F1 season 2024: The Formula one is recognised as the pinnacle of motorsport worldwide,where 20 cars actively compete for victory on the racetrack. These specialized cars, designed exclusively for racing, stand apart from anything found on the streets.
These racing events are particularly known as “Grand Prix’s” in Formula one, which involves multiple races over a specific period, often held on different tracks around the world. If you’re new to Formula 1 or just want to understand it in a better way, let’s break it down in detail. So,What are the key steps to understanding Formula 1 for newcomers, and what are the most commonly asked questions regarding Grand Prix motor racing?
F1 season 2024: How Does A Grand Prix Weekend Work?
During a standard Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend, each event lasts for three days, typically from Friday to Sunday. On Friday, teams participate in two one-hour practice sessions known as Free Practice Session 1 (FP1) and Free Practice Session 2 (FP2).
On Saturday, teams start Free Practice Session 3 (FP3), which is the final hour-long practice session. This session helps teams identify any issues related to their car or driver setup before the final event.
Qualifying session takes place on Saturday afternoon which is split into three parts: Q1, Q2, and Q3. Each part lasts for a different amount of time, After Q1, the five slowest drivers are out, then five more after Q2, setting positions from 20th to 11th on the grid.
The fastest ten drivers go to Q3 to compete for the top 10 spots, with the quickest one getting pole position for Sunday’s race.
F1 season 2024: What Happens During F1 Grand Prix Race?
In a Formula 1 Grand Prix, organizers determine the race distance to be at least 305 kilometers, based on the number of laps required to cover that distance.
The main event usually lasts for up to two hours, despite of whether it follows the standard format or the F1 Sprint format. Before the race begins, drivers drive certain laps to inspect the track before heading to the grid for the national anthem.
After making final adjustments, they proceed to the formation lap to warm up their tires.
Once every team on the grid is ready, the Race Director starts the race with a sequence of five red lights, indicating the start.
Teams and drivers earn points based on their finishing positions, and an extra point is given for the fastest lap if the driver finishes in the top 10.
How Fast Can Formula 1 Cars Go?
A Formula one car is estimated to reach top speeds of around 230m/ph. In the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas, driving for Mercedes, achieved the highest speed ever recorded in an F1 race, reaching 372.5 kilometers per hour (231.4 miles per hour).
This happened because the Mexico City track is located at a high altitude, which means the air is thinner.
Thinner air makes it easier for cars to go really fast, That’s why the Mexico Grand Prix is famous for having some of the fastest speeds in Formula 1 racing.
Whereas, Monza in Italy, known as the ‘Temple of Speed’, produces the highest average speed over the course of a full lap of any f1 circuit.
Here’s a piece for you to explore: How much does an F1 car cost?
How Much Does A Formula One Car Weigh?
Strict weight limits are applied on car of every formula one team. The minimum weight of a formula 1 car, which is set by FIA in their rulebook is 798kgs (1759 lbs) for the 2024 season.
At first, the limit was 795 kgs, but it went up by 3 kgs because teams had trouble meeting the rules. This happened because tires got heavier and new electronic stuff was needed in the cars.
In 2023, cars were heavier than ever in Formula One history, mostly because they added safety things like the halo, which weighs 7 kilograms.
Why Do F1 Cars Sparks?
F1 cars don’t always spark during a race. It only happens during certain portions of the track.Sparks typically occur on an F1 car when it speeds down a straight section of the track on the DRS zone.This happens because the car reaches high speeds without needing to slow down for turns.
As the car accelerates, the increased speed causes greater downforce to push it down onto the track surface, compressing the car.
This compression leads to “bottoming out,” where the underside of the car makes contact with the track. When this occurs, sparks shoot out from the skid blocks.
What Is A DRS And What Is A DRS Zone?
DRS typically known as the ‘drag reduction system’ in formula one. It is a special feature on a F1 car, that can be activated by the driver to help them go faster on the straight parts of the track.
When the driver activates DRS, a flap on the rear wing of the car opens up, reducing the air drag and allowing the car to go faster. This helps drivers overtake other cars more easily during a race. This feature is used in a particular zone namely DRS zone which is the straight road on the track.
Gaurang is a writer at the SportsOrbit covering articles related to F1,Gaurang was 14 when he cared more about playing football than studying. But when COVID hit and he had to stay home, he discovered Formula 1. It immediately caught his interest. Since then, he’s been really into Formula 1, watching every race and learning all about it. He still loves football, but now he’s also a big fan of Formula 1, especially Lewis Hamilton. Even though he loves racing, he still looks up to Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol.