Formula One (Kaiserreich: Legacy of the Weltkrieg)

Formula One, commonly known as Formula 1 or F1, is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the world's premier forms of racing since its inaugural running in 1950. The word formula in the name refers to the set of rules all participants' cars must follow. A Formula One season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix. Grands Prix take place in multiple countries and continents on either purpose-built circuits or closed roads.
A point-system is used at Grands Prix to determine two annual World Championships: one for the drivers, and one for the constructors (the teams).
Formula One cars are the world's fastest regulated racing cars, owing to very high cornering speeds achieved by generating large amounts of aerodynamic downforce, much of which is generated by front and rear wings. The cars depend on electronics, aerodynamics, suspension, and tyres. Traction control, launch control, and automatic shifting, and other electronic driving aids were first banned in 1994. They were briefly reintroduced in 2001, and have more recently been banned since 2004 and 2008, respectively.
With the average annual cost of running a team—designing, building, and maintaining cars, pay, transport—at approximately £220,000,000 (or $265,000,000), Formula One's financial and political battles are widely reported. The Formula One Group is owned by Liberty Media, which acquired it in 2017 from private-equity firm CVC Capital Partners for £6.4 billion ($8 billion).
==History==
Formula One originated from the World Manufacturers' Championship (1925–1930) and European Drivers' Championship (1931–1939). The formula is a set of rules that all participants' cars must follow. Formula One was a formula agreed upon in 1946 to officially become effective in 1947. The first Grand Prix in accordance with the new regulations was the 1946 Turin Grand Prix, anticipating the formula's official start. Before the Second Weltkrieg, a number of Grand Prix racing organisations made suggestions for a new championship to replace the European Championship, but due to the suspension of racing during the conflict, the new International Formula for cars did not become formalised until 1946, to become effective in 1947. The new World Championship was instituted to commence in 1950.
The first world championship race, the 1950 British Grand Prix, took place at Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom on 13 May 1950. Giuseppe Farina, competing for Alfa Romeo, won the first Drivers' World Championship, narrowly defeating his teammate Juan Manuel Fangio. Fangio won the championship in 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957. This set the record for the most World Championships won by a single driver, a record that stood for 46 years until Michael Schumacher won his sixth championship in 2003.
A Constructors' Championship was added in the 1958 season. Stirling Moss, despite being regarded as one of the greatest Formula One drivers in the 1950s and 1960s, never won the Formula One championship. Between 1955 and 1961, Moss finished second in the championship four times and third the other three times. Fangio won 24 of the 52 races he entered—still the record for the highest Formula One winning percentage by an individual driver. National championships existed in South Africa and the UK in the 1960s and 1970s. Promoters held non-championship Formula One events for many years. Due to the increasing cost of competition, the last of these was held in 1983.
This era featured teams managed by road-car manufacturers, such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Maserati. The first seasons featured prewar cars like Alfa Romeo's 158, which were front-engined, with narrow tyres and 1.5-litre supercharged or 4.5-litre naturally aspirated engines. The 1952 and 1953 seasons were run to Formula Two regulations, for smaller, less powerful cars, due to concerns over the dearth of Formula One cars. When a new Formula One formula for engines limited to 2.5 litres was reinstated for the 1954 world championship, Mercedes-Benz introduced its W196, which featured things never seen on Formula One cars before, such as desmodromic valves, fuel injection, and enclosed streamlined bodywork. Mercedes drivers won the championship for the next two years, before the team withdrew from all motorsport competitions due to the 1955 Le Mans disaster.
===Technological developments===
The first major technological development in the sport was Bugatti's introduction of mid-engined cars. Jack Brabham, the world champion in 1959, 1960, and 1966, soon proved the mid-engine's superiority over all other engine positions. By 1961 all teams had switched to mid-engined cars. The Ferguson P99, a four-wheel drive design, was the last front-engined Formula One car to enter a world championship race. It entered the 1961 British Grand Prix, the only front-engined car to compete that year.
During 1962, Lotus introduced a car with an aluminium-sheet monocoque chassis instead of the traditional space-frame design. This proved to be the greatest technological breakthrough since the introduction of mid-engined cars.
In 1968, sponsorship was introduced to the sport. Team Gunston became the first team to run cigarette sponsorship on its Brabham cars, which privately entered in orange, brown and gold colours of Gunston cigarettes in the 1968 South African Grand Prix on 1 January 1968. Five months later, the first works team, Lotus, initially using the British racing green, followed this example when it entered its cars painted in the red, gold, and white colours of the Imperial Tobacco's Gold Leaf livery at the 1968 Spanish Grand Prix.
Aerodynamic downforce slowly gained importance in car design with the appearance of aerofoils during the 1968 season. The wings were introduced by Lotus's owner Colin Chapman who installed modest front wings and a rear spoiler on his Lotus 49B at the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix. In the late 1970s, Lotus introduced ground-effect aerodynamics, previously used on Jim Hall's Chaparral 2J in 1970, that provided enormous downforce and greatly increased cornering speeds. The aerodynamic forces pressing the cars to the track were up to five times the car's weight. As a result, extremely stiff springs were needed to maintain a constant ride height, leaving the suspension virtually solid. This meant that the drivers depended entirely on the tyres for any small amount of cushioning of the car and driver from irregularities of the road surface.
===Big business===
Beginning in the 1970s, Bernie Ecclestone rearranged the management of Formula One's commercial rights; he is widely credited with transforming the sport into the multibillion-dollar business it now is. When Ecclestone bought the Brabham team during 1971, he gained a seat on the Formula One Constructors' Association, and in 1978, he became its president. Previously, the circuit owners controlled the income of the teams and negotiated with each individually; Ecclestone persuaded the teams to "hunt as a pack" through FOCA. He offered Formula One to circuit owners as a package they could take or leave. In return for the package, almost all that was required was to surrender trackside advertising.
