Formula One Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Formula One, abbreviated to F1 and also known as Grand Prix racing, is the highest class of single-seater (open-wheel) auto racing; it is a worldwide sport, and involves an annual World Drivers Championship and World Constructors Championship. Many regard it as the pinnacle of auto racing; it is the most expensive sport in the world, as average annual team budgets are in the hundreds of millions of US dollars. It is based around a series of races (18 in 2004), known as grands prix, on custom-constructed road courses or closed-off street circuits.The sport has traditionally been centred in Europe, which undoubtedly remains its leading market, but races have also been held in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. New races in Bahrain, Malaysia, and China, one planned in Turkey, and others discussed for Mexico and South Africa, have reinforced the sport's "worldwide" image.
The sport is regulated by the FIA, Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, and is generally promoted and controlled by Bernie Ecclestone.
See Grand Prix motor racing for history before 1950.
Historically, the Formula One series evolved from pre-war European Grand Prix motor racing of the 1920s and 1930s. A number of European racing organizations laid out rules for a World Championship before World War II, but due to the suspension of racing during the war, the drivers championship was not formalized until 1950; a championship for constructors followed in 1958. Non-championship Formula One races were held for many years around the world, but due to rising costs and sinking interest, the last of these ended in the early 1980s.
Giuseppe Farina won the first World Championship event, the 1950 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, and went on to win the first World Championship in his Alfa Romeo, barely beating team-mate Juan Manuel Fangio. Fangio did win the title in 1951; Alberto Ascari won the next two championships in Ferrari cars, but Fangio then won four consecutive championships, 1954 through 1957. Though Stirling Moss was able to compete with him regularly, Fangio is remembered for dominating Formula One's first decade.
The first major technological development, Cooper's introduction of mid-engined cars, also occurred in the 1950s; Jack Brabham, champion in 1959 and 1960, soon proved the new design's superiority, and it quickly and permanently replaced the front-mounted engine model.
The first British World Champion was Mike Hawthorn, who drove a Ferrari to the title in 1958; however, when Colin Chapman entered F1 as a chassis designer and later founder of Lotus, British racing green came to dominate the field for the next decade. Between Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Jack Brabham, Graham Hill, and Denny Hulme, British teams and drivers won twelve world championships between 1962 and 1973.
In 1962, the Lotus team ran the Lotus 25 with an aluminium sheet chassis called a monocoque instead of tubular chassis. It proved to be the next major technological breakthrough since the introduction of rear-engined cars.
In 1968, Lotus introduced sponsorship to the sport in the form of Gold Leaf (an Imperial Tobacco brand) livery painted on their cars. Sponsorship has since become the biggest source of income by far for teams and cigarette manufacturers remain a major financial resource for Formula One.
Aerodynamic downforce had slowly gained importance in car design since the appearance of aerofoils in the late 1960s. In the late 1970s Lotus introduced ground effect aerodynamics that provided enormous downforce and greatly increased cornering speeds; much to Chapman's dismay, they were promptly banned in 1983.
The 1980s was an era of turbocharged-engined cars that developed over 1000 horsepower (750 kW). These cars were and still are the most powerful circuit racing cars of all time, but to reduce speeds, fuel tank capacity and boost pressures were limited before turbochargers were banned in 1989.
In the early 1990s, teams started introducing electronic driver aids such as power steering, traction control, and semi-automatic gearboxes. Some were borrowed from contemporary road cars; some, like active suspension, were primarily developed for the track and later made their way to the showroom. The FIA, due to complaints that technology was determining the outcome of races more than driver skill, banned many such aids in 1994.
Williams were the most successful team during the mid 1990s with Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve driving their Renault powered cars to world championships, although Michael Schumacher did win two championships with Benetton during this period. When Williams lost their Renault engines in 1998, McLaren became the leading team winning a constructors championship whilst driver Mika Hakkinen won two championships.
The early 2000s have been dominated by Michael Schumacher and a resurgent Ferrari, whilst several driver aids returned due in part to rumours that teams were able to evade the restrictions.
Since 1984, three teams have dominated the championships: McLaren, Williams, and Ferrari, who have provided the vehicles for all but two of the World Champions for that period. Due to the vast technological advances of the 1990s, the cost to compete in Formula One has risen exponentially. The increased financial burden, combined with three teams' dominance, has caused less wealthy independent teams to struggle, not only to remain competitive, but also to stay financially stable; financial troubles forced several teams, such as Prost and Arrows, to withdraw from competition during the 1990s.
Modern F1 cars are single-seat, open cockpit, open wheel, racers. They must be constructed by the racing teams themselves and are required to be powered by 3.0-litre, ten-cylinder naturally aspirated engines. Estimates put the best engines at or about 900 bhp at 19,000 rpm. Transmissions are mostly 6 or 7-speed semi-automatic (i.e. the driver must signal a gear change with paddles on the steering wheel); however, the clutch, throttle control, and actual gear change are handled electronically.
