You Can Drive an F1 Car Upside Down!? Here’s Other Unique Facts About Formula One

 

“A lot of people criticize Formula One as an unnecessary risk…. but what would life be like if we only did what is necessary?”- NikiLauda

Formula One, the highest international auto-racing sport is the World’s Most Expensive sport that is held till this day. It was inaugurated in 1950 and since then has had an increasing participation and fan base.

Today, F1 consists of 10 teams competing against each other to win the championship. Each team is represented by 2 drivers and the Grid consists of 20 drivers in total. In case of any incidents where a driver cannot race during the weekend, the reserve driver takes his place.

The race is conducted in a span of 3 days. It normally comprises of a Free Practice Session (FP 1, FP 2) on Friday, a 3^rd Free Practice (FP 3) followed by Qualifying on Saturday and the Final Race on a Sunday.

F1 cars are the fastest racing cars in the world with a speed of 360 km/h which makes it one of the riskiest sports to be conducted. The drivers have highly trained reflexes and go through rigorous training since they are almost in a sleeping position in the car.

It is also considered as one of the fastest developing sports. Since 1950, F1 has had many fatal accidents and each time a lesson is learnt. The safety of the sport increases each year with new improvisations in the car.

This ever-changing sport has many unique facts that the Formula One fans are unaware about. Some of them include the following:

• Besides being the fastest car, the F1 car is designed to function in such a way that it can go from 0-100 mph and back down to 0 in a matter of 4 seconds. The gearbox, battery system and the engines are one of the most efficiently developed machines.

• The Halo, is a safety device that was installed in the car in the 2018 season. After receiving several criticisms for destroying the car’s aesthetic, the Halo has proved to be a blessing to the drivers. It can sustain 5 tonnes of impact which has recently saved Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton from a grievous injury.

• Dehydration is common in F1 and the drivers can lose up to 6 kg’s in each race. A regular race usually lasts for 90 minutes or less which leads to dehydration since the drivers are only allowed to consume a limited amount of water. Besides, when racing at such speed, the gravitational forces play an important role and the driver needs to have a great deal of physical and mental strength to withstand those forces while racing.

• The World’s most expensive sport is called so because the average F1 car costs 7 million dollars. Crashing a car worth 7 million has to be one of the most exorbitant prices that is incurred in the sport. A high-end team spends about 450 million dollars a year to repair the damage of their car.

• During the beginning of F1, there was no championship. Silverstone in England was the first track that held the first ever Grand Prix. The track remains one of the most iconic ones on the F1 calendar till this day. This race included a Thai Prince, a Swiss Baron and a well-known jazz musician.

• An F1 car can be driven upside down in a tunnel. How is this scientifically possible? Well, the aerodynamic forces make it possible for an operation called downforce, which pushes the car on the track. It gives the car a firm grip that is so strong that if a car is driven upside down in a tunnel, it can do so smoothly even if the car weighs twice its weight.

• Although an F1 car comprises of highly modified technology, each engine has a lifespan of about 5 races. The drivers push their cars to the limit and the engine is subjected to intense pressure during each race.

• A rumour was spread that an enthusiastic designer at Tyrell had an urge to make a 12 wheel F1 car and was optimistic that his car would run well in the market. However due to a lack of any sponsorship and to the relief of F1 fans, his plan was not carried out.

• A car would normally require more fuel during a 90 minute race but in 2010, the FIA banned refuelling the car during a race. They were of the opinion that the teams were abusing their resources and it would help in decreasing the dangers during a pit-stop.

The recent Netflix Series, Formula One: Drive to Survive has been essentially profitable for Formula One. There has been an increase in TRP and audience during the race week. The stands are full of passionate fans since the atmosphere of the sport is now changing.

Lewis Hamilton, a 7 time World Champion is fighting to surpass Michael Schumacher’s record while Max Verstappen, a 24 year old is hungry to win his first World Championship. The rivalry between the Mercedes and Red Bull driver has been invigorating since the beginning of the year.

The last few races of the current 2021 season are left as Max Verstappen leads the Driver’s Championship. It has been years since the Formula One sport has had a fierce competition and the increasing presence of the fans is an added bonus to the sport and its drivers.

 

Written by Jerusha Patel