Rosberg finishes 2nd or 3rd as you would have the unusual situation where the driver with most wins during the season ...
8
votes
2answers
5k views
Were the super-hard tyres ever actually used?
For the 2018 F1 season, Pirelli introduced two new tyre compounds - the hypersoft, and the super-hard. For 2019, the compound system will be simplified so that at each race they'll simply be known as "...
8
votes
3answers
7k views
Safety Car vs Virtual Safety Car
In modern F1, race neutralization via Safety Car is done in two variations, the traditional SC Period, where the Safety Car actually goes out on track and collects the entire field to form a slow-...
8
votes
1answer
3k views
Which Formula One races did Scuderia Ferrari not take part in?
Scuderia Ferrari are the only team to have competed in every season of the Formula One World Championship since its inception in 1950. However, during the 2019 Chinese Grand Prix, the 1000th F1 race, ...
8
votes
2answers
3k views
What is the coldest Formula One race ever held?
With the announcement of three new F1 races in Europe during October and early November, there's been a lot of discussion about the potential for those races to be unusually cold - especially the ...
8
votes
2answers
241 views
When was the last 'clean' race?
When was the last 'clean' Formula 1 race?
A 'clean' race is one in which all cars that made a time in qualifications ended the full race (they did not retire or receive a DNF or DNS).
8
votes
3answers
16k views
Why are curbs used in motorsport?
In many motor sports, there are often curbs placed along the parts of the track where the driving line runs close to the edge of the track. This allows the driver to drift off the track slightly when ...
8
votes
2answers
592 views
When has a driver ever been penalised for deliberately driving into another?
In the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix on 25th June, Sebastien Vettel appeared to deliberately drive into Lewis Hamilton while they were behind the safety car.
Vettel was subsequently given a 10 second ...
8
votes
1answer
348 views
Why did Force India get docked all constructors points?
Prior to the Hungarian Grand Prix, Sahara Force India entered administration and was bought out by the consortium Racing Point UK, renaming themselves Racing Point Force India in the Belgian Grand ...
8
votes
1answer
247 views
Has anyone ever taken pole position without setting any fastest sector times?
During qualifying for the 2018 Mexican Grand Prix, Max Verstappen very nearly took pole position despite not setting the fastest time in any of the three sectors. (Other drivers had gone faster than ...
8
votes
2answers
3k views
How are race stewards selected in F1?
Aside from Charlie Whiting, the FIA Race Director, the race stewards who look at and deliberate on on-track incidents are apparently not the same every weekend.
There have been races where I hear the ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
In F1 classification, what is ON?
I saw that on reddit. On thye official clasisfication for the Grand Prix, the second to last column is 'ON'. Seems to be something relating to laps, but I can't figure out what.
So what is ON in ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Why do F1 drivers move towards the pit wall at the end of the race?
On the last lap, at the start-finish straight, just as they are ending the race, F1 drivers (especially those at the front) move their car off the racing line towards the wall.
I'm guessing that they ...
7
votes
1answer
6k views
Formula One and Indy Cars
What are the main specific differences between F1 and Indy cars. Such as weight limits, engine restrictions, fuel, etc.
7
votes
2answers
2k views
What are scrubbed tyres?
I'm reading Mark Webber's book and in it he says that during the the 2005 Belgian grand prix he was amazed that his team put him on new intermediate tyres instead of scrubbed tyres on a drying track.
...
7
votes
1answer
4k views
What decides where you are in the pitlane, and is there an advantage that could be got depending on where you are in the pit lane?
In F1, the teams currently seem to be stacked where Mercedes/ferrari are early in the pitlane, and Williams is at the end.
How is the order of teams decided for the pitlane, and is a position ...
7
votes
2answers
492 views
F1 Safety Cars & Medical Cars
Why are there two safety cars and two medical cars at every Formula 1 race?
Bernd Mayländer only drives one of them...
7
votes
1answer
259 views
How are driver numbers assigned in F1?
In F1, Drivers have an assigned number. But how are these numbers decided?
Is it
Drivers Choice?
Constructors Choice?
Randomly assigned?
Also, if the number is chosen, who has first pick?
6
votes
2answers
2k views
Why did/do F1 racing teams wear face masks?
I've seen this clip on Youtube here, were the box crew of Ferrari are shown all wearing protective face masks. The clip is from 1998 and I don't know if this is still the case.
I'm wondering why they ...
6
votes
2answers
11k views
With the blue flag rules, how are you meant to unlap yourself?
In F1 (and probably other motorsports) there is the blue flag rule. When a car is about to be lapped, they are shown a blue flag, and must give the lapping car an occasion to pass them at the earliest ...
6
votes
1answer
2k views
Why do F1 drivers move the wheel so much?
When driving other types of car, drivers usually turn the steering wheel smoothly. Sudden jerking movements are generally only needed to recover from mistakes.
In F1 the drivers constantly turn the ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
How is the relegation of pole position driver managed in F1?
If the driver who received the best time in qualifying is relegated to a "lower" grid position (for example for the change of the transmission or of the engine, etc.) what changes about the statistics ...
6
votes
2answers
434 views
Are there official Formula One rules regarding apex disputes, faults in passing and the like?
Is there any official rule book for racing in Formula 1 to determine who's at fault in a racing incident, who has the apex/exit etc? I'm aware there's one describing other things like pit stops, ...
6
votes
1answer
3k views
What made Mercedes faster than all the other F1 teams in 2014?
What did Mercedes do in 2014 to become half a second faster than their closest rivals in each lap? Does it have to do with aerodynamics or the engine? What are the speculations at least? Did they ...
6
votes
1answer
690 views
Why are the practice sessions called "free" in Formula 1?
Free practice is a widely used term in motorsports, but I specifically wonder what "free" means in Formula 1. I've some choices without any reference.
Is it related to drivers, car parts, number of ...
6
votes
1answer
2k views
What are the widest tires to be used in F1?
Along with several aerodynamics and chassis weight regulation changes, the 2017 F1 season introduces wider tires.
2016 Front/Rear tire width: 245mm / 325mm
2017 Front/Rear tire width: 305mm / 405mm (+...
6
votes
1answer
173 views
What constitutes the "engine" in the Formula 1 per-season engine replacement limit?
I'm not necessarily talking about the "engine" vs "power unit" debate with the new energy recovery systems and whatnot, though that is part of the problem. I'm more interested in the realm of the ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
F1: Mandatory tyre compounds
My question is pretty straightforward. FIA tyres and wheels regulation states:
Pirelli nominate two mandatory sets for each car for the race (which can be of different compounds) and one further ...
6
votes
1answer
179 views
Does the new f1 double points rule apply for all places?
From formula1.com:
Double drivers’ and constructors’ points will be awarded at the final
race of the Formula One season - Abu Dhabi for 2014 - in order to
maximise focus on the championship ...
5
votes
1answer
634 views
Why isn't a Formula One track dusted off before a Grand Prix?
A Formula One track has a racing line, the most optimal part of the track, which is clean & has the best grip due to tyre rubber being laid as a result of Practice & Qualifying sessions. The ...
5
votes
1answer
372 views
What is the record for winning a Formula 1 race by leading least number of laps?
What is the record for winning a Formula 1 race by a driver who has lead the least number of laps in that race?
For example: if one driver has been in position 1 for the entire race but on the last ...
5
votes
2answers
732 views
Formula 1 Free practice without a super licence
Formula One drivers must have an FIA Super Licence, but what about (young) drivers who take part only in free practice sessions? Are they allowed to drive without the license?
5
votes
1answer
165 views
How does a Formula 1 team determine the first car/driver?
The following regulation talks about the first car of a team. Since the cars carry driver names and numbers, I didn't think that the teams have to officially determine their first cars.
To help ...
4
votes
2answers
574 views
Does KERS in F1 cars cause sparks?
I'm watching the Abu Dhabi GP and I keep seeing sparks coming out from behind the cars. Maybe it's more clear because it's in the evening and it's dark, but the commentator doesn't say anything ...