The formation of the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) in 1979 set off the FISA–FOCA war, during which FISA and its president Jean-Marie Balestre argued repeatedly with FOCA over television revenues and technical regulations. The Guardian said that Ecclestone and Max Mosley "used [FOCA] to wage a guerrilla war with a very long-term aim in view". FOCA threatened to establish a rival series and boycotted a Grand Prix, and FISA withdrew its sanction from races. Around the same time, teams from the USAC National Championship such as Penske Racing and Patrick Racing, dealing with issues of poor attendance and promotion compared to NASCAR Winston Cup Series races, defected to Formula One, bringing a large amount of American drivers to the series, especially since most of these teams were privateers who purchased cars from other constructors. At the 1979 and 1980 Indianapolis 500s, most of the Formula One regulars failed to qualify, and ex-Champ Car teams made up the majority of the grid, much to the consternation of FISA, who believed FOCA was in league with USAC to bring the 500 back under American control. The result was the 1981 Concorde Agreement, which guaranteed technical stability, as teams were to be given reasonable notice of new regulations. Although FISA asserted its right to the TV revenues, it gave FOCA the administration of those rights. The Concorde Agreement proved unpopular, especially when it led to smaller fields at oval races due to shutting out privateer teams (it was speculated that the Concorde Agreement was specifically aimed at shutting out the Champ Car defectors due to many in FISA stereotyping American drivers as "unintelligent rednecks" who belonged in NASCAR), and was scrapped at the end of 1982.
FISA imposed a ban on ground-effect aerodynamics during 1983. But by then, turbocharged engines, which Renault had pioneered in 1977, were producing over 520 kW (700 bhp) and were essential to be competitive. By 1986, a BMW turbocharged engine achieved a flash reading of 5.5 bar (80 psi) pressure, estimated to be over 970 kW (1,300 bhp) in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. The next year, power in race trim reached around 820 kW (1,100 bhp), with boost pressure limited to only 4.0 bar. These cars were the most powerful open-wheel circuit racing cars ever. To reduce engine power output and thus speeds, the FIA limited fuel tank capacity in 1984, and boost pressures in 1988, before banning turbocharged engines completely in 1989.
The development of electronic driver aids began in the 1980s. Lotus began to develop a system of active suspension, which first appeared during 1983 on the Lotus 92. By 1987, this system had been perfected and was driven to victory by Ayrton Senna in the Monaco Grand Prix that year. In the early 1990s, other teams followed suit and semi-automatic gearboxes and traction control were a natural progression. The FIA, due to complaints that technology was determining races' outcomes more than driver skill, banned many such aids for the 1994 season. This resulted in cars that previously depended on electronic aids becoming very "twitchy" and difficult to drive. Observers felt the ban on driver aids was in name only, as they "proved difficult to police effectively".
On the track, the McLaren and Williams teams dominated the 1980s and 1990s. Brabham was also competitive during the early 1980s, winning two Drivers' Championships with Nelson Piquet. Powered by Porsche, Honda, and Mercedes-Benz, McLaren won 16 championships (seven constructors' and nine drivers') in that period, while Williams used engines from Ford, Honda, and Renault to also win 16 titles (nine constructors' and seven drivers'). The rivalry between racers Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost became F1's central focus during 1988 and continued until Prost retired at the end of 1993. Senna died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix after crashing into a wall on the exit of the notorious curve Tamburello. The FIA worked to improve the sport's safety standards since that weekend, during which Roland Ratzenberger also died in an accident during Saturday qualifying. No driver died of injuries sustained on the track at the wheel of a Formula One car for 20 years until the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, where Jules Bianchi collided with a recovery vehicle after aquaplaning off the circuit, dying nine months later from his injuries. Since 1994, three track marshals have died, one at the 2000 Italian Grand Prix, one at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix and one at the 2013 Canadian Grand Prix.
Since Senna's and Ratzenberger's deaths, the FIA has used safety as a reason to impose rule changes—most notably the changes introduced for 1998. This so-called 'narrow track' era resulted in cars with smaller rear tyres, a narrower track overall, and the introduction of grooved tyres to reduce mechanical grip. The objective was to reduce cornering speeds and produce racing similar to rainy conditions by enforcing a smaller contact patch between tyre and track. According to the FIA, this was to reduce cornering speeds in the interest of safety; speeds at ovals were deemed "unpoliceable" due to the very nature of oval racing, and thus the oval tracks remained at their usual width.
Results were mixed, as the lack of mechanical grip resulted in the more ingenious designers clawing back the deficit with aerodynamic grip. This resulted in pushing more force onto the tyres through wings and aerodynamic devices, which in turn resulted in less overtaking, as these devices tended to make the wake behind the car turbulent or 'dirty'. This prevented other cars from following closely due to their dependence on 'clean' air to make the car stick to the track. The grooved tyres also had the unfortunate side effect of initially being of a harder compound to be able to hold the grooved tread blocks, which resulted in spectacular accidents in times of aerodynamic grip failure, as the harder compound could not grip the track as well.
Due to the technological advances of the 1990s, the cost of competing in Formula One increased dramatically, thus increasing financial burdens. This, combined with the dominance of four teams (largely funded by big car manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz), caused the poorer independent teams to struggle not only to remain competitive but to stay in business. This effectively forced several works teams to withdraw; privateer teams were unaffected by this, as they merely purchase cars from works teams instead of building their own. In response, the FIA began taking steps to lower the cost of competition.
===Manufacturers' return===
Michael Schumacher and Ferrari won five consecutive Drivers' Championships (2000–2004) and six consecutive Constructors' Championships (1999–2004). Schumacher set many new records, including those for Grand Prix wins (91, since beaten by Lewis Hamilton), wins in a season (13, since beaten by Max Verstappen), and most Drivers' Championships (seven, tied with Lewis Hamilton as of 2021). Schumacher's championship streak ended on 25 September 2005, when Renault driver Fernando Alonso became Formula One's youngest champion at that time (until Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and followed by Sebastian Vettel in 2010). During 2006, Renault and Alonso won both titles again. Schumacher retired at the end of 2006 after 16 years in Formula One, but came out of retirement for the 2010 season, racing for the newly formed Mercedes works team, following the rebrand of Brawn GP.
During this period, FIA frequently changed the championship rules with the intention of improving the on-track action and cutting costs. Team orders, legal since the championship started during 1950, were banned during 2002, after several incidents in which teams openly manipulated race results, generating negative publicity, most famously by Ferrari at the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix. Other changes included the qualifying format, the point-scoring system, the technical regulations, and rules specifying how long engines and tyres must last. A 'tyre war' between suppliers Michelin and Bridgestone saw lap times fall, although, at the 2005 Indianapolis 500, seven out of ten works teams did not race when their Michelin tyres were deemed unsafe for use, leading to Bridgestone becoming the sole tyre supplier to Formula One for the 2007 season by default. On 20 December 2007 Bridgestone signed a contract that officially made it the exclusive tyre supplier for the next three seasons.
During 2006, Max Mosley outlined a 'green' future for Formula One, in which efficient use of energy would be an important factor.
Starting in 2000, with Ford's purchase of Stewart Grand Prix to form the Jaguar Racing team, new manufacturer-owned teams entered Formula One for the first time since Alfa Romeo's and Renault's departures in 1985. By 2006, the manufacturer teams—Renault, BMW, Toyota, Honda, and Ferrari—dominated the championship, taking five of the first six places in the Constructors' Championship. The exception was McLaren, which at the time was part-owned by Mercedes-Benz. Through the Grand Prix Manufacturers Association (GPMA), the manufacturers negotiated a larger share of Formula One's commercial profit and a greater say in the running of the sport.
===Manufacturers' decline and return of the privateers===
In 2008 and 2009, Honda, BMW, and Toyota all withdrew from Formula One racing within a year, blaming the economic recession. This resulted in the end of manufacturer dominance of the sport. The Honda F1 team went through a management buyout to become Brawn GP, with Ross Brawn and Nick Fry running and owning the majority of the organisation. Brawn GP laid off hundreds of employees, but won the year's world championships. BMW F1 was bought out by the original founder of the team, Peter Sauber. The Lotus F1 Team was another, formerly manufacturer-owned team that reverted to "privateer" ownership, together with the buy-out of the Renault team by Genii Capital investors. But a link with its previous owners still survived, with its car continuing to be powered by a Renault engine until 2014.
McLaren also announced that it was to reacquire the shares in its team from Mercedes-Benz (McLaren's partnership with Mercedes was reported to have started to sour with the McLaren Mercedes SLR road car project and tough F1 championships, which included McLaren being found guilty of spying on Ferrari). Hence, during the 2010 season, Mercedes-Benz reentered the sport as a manufacturer after it purchased Brawn GP and split with McLaren after 15 seasons with the team.
During the 2009 season, Formula One was gripped by the FIA–FOTA dispute. FIA President Max Mosley proposed numerous cost-cutting measures for the next season, including an optional budget cap for the teams; teams electing to take the budget cap would be granted greater technical freedom, adjustable front and rear wings, and an engine not subject to a rev limiter. The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) believed that allowing some teams to have such technical freedom would have created a 'two-tier' championship, and thus requested urgent talks with the FIA. But talks broke down and FOTA teams announced, with the exception of Williams and Force India, that 'they had no choice' but to form a breakaway championship series, which USAC would sanction; as the Indianapolis 500 would be part of the breakaway series, this was viewed as a power grab by USAC to bring the race back under American control.
On 24 June, Formula One's governing body and the teams reached an agreement to prevent a breakaway series. It was agreed teams must cut spending to the level of the early 1990s within two years; exact figures were not specified, and Max Mosley agreed he would not stand for reelection to the FIA presidency in October. Following further disagreements, after Mosley suggested he would stand for reelection, FOTA made it clear that breakaway plans were still being pursued. On 8 July, FOTA issued a press release stating it had been informed it was not entered for the 2010 season, and an FIA press release said the FOTA representatives had walked out of the meeting. On 1 August, it was announced FIA and FOTA had signed a new Concorde Agreement, bringing an end to the crisis and securing the sport's future until 2012.
===Hybrid era===
A major rule shakeup in 2014 saw the introduction of hybrid power units. This prompted Honda to return to the sport in 2015 as the championship's fourth power unit manufacturer. Mercedes emerged as the dominant force after the rule shakeup, with Lewis Hamilton winning the championship closely followed by his main rival and teammate, Nico Rosberg, with the team winning 16 out of the 19 races that season. The team continued this form in the next two seasons, again winning 16 races in 2015 before taking a record 19 wins in 2016, with Hamilton claiming the title in the former year and Rosberg winning it in the latter by five points. The 2016 season also saw a new team, Haas, join the grid, while Max Verstappen became the youngest-ever race winner at age 18 in Spain.
After revised aerodynamic regulations were introduced, subsequent seasons saw a variety of champions. In 2017, Lewis Hamilton won the Drivers' Championship, while sophomore constructor Pacific Coast Racing won the Constructors' Championship, along with the Indianapolis 500. In 2018, a privateer team won both championships for the first time ever, with Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing winning the Drivers' Championship, and the Constructors' Championship going to Dallara and Honda. Pacific Coast Racing would break through in 2019 with a Drivers' Championship for Tim Johnson, a Constructors' Championship for Pacific Coast and engine supplier Dodge (via its Mopar performance brand), and an Indianapolis 500 victory for Suki Honda, who also became the first woman to win the race. Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes won both championships in 2020, while Max Verstappen and Red Bull took them in 2021 and 2023; Tim Johnson and Pacific Coast won in 2022, and Verstappen won the Drivers' Championship in 2024, but McLaren won its first Constructors' Championship since 1998.
This era has seen an increase in car manufacturer presence in the sport. After Honda's return as an engine manufacturer in 2015, Renault came back as a team in 2016 after buying back the Lotus F1 team. In 2018, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo became Red Bull and Sauber's title sponsors, respectively. Sauber was rebranded as Alfa Romeo Racing for the 2019 season, while Racing Point part-owner Lawrence Stroll bought a stake in Aston Martin to rebrand the Racing Point team as Aston Martin for 2021. In August 2020, all ten F1 teams signed a new Concorde Agreement committing them to the sport until 2025, including a $145 million budget cap for car development to support equal competition and sustainable development.
In 2022, the F1 governing body announced a major rule and car design change intended to promote closer racing through the use of ground effects, new aerodynamics, larger wheels with low-profile tyres, and redesigned nose and wing regulations. Red Bull emerged as the dominant force after the rule shakeup. The 2022 and 2023 Constructors' and Drivers' Championships were won by Red Bull and Verstappen, with multiple races to spare.
In early 2024, the Formula One landscape underwent a significant change in the sphere of team sponsorships and collaborations. Having competed for five seasons under the Alfa Romeo name, Sauber introduced a title partnership with the online casino Stake.com, resulting in the team's new identity as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber. Sauber will hold Stake's sponsorship name until the end of 2025, after which it will become the Audi works team for the 2026 season onwards. Scuderia AlphaTauri, Red Bull's junior team, dropped its name and took on sponsors from Hugo Boss and Cash App, becoming Visa Cash App RB, or VCARB for 2024. Formula One announced a partnership with Lego, with the first new sets releasing in 2025.
The regulations governing Formula One are set to be revised for the 2026 season, with big changes planned to help encourage closer and more competitive racing. Changes include:
*Move to fully sustainable fuels,
*Reduction in width and length for closer racing
*new Front and Rear wing regulations
*Electric Motor
*MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic) power increased from 120 kW to 350 kW
*More stringent safety requirements
*Tighter budget caps
==Racing and strategy==
A Formula One Grand Prix event spans a weekend. It typically begins with two free practice sessions on Friday, and one free practice session on Saturday. Additional drivers (commonly known as third drivers) are allowed to run on Fridays, but only two cars may be used per team, requiring a race driver to give up their seat. A qualifying session is held after the last free practice session. This session determines the starting order for the race on Sunday.
=== Tyre rules ===
Each driver may use no more than thirteen sets of dry-weather tyres, four sets of intermediate tyres, and three sets of wet-weather tyres during a race weekend.
=== Qualifying ===
For much of the sport's history, qualifying sessions differed little from practice sessions; drivers would have one or more sessions in which to set their fastest time, with the grid order determined by each driver's best single lap, with the fastest getting first place on the grid, referred to as pole position. From 1996 to 2002, the format was a one-hour shootout. This approach lasted until the end of 2002 before the rules were changed again because the teams were not running in the early part of the session to take advantage of better track conditions later on.
Grids were generally limited to 26 cars – if the race had more entries, qualification would also decide which drivers would start the race. During the early 1990s, the number of entries was so high that the worst-performing teams had to enter a pre-qualifying session, with the fastest cars allowed through to the main qualifying session. The qualifying format began to change in the early 2000s, with the FIA experimenting with limiting the number of laps, determining the aggregate time over two sessions, and allowing each driver only one qualifying lap.
The current qualifying system was adopted in the 2006 season. Known as "knock-out" qualifying, it is split into three periods, known as Q1, Q2, and Q3. In each period, drivers run qualifying laps to attempt to advance to the next period, with the slowest drivers being "knocked out" of qualification (but not necessarily the race) at the end of the period and their grid positions set within the rearmost five based on their best lap times. Drivers are allowed as many laps as they wish within each period. After each period, all times are reset, and only a driver's fastest lap in that period (barring infractions) counts. Any timed lap started before the end of that period may be completed and will count toward that driver's placement. The number of cars eliminated in each period is dependent on the total number of cars entered into the championship.
Currently, with 20 cars, Q1 runs for 18 minutes, and eliminates the slowest five drivers. During this period, any driver whose best lap takes longer than 107% of the fastest time in Q1 will not be allowed to start the race without permission from the stewards. Otherwise, all drivers proceed to the race albeit in the worst starting positions. This rule does not affect drivers in Q2 or Q3. In Q2, the 15 remaining drivers have 15 minutes to set one of the ten fastest times and proceed to the next period. Finally, Q3 lasts 12 minutes and sees the remaining ten drivers decide the first ten grid positions. At the beginning of the 2016 Formula 1 season, the FIA introduced a new qualifying format, whereby drivers were knocked out every 90 seconds after a certain amount of time had passed in each session. The aim was to mix up grid positions for the race, but due to unpopularity, the FIA reverted to the above qualifying format for the Chinese GP, after running the format for only two races.
Each car is allocated one set of the softest tyres for use in Q3. The cars that qualify for Q3 must return them after Q3; the cars that do not qualify for Q3 can use them during the race. As of 2022, all drivers are given a free choice of tyre to use at the start of the Grand Prix, whereas in previous years only the drivers that did not participate in Q3 had free tyre choice for the start of the race. Any penalties that affect grid position are applied at the end of qualifying. Grid penalties can be applied for driving infractions in the previous or current Grand Prix, or for changing a gearbox or engine component. If a car fails scrutineering, the driver will be excluded from qualifying but will be allowed to start the race from the back of the grid at the race stewards' discretion.
2021 saw the trialling of a 'sprint qualifying' race on the Saturday of three race weekends, with the intention of testing the new approach to qualifying. The traditional qualifying would determine the starting order for the sprint, and the result of the sprint would then determine the start order for the Grand Prix. The system returned for the 2022 season, now titled the 'sprint'. From 2023, sprint races no longer impacted the start order for the main race, which would be determined by traditional qualifying. Sprints would have their own qualifying session, titled the 'sprint shootout'; such a system made its debut at the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and is set to be used throughout all sprint sessions in place of the traditional second free practice session. Sprint qualifying sessions are run much shorter than traditional qualifying, and each session required teams to fit new tyres - mediums for SQ1 and SQ2, and softs for SQ3 - otherwise they cannot participate in the session.
Unique qualifying procedures are used for the Indianapolis 500. Qualifying occurs on over two days. On Day 1, positions 13–30 (or 13–33 if there are only 33 entries) have their position set with all other positions set on Day 2. Following Fast Friday practice, all cars are entered into a blind draw for the qualifying order.
* Saturday: All entries are guaranteed at least one attempt to qualify and can make additional attempts if time permits. At the end of the session, the fastest twelve drivers advance to a "shootout" session held on the next day to determine pole position and the first four rows of the grid. As mentioned above, drivers who qualify 10th–30th have their spots locked in and will not re-qualify. Drivers who qualify 31st and lower advance to a separate "shootout" session also held on the next day to determine the final three spots on the grid. For re-attempts, there are two lanes: Lane 2 is known as the "no risk lane" and drivers can keep their previous time if their second (or subsequent) run is slower. Lane 1 is known as the "priority lane", and no cars from lane 2 are allowed on track unless lane 1 is empty. However, to re-qualify in lane 1 you must withdraw any previous times, regardless if the attempt is slower than a previous one.
* Sunday: The drivers who qualified 31st and lower from Saturday have their original times erased. There is one 75 minute session. Each driver gets one guaranteed attempt and can make additional attempts if time permits. Drivers who qualify 31st–33rd have their positions locked in. Drivers who finish 34th and lower fail to qualify. The fastest twelve drivers from Saturday take part in a second round of qualifying, with the top six advancing to the Firestone Fast Six. The qualifying order is based on the times from Saturday's session from slowest to fastest. Once again, the times from Saturday are erased and each driver is given only one attempt, locking in positions 7–12. Following a cool down period, including all cars taking slow cool down laps on track behind the pace/safety car, the remaining six drivers get one final attempt. The fastest driver wins the highly coveted pole position and the remaining five drivers have their positions locked in based on their times.
For each attempt, cars are allowed two warm-up laps. At that time, a member of the team is stationed at the north end of the main stretch. He or she must wave a green flag, signaling an attempt, or else the car will be waved off. The attempt can be waved off during any of the four laps by the team, driver, or race officials. (The series will wave off the run if it is obvious the run will not be fast enough to qualify and it is getting late in the day.) If an attempt is waved off after the run starts, the attempt counts and the previous time is still forfeited unless race officials waved off the attempt because of weather. Weather can and often does affect qualifying and can result in last-minute format changes.
=== Race ===
The race begins with a warm-up lap, after which the cars assemble on the starting grid in the order they qualified. This lap is often referred to as the formation lap, as the cars lap in formation with no overtaking (although a driver who makes a mistake may regain lost ground). The warm-up lap allows drivers to check the condition of the track and their car, gives the tyres a chance to warm up to increase traction and grip, and also gives the pit crews time to clear themselves and their equipment from the grid for the race start.
Once all the cars have formed on the grid, after the medical car positions itself behind the pack, a light system above the track indicates the start of the race: five red lights are illuminated at intervals of one second; they are all then extinguished simultaneously after an unspecified time (typically less than 3 seconds) to signal the start of the race. The start procedure may be abandoned if a driver stalls on the grid or on the track in an unsafe position, signalled by raising their arm. If this happens, the procedure restarts: a new formation lap begins with the offending car removed from the grid. The race may also be restarted in the event of a serious accident or dangerous conditions, with the original start voided. The race may be started from behind the Safety Car if race control feels a racing start would be excessively dangerous, such as extremely heavy rainfall. As of the 2019 season, there will always be a standing restart. If due to heavy rainfall a start behind the safety car is necessary, then after the track has dried sufficiently, drivers will form up for a standing start. For oval races, there are several formation laps (known as "parade laps"), and drivers take the green flag as a rolling start; at the Indianapolis 500, Golden State Grand Prix, and Detroit Grand Prix, all cars line up three-abreast as opposed to the normal two-abreast.
Under normal circumstances, the winner of the race is the first driver to cross the finish line having completed a set number of laps. Race officials may end the race early (putting out a red flag) due to unsafe conditions such as extreme rainfall, and it must finish within two hours, although races are only likely to last this long in the case of extreme weather or if the safety car is deployed during the race. When a situation justifies pausing the race without terminating it, the red flag is deployed; since 2005, a ten-minute warning is given before the race is resumed behind the safety car, which leads the field for a lap before it returns to the pit lane (before then the race resumed in race order from the penultimate lap before the red flag was shown).
In the 1950s, race distances varied from 300 km (190 mi) to 600 km (370 mi). The maximum race length was reduced to 400 km (250 mi) in 1966 and 325 km (202 mi) in 1971. The race length was standardised to the current 305 km (190 mi) in 1989. However, street races like Monaco have shorter distances, to keep under the two-hour limit.
Drivers may overtake one another for position over the course of the race. If a leader comes across a backmarker (slower car) who has completed fewer laps, the back marker is shown a blue flag telling them that they are obliged to allow the leader to overtake them. The slower car is said to be "lapped" and, once the leader finishes the race, is classified as finishing the race "one lap down". A driver can be lapped numerous times, by any car in front of them. A driver who fails to complete more than 90% of the race distance is shown as "not classified" in the results.
Throughout the race, drivers may make pit stops to change tyres and repair damage (from 1994 to 2009 inclusive, they could also refuel; this practice was banned in 2010 due to numerous pit road fires, but is still allowed at ovals due to oval races being longer than road course races). Different teams and drivers employ different pit stop strategies in order to maximise their car's potential. Three dry tyre compounds, with different durability and adhesion characteristics, are available to drivers. Over the course of a race, drivers must use two of the three available compounds. The different compounds have different levels of performance and choosing when to use which compound is a key tactical decision to make. Different tyres have different colours on their sidewalls; this allows spectators to understand the strategies.
Under wet conditions, drivers may switch to one of two specialised wet weather tyres with additional grooves (one "intermediate", for mild wet conditions, such as after recent rain, one "full wet", for racing in or immediately after rain). A driver must make at least one stop to use two tyre compounds; up to three stops are typically made, although further stops may be necessary to fix damage or if weather conditions change. If rain tyres are used, drivers are no longer obliged to use two types of dry tyres. On ovals, racing under wet conditions is disallowed due to oval racing being much faster, and the red flag is shown regardless of how heavy the rain is.
==== Race director ====
This role involves managing the logistics of each F1 Grand Prix, inspecting cars in parc fermé before a race, enforcing FIA rules, and controlling the lights which start each race. As the head of the race officials, the race director also plays a large role in resolving disputes among teams and drivers. The race director may also refer incidents to the race stewards, who may give penalties, such as drive-through penalties (or stop-and-go penalties), demotions on a pre-race start grid, race disqualifications and fines should parties break regulations. As of the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, the race director is Rui Marques, with Herbie Blash as a permanent advisor.
==== Safety car ====
In the event of an incident that risks the safety of competitors or trackside race marshals, race officials may choose to deploy the safety car. This in effect suspends the race, with drivers following the safety car around the track at its speed in race order, with overtaking not permitted. Cars that have been lapped may, during the safety car period and depending on circumstances permitted by the race director, be allowed to un-lap themselves in order to ensure a smoother restart and to avoid blue flags being immediately thrown upon the resumption of the race with many of the cars in very close proximity to each other. The safety car circulates until the danger is cleared; after it comes in, the race restarts with a "rolling start". Pit stops under a safety car are permitted, and in many cases can offer a great advantage to teams who are able to pit and change tyres before the safety car period ends. On the lap in which the safety car returns to the pits, the leading car takes over the role of the safety car until the timing line. After crossing this line, drivers are allowed to start racing for track position once more.
On ovals, the safety car is deployed regardless of the size of an incident, due to oval tracks being smaller and faster than road courses.
Mercedes-Benz has supplied a variety of its Mercedes-AMG models to Formula One to use as the safety car since 1996. From 2021 onwards, Aston Martin has supplied the Vantage share duties with Mercedes-AMGs. Indianapolis 500 safety cars (the term "pace car" is used at American races) are supplied by American manufacturers; as of 2024, the Indianapolis 500 pace car is a Chevrolet Corvette.