The cars rely heavily on aerodynamics, using large front and rear wings to create about twice as much downforce as weight; thus in theory an F1 car could easily drive upside down. They are constructed of ultra lightweight carbon fibre and use a finely tuned blend of fuels which rather closely approximate normal petrol. They use grooved tyres made of highly engineered compounds built for maximum grip and very short lifespan, although a single set of tyres must last for qualifying and the entire race.
A Formula One grand prix event takes an entire weekend, beginning with free practice on Friday. Two qualifying sessions take place on Saturday, during which each driver sets a timed "flying lap" on the empty track. The first session determines the order of qualifying in the second session, which in turn determines each driver's starting position on the grid for the race itself, which takes place on Sunday afternoon. Each team is allotted two entries, and though in the past it was common for slower cars to receive a "DNQ" (did not qualify) designation, teams can no longer risk the cost of showing up without racing; thus all cars who participate in qualifying take part in the race. The teams may not change anything on the car between qualifying and race. The drivers have to qualify with the same tyres, setup and amount of fuel as they start in the race.
The race begins with a warm-up "parade lap," after which the cars assemble on the starting grid in the order they qualified. If a driver stalls before the parade lap, and the rest of the field passes him, then he must start from the back of the grid. As long as he moves off and at least one car is behind him, he can retake his original position.
A light system above the track then signals the start of the race. Races are a little over 300 kilometres (180 miles) long and are limited to two hours. Throughout the race, drivers make one or several pit stops in order to refuel and change tyres.
The FIA awards points to the top eight drivers in each race and their respective teams. The winner of the annual championships are the driver and team with the most points at the end of the season.
See List of Formula One drivers for a list of all drivers who have competed in Formula One.
See List of Formula One World Champions for a complete list of champions.
A distinguishing aspect of Formula One is that the teams themselves build the cars in which they compete, unlike such "spec series" as IRL and NASCAR; consequently the terms "team" and "constructor" are interchangeable. F1's 1950 debut season saw eighteen teams compete, but due to rising costs many dropped out quickly. Ferrari is the only still-active team which competed in 1950, and during the 2004 season only ten teams remained on the grid, each fielding two cars. Although teams rarely disclose information about their budgets, it is estimated that they average in the hundreds of millions of U.S dollars.
The FIA has awarded the Formula One World Drivers Championship annually since 1950 and the Formula One World Constructors Championship annually since 1958. German driver Michael Schumacher holds the record for having won the most Drivers' Championships (seven) and Ferrari holds the record for having won the most Constructors' Championships (fourteen). Jochen Rindt has the distinction of having been the only posthumous World Champion.
Each car is assigned a number. The previous season's World Drivers Champion is given the number 1, with his team mate given the number 2. Numbers are then assigned according to each team's position in the previous season's World Constructors Championship. The number 13 has not been used since 1974, before which it was occasionally assigned at the discretion of individual race organizers.
The number of Grands Prix held in a season has varied over the years. Only seven races comprised the inaugural 1950 season; over the years the calendar has more than doubled in size. Though the number of races stayed at sixteen or seventeen since the 1980s, it peaked at eighteen in 2004.
Six of the original seven races took place in Europe; the only non-European race in 1950 was the Indianapolis 500, which, though meant to attract American drivers, was not a success. Very few American drivers competed in European races and equally few European drivers drove at the Indy 500; consequently a separate US Grand Prix began in 1961, held at Watkins Glen. The F1 championship gradually expanded to other non-European countries as well. Argentina hosted the first South American grand prix in 1953, and Morocco hosted the first African World Championship race in 1958. Asia (Japan, 1976) and Oceania (Australia, 1985) followed as well. The current eighteen races are spread over the continents of Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, and South America.
Traditionally, each nation has hosted a single grand prix that carries the name of the country. If a single country hosts multiple grands prix, they receive different names; for example, Germany, Spain and Britain have at various times held a second race known as the European Grand Prix.
The grands prix, some of which have a history that predates the Formula One World Championship, are not always held on the same circuit every year. The British Grand Prix, for example, though held every year since 1950, alternated between Brands Hatch and Silverstone from 1963 to 1986. The only other race to have been included in every World Championship season is the Italian Grand Prix; it has occurred at Monza, except when it was at Imola in 1980.
See List of Formula One circuits for a list of all circuits used.