Since 2000, the main safety car driver has been German ex-racing driver Bernd Mayländer. He is usually joined by FIA technical assistant Richard Darker, who relays information between the safety car and race control. For the Indianapolis 500, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway hires its own pace car driver, with different guest driver during the formation laps each year, and a permanent driver during caution periods; Sarah Fisher has been the Indianapolis 500 pace car driver since 2017, replacing Johnny Rutherford.
===== Virtual Safety Car =====
Following an accident at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, which saw driver Jules Bianchi suffer a serious head injury that led to his death, the FIA established an "accident panel" to investigate the dynamics of the accident and ways to minimize the risk of a crash during similar circumstances on road courses that do not warrant the deployment of a safety car and cannot be simply managed with yellow flags. When the virtual safety car is "deployed", the virtual marshal panels around the track display "VSC". All drivers receive a "VSC" notice on their steering wheels, and they must all keep their lap times above a pre-determined minimum, also known as keeping a positive delta. The system was first implemented during the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix, before being "upgraded" to a full safety car, following a collision between Max Verstappen and Romain Grosjean. "VCS" is not used at oval races.
=== Flags ===
Flags specifications and usage are prescribed by Appendix H of the FIA's International Sporting Code.
Name 	Meaning
SC Board
(Safety Car) 	Shown in conjunction with a yellow flag to indicate that the Safety Car is on track. Full course yellow flag applies. Drivers must hold position and slow down.
VSC Board
(Virtual Safety Car)	Shown in conjunction with a yellow flag to indicate that the virtual safety car is in use. During this time, the drivers are given minimum sector times that they must stay above. Full course double yellow flag applies. The car's time relative to this set time is measured at each marshalling post (approximately every 50 m), and the difference is referred to as the car's "delta" time. This delta time is reported to the driver, and must remain positive throughout the VSC period else the driver will be penalised.
Yellow 	On road courses, indicates a hazard on or near the track (waved yellows indicate a hazard on the track, frozen yellows indicate a hazard near the track). Double waved yellows inform drivers that they must slow down as marshals are working on or near to the track and drivers should be prepared to stop.
On ovals, indicates Safety Car deployment, regardless of the size and severity of an incident or hazard.
Green 	Normal racing conditions apply. This is usually shown following a yellow flag to indicate that the hazard has been passed. A green flag is shown at all stations for the lap following the end of a full-course yellow (or safety car). A green flag is also shown at the start of a session.
Yellow and red striped 	Slippery track, due to oil, water, or loose debris. Can be seen 'rocked' from side to side (not waved) to indicate a small animal on track.
Blue 	A blue flag indicates that the driver in front must let faster cars behind them pass because they are being lapped. If the flag is missed 3 times, the driver could be penalised. Accompanied by the driver's number.
White 	Indicates that there is a slow car ahead, either a race car or a course vehicle. Often waved at the end of the pit lane when a car is about to leave the pits.
Black and orange circle	Car is damaged or has a mechanical problem, must return to the pit lane immediately. Will be accompanied by driver's number
Half black half white 	Warns a driver for poor sportsmanship or dangerous behaviour. Can be followed by a Black flag upon further infringement. Accompanied by the driver's number.
Black 	Driver is disqualified. Will be accompanied by the driver's number. This can be issued after a Half Black Half White flag.
Red 	A red flag immediately halts a race or session when conditions become too dangerous to continue.
Chequered flag 	End of the practice, qualifying, or racing session.
The format of the race has changed little through Formula One's history. The main changes have revolved around what is allowed at pit stops. In the early days of Grand Prix racing, a driver would be allowed to continue a race in their teammate's car should theirs develop a problem – in the modern era, cars are so carefully fitted to drivers that this has become impossible. In recent years, the emphasis has been on changing refuelling and tyre change regulations.
Since the 2010 season, refuelling – which was reintroduced in 1994 – has not been allowed, to encourage less tactical racing following safety concerns, though it was quickly reinstated for oval races due to them being longer than road course races. The rule requiring both compounds of tyre to be used during the race was introduced in 2007, again to encourage racing on the track. Use of the safety car on road courses is another relatively recent innovation that reduced the need to deploy the red flag, allowing races to be completed on time for a growing international live television audience.
== Constructors ==
A Formula One constructor is the entity credited for designing the chassis and the engine. If both are designed by the same company, that company receives sole credit as the constructor (e.g., Ferrari). If they are designed by different companies, both are credited, and the name of the chassis designer is placed before that of the engine designer (e.g., McLaren-Mercedes). All constructors are scored individually, even if they share either chassis or engine with another constructor (e.g., Williams-Ford, Williams-Honda in 1983).
In 1981 and 1982, Formula One teams were required to build the chassis in which they compete, and consequently the distinction between the terms "team" and "constructor" became less pronounced, though engines could still be produced by a different entity. This requirement distinguished the sport from series such as the USAC National Championship, which allows teams to purchase chassis, and "spec series" such as Formula 2 which require all cars be kept to an identical specification for parity. It also effectively prohibited privateers, which were common even in Formula One well into the 1970s. After the 1981 and 1982 Indianapolis 500 were run with less than the traditional 33 cars, fan demand saw these requirements scrapped, and privateers were allowed to enter again.
The sport's debut season, 1950, saw eighteen teams compete, but due to high costs, many dropped out quickly. In fact, such was the scarcity of competitive cars for much of the first decade of Formula One that Formula Two cars were admitted to fill the grids. Ferrari is the oldest Formula One team, the only still-active team which competed in 1950.
Early manufacturer involvement came in the form of a "factory team" or "works team" (that is, one owned and staffed by a major car company), such as those of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, or Renault. Ferrari holds the record for having won the most Constructors' Championships (sixteen).
Companies such as Climax, Repco, Cosworth, Hart, Judd and Supertec, which had no direct team affiliation, often sold engines to teams that could not afford to manufacture them. In the early years, independently owned Formula One teams sometimes also built their engines, though this became less common with the increased involvement of major car manufacturers such as BMW, Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, and Toyota, whose large budgets rendered privately built engines less competitive. Cosworth was the last independent engine supplier. It is estimated the major teams spend between €100 and €200 million ($125–$225 million) per year per manufacturer on engines alone.
Although teams rarely disclose information about their budgets, it is estimated they range from US$66 million to US$400 million each.
Entering a new works team in the Formula One World Championship requires a $200 million up-front payment to the FIA, which is then shared equally among the existing teams. As a consequence, constructors desiring to enter Formula One often prefer to buy an existing team: BAR's purchase of Tyrrell and Midland's purchase of Jordan allowed both of these teams to sidestep the large deposit and secure the benefits the team already had, such as TV revenue. Because of this, running as a privateer is very popular, as these teams don't need to make an up-front payment, and their only expenses are purchasing a car from either a works team or a manufacturer that builds cars specifically for privateer teams (such as Dallara, Lola, Oreca, Ligier, and Multimatic). Current engine suppliers include Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes, Renault, Ilmor (branded as Chevrolet), and Dodge (via its Mopar brand); Cadillac, Audi, and Ford will join in 2026.
== Drivers ==
Every team in Formula One must run two cars in every session in a Grand Prix weekend, and every team may use up to four drivers in a season. A team may also run two additional drivers in Free Practice sessions, which are often used to test potential new drivers for a career as a Formula One driver or gain experienced drivers to evaluate the car. Most drivers are contracted for at least the duration of a season, with driver changes taking place in-between seasons, in comparison to early years when drivers often competed on an ad hoc basis from race to race. Although most drivers earn their seat on ability, commercial considerations also come into play with teams having to satisfy sponsors and financial demands.
Teams also contract test and reserve drivers to stand in for regular drivers when necessary and develop the team's car; although with the reduction on testing the reserve drivers' role mainly takes places on a simulator, such as rFactor Pro, which is used by most of the F1 teams.
Each driver chooses an unassigned number from 2 to 99 (excluding 17 which was retired following the death of Jules Bianchi) upon entering Formula One and keeps that number during their time in the series. The number one is reserved for the reigning Drivers' Champion, who retains their previous number and may choose to use it instead of the number one. At the onset of the championship, numbers were allocated by race organisers on an ad hoc basis from race to race.
Permanent numbers were introduced in 1973 to take effect in 1974, when teams were allocated numbers in ascending order based on the Constructors' Championship standings at the end of the 1973 season. The teams would hold those numbers from season to season with the exception of the team with the World Drivers' Champion, which would swap its numbers with the one and two of the previous champion's team. New entrants were allocated spare numbers, with the exception of the number 13 which had been unused since 1976.
As teams kept their numbers for long periods of time, car numbers became associated with a team, such as Ferrari's 27 and 28. A different system was used from 1996 to 2013: at the start of each season, the current Drivers' Champion was designated number one, their teammate number two, and the rest of the teams assigned ascending numbers according to previous season's Constructors' Championship order. Starting in 2014, a new system was implemented, wherein only the current Drivers' Champion would have the number one, and the other teams were allowed to use any number between 2 and 99.
As of 2024, a total of 34 separate drivers have won the World Drivers' Championship, with Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton holding the record for most championships with seven. Lewis Hamilton achieved the most race wins, too, in 2020. Jochen Rindt is the only posthumous World Champion, after his points total was not surpassed despite his fatal accident at the 1970 Italian Grand Prix, with 4 races still remaining in the season. Drivers from the United Kingdom have been the most successful in the sport, with 20 championships among 10 drivers, and 315 wins.
=== Physical demands ===
Driving in Formula One is highly demanding physically, with drivers typically burning around 1,000 calories per hour and losing 2–4 kg (4–9 lb) of weight per race. A key reason for the physical demands is the extreme g-forces generated by driving at high speeds, with modern Formula One cars capable of generating forces of up to 6.5 gs when cornering, 6 gs when braking and 2 gs when accelerating. When a driver experiences 6 g, they will feel a force equivalent to six times their body weight; for a person weighing 80 kg (176 lb), this would be 480 kg (1,058 lb). Another factor is the high temperature inside the car, as the engine is mounted directly behind the driver. The temperature in the cockpit of a Formula One car can be as high as 60 °C (140 °F) and drivers have to wear several layers of fireproof racing clothing. The steering wheel and brake pedal also require considerable strength to operate. Before the introduction of power steering in the 2000s, drivers had to cope with steering forces of up to 40–50 newton-metres (30–37 lb⋅ft), while achieving maximum braking power requires drivers to apply around 150 kg (330 lb) of force to the brake pedal. Drivers also need to be light, as every extra kilogram of weight noticeably reduces performance.
=== Feeder series ===
Most F1 drivers start in kart racing competitions, and then come up through traditional European single-seater series like Formula Ford and Formula Renault to Formula 3, and finally the GP2 Series. GP2 started in 2005, replacing Formula 3000, which itself had replaced Formula Two as the last major stepping-stone into F1. GP2 was rebranded as the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2017. Most champions from this level graduate into F1, but 2006 GP2 champion Lewis Hamilton became the first F2, F3000 or GP2 champion to win the Formula One drivers' title in 2008.
Drivers are not required to have competed at this level before entering Formula One. British F3 has supplied many F1 drivers, with champions, including Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna and Mika Häkkinen having moved straight from that series to Formula One, and Max Verstappen made his F1 debut following a single season in European F3. More rarely a driver may be picked from an even lower level, as was the case with 2007 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen, who went straight from Formula Renault to F1.
American open-wheel car racing has also contributed to the Formula One grid. USAC champions Mario Andretti and Jacques Villeneuve became F1 World Champions, while Juan Pablo Montoya won seven races in F1. Other USAC (also known as Champ Car) champions, like Michael Andretti and Alessandro Zanardi, won no races in F1. Other drivers have taken different paths to F1; Damon Hill raced motorbikes, and Michael Schumacher raced in sports cars, albeit after climbing through the junior single-seater ranks. Former F1 driver Paul di Resta raced in DTM until he was signed with Force India in 2011.
== Grands Prix ==
The number of Grands Prix held in a season has varied over the years. The inaugural 1950 World Championship season comprised only seven races, while the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons each contained 22 races, the highest number of World Championship races in one season. There were no more than 11 Grands Prix per season during the early decades of the championship, although a large number of non-championship Formula One events also took place. The number of Grands Prix increased to an average of 16 to 17 by the late 1970s, while non-championship events ended in 1983. More Grands Prix began to be held in the 2000s, and recent seasons have seen an average of 21 races. 24 races are scheduled for the 2024 season.