Most of the currently used circuits are specially constructed for competition. The only real street circuit is the Circuit de Monaco, used for the Monaco Grand Prix. Some of the other circuits are also completely or partially laid out on public roads, such as those of Spa-Francorchamps or Montréal. The glamour and history of the Monaco GP are important reasons the circuit is still in use, since it does not meet the strict safety requirements imposed on other tracks. World champion Nelson Piquet famously described racing in Monaco as "flying with a helicopter in your living room."
After the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger during the 1994 season, the FIA mandated higher safety standards; modern Formula One circuits feature gravel traps and tyre barriers to reduce risk of injury in crashes.
A typical circuit usually features a stretch of straight road on which the starting grid is situated. The pit lane, where the drivers stop for fuel and tyres during the race, and where the constructors work on the cars before the race, is normally located next to the starting grid. The layout of the rest of the circuit varies widely. Some of the curves on circuits have become well known on their own, such as the high-speed Eau Rouge at Spa-Francorchamps.
Formula One has been called the soap opera of the sports world: the exotic locations, vast quantities of money, and famous faces involved in the "F1 circus" lend the sport an aura of glamour entirely absent from most other world sports. Among the notable names in F1 history:
The 2004 season had Ferrari sweep both drivers and constructors crowns, for the fifth and sixth years in a row, respectively. Michael Schumacher dominated the beginning of the year by winning a record 13 races in the first 14, easily cruising to a record seventh drivers championship. Rubens Barrichello came in a solid second place, winning two of the last four races. Young Briton Jenson Button impressed everyone; though failing to win a grand prix, he placed third in 2004, securing ten podium finishes and one pole position. Along with Japanese Takuma Sato, BAR impressed everyone by moving up to second in the title hunt behind Ferrari. This season also saw a decline in the fortunes of giants McLaren and Williams, and was perhaps the last year for Scot David Coulthard.
Formula One went through a difficult period in the early 2000s. Viewing figures dropped, and fans expressed their loss of interest due to the dominance of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari.
At present, smaller teams suffer from spiralling costs. Safety also remains a key issue. As such, many want to see rule changes to deal with these issues.
Throughout the 2004 season, Formula One Management president Bernie Ecclestone repeatedly voiced his disapproval of the Silverstone Circuit, and suggested that unless its owners, the British Racing Drivers Club, modernise the facilities, the British Grand Prix would not appear on the 2005 schedule. Following failed negotiations with BRDC president Jackie Stewart in October 2004, Ecclestone announced the race's removal from the next season's provisional calendar.
Due to financial difficulty, the future of the French Grand Prix also remains in doubt. However, a Turkish Grand Prix will take place in Istanbul, Turkey for the first time in 2005, and a Mexican Grand Prix has been planned for 2006.
A revised qualifying format will be used in 2005. Two separate sessions will be run - one on Saturday and one on Sunday morning. Each driver will have one lap in each session. The grid will be determined by the aggregate times of the two sessions.
Beginning with the 2006 season, the power of engines will also be decreased. In the long run, the FIA intends to introduce greater restrictions on testing and the introduction of standardised electronic units and tyres.
Despite the gloomy outlook for these small teams, two new teams are intending on entering the 2006 season - Midland F1 and Team Dubai. There has been some speculation that one of these groups or another interested party will buy the Jaguar team, and by some reports it has all but finalized its sale to Red Bull.
This is an Article on Formula One. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Formula One History
and Moss at Monza in 1955]]
Main Article: History of Formula OneThe cars
driving for the Williams team in 2003]]
Main Article: Formula One carsRacing and strategy
team executes a pit stop, refueling Jenson Button's car and changing its tyres at the 2004 French Grand Prix]]
Main Articles: Formula One racing, Formula One regulationsDrivers and constructors
See List of Formula One constructors for a full list of teams.Grands Prix
See List of Formula One Grands Prix for a full list of World Championship events.Circuits
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Main Article: List of Formula One people2004 season
Main Article: 2004 Formula One seasonThe future of Formula One
Main Article: Future of Formula OneRule changes
For 2005, there will be a radical overhaul of the technical regulations. Drivers will only be able to use one set of tyres per race weekend, with pitstops for tyre changes being banned (unless the tyre is damaged). Restrictions will also be placed upon downforce in an attempt to slow the cars down and each engine will have to be used for two consecutive races.Small teams
Due to the Ford Motor Company's decision to pull out of Formula One, the future of three teams hangs in the balance. Jaguar Racing has been put up for sale. Meanwhile, Jordan and Minardi both relied on Ford's Cosworth engines. Jordan are rumoured to be in negotiations for Toyota engines. Minardi, on the other hand, may have to resort to six-year-old European V10s, that originally were badged as Ford Motor Company engines in 1998 for Stewart Grand Prix. However, if one of these teams were to pull out before the beginning of the 2005 season, larger teams would have to enter three cars into each race to make up the numbers, as there must be 20 cars entering each race.References
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