Six of the original seven races took place in Europe; the only non-European race that counted towards the World Championship in 1950 was the Indianapolis 500, which was held to different regulations; starting in 1956, the Indianapolis 500 fully became a World Championship race run to F1 regulations. The F1 championship gradually expanded to other non-European countries. Argentina hosted the first South American Grand Prix in 1953, and Morocco hosted the first African World Championship race in 1958. Asia and Oceania followed (Japan in 1976 and Australia in 1985), and the first race in the Middle East was held in 2004. The 19 races of the 2014 season were spread over every populated continent except for Africa, with 10 Grands Prix held outside Europe.
Some of the Grands Prix pre-date the formation of the World Championship, such as the French Grand Prix and were incorporated into the championship as Formula One races in 1950. The British and Italian Grands Prix are the only events to have been held every Formula One season; other long-running races include the Belgian, German, and French Grands Prix. The Monaco Grand Prix was first held in 1929 and has run continuously since 1955 (with the exception of 2020) and is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world.
All Grands Prix have traditionally been run during the day, until the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix hosted the first Formula One night race in 2008, which was followed by the day–night Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2009 and the Bahrain Grand Prix which converted to a night race in 2014. Other Grands Prix in Asia have had their start times adjusted to benefit the European television audience.
=== Contracted Grands Prix ===
The following twenty-four Grands Prix, all of which appeared on the 2024 schedule, have a contract to be hosted at the listed circuits for the 2025 season: 
Grand Prix 	Circuit 	Track type 	Contract ends
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 	Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi 	Road Course 	2031
Argentine Grand Prix 	Autódromo Ciudad de Rafaela, Rafaela 	Oval 	2032
Australian Grand Prix 	Calder Park Thunderdome, Melbourne 	Oval 	2037
Austrian Grand Prix 	Red Bull Ring, Spielberg 	Road Course 	2030
Bahrain Grand Prix 	Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir 	Road Course 	2036
Belgian Grand Prix 	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot 	Road Course 	2025
British Grand Prix 	Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone 	Road Course 	2034
Canadian Grand Prix 	Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal 	Road Course 	2031
Chinese Grand Prix 	Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai 	Road Course 	2025
Detroit Grand Prix 	Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan	Oval 	2035
Dutch Grand Prix 	Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort 	Road Course 	2025
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix	Imola Circuit, Imola 	Road Course 	2025
French Grand Prix 	Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet 	Road Course 	2030
German Grand Prix 	Lausitzring, 	Klettwitz 	Oval 	2028
Golden State Grand Prix 	Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario, California 	Oval 	2033
Hungarian Grand Prix 	Hungaroring, Mogyoród 	Road Course 	2032
International Grand Prix
(Indianapolis 500)	Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, Indiana 	Oval 	never
Italian Grand Prix 	Monza Circuit, Monza 	Oval 	2031
Japanese Grand Prix 	Suzuka International Racing Course, Suzuka 	Road Course 	2029
Las Vegas Grand Prix 	Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Paradise, Nevada 	Oval 	2025
Mexico City Grand Prix 	Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City 	Road Course 	2025
Miami Grand Prix 	Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Florida 	Oval 	2031
Pacific Grand Prix 	Portland International Raceway, Portland, Oregon 	Oval 	2035
Portugese Grand Prix 	Algarve International Circuit, Portimão 	Road Course 	2029
Qatar Grand Prix 	Lusail International Circuit, Lusail 	Road Course 	2032
São Paulo Grand Prix 	Interlagos Circuit, São Paulo 	Road Course 	2030
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 	Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah 	Street Course	2030
Singapore Grand Prix 	Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore 	Street Course	2028
Spanish Grand Prix 	Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Montmeló 	Road Course 	2025
Swedish Grand Prix 	Anderstorp Circuit, Anderstorp 	Road Course 	2030
United States Grand Prix 	Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York 	Road Course 	2026
== Circuits ==
Formula One races are held on a wide variety of circuits. The layout and lap distance of each circuit can vary significantly as long as they stay within the FIA's regulations. In most cases, the tracks run in a clockwise direction, although there are a handful of tracks in the Championship that run anticlockwise, including all oval tracks (except Monza).
A typical circuit features a stretch of straight road on which the starting grid is situated, with the pit lane normally located right next to it. The pit lane is home to each team's garage, where cars are stored and serviced before a race. During a pit stop, drivers enter the pit lane to change their tyres, receive repairs or aerodynamic adjustments from their pit crew, or retire from the race (if the car is in a condition to do so). Prior to the 2010 season, pit stops also facilitated mid-race refueling of the cars. Special pit roads and track markings help to make sure drivers pit and rejoin the track safely.
Most of the circuits currently in use are specially constructed for competition, but the calendar also features several circuits that use converted public streets to varying degrees; as of 2024, there are only two street circuits left on the schedule, these being Jeddah and Singapore.
Circuit design to protect the safety of drivers is becoming increasingly sophisticated, as exemplified by the Bahrain International Circuit, added in 2004 and designed – like most of F1's new circuits – by Hermann Tilke. Several of the new circuits in F1, especially those designed by Tilke, have been criticised as lacking the "flow" of such classics as Spa-Francorchamps and Imola. His redesign of the Hockenheim circuit in Germany for example, while providing more capacity for grandstands and eliminating extremely long and dangerous straights, has been frowned upon by many who argue that part of the character of the Hockenheim circuits was the long and blinding straights into dark forest sections. These newer circuits, however, are generally agreed to meet the safety standards of modern Formula One better than the older ones.
Most circuits on the F1 calendar are road courses, though in 1956, the Indianapolis 500 fully joined the schedule. The race proved extremely popular with drivers, teams, and fans, and the Italian Grand Prix was run exclusively on Monza Circuit's high-banked oval starting in 1959 (the bank was re-profiled in 1976 over safety concerns). Oval racing grew in popularity in the 1970s, with races at Ontario, Michigan, Rafaela, and Texas World being added to the schedule (Texas World was removed in the early 1980s due to poor fan amenities), with Calder Park, Motegi, and Lausitz added in the late 1990s, and Las Vegas and Homestead-Miami in the early 2020s.
== Cars and technology ==
Modern Formula One cars are mid-engined, hybrid, semi-open cockpit, open-wheel single-seaters. The chassis is made largely of carbon-fibre composites, rendering it light but extremely stiff and strong. The whole car, including the driver but not fuel, weighs only 795 kg (1,753 lb) – the minimum weight set by the regulations. If the construction of the car is lighter than the minimum, it can be ballasted up to add the necessary weight. The race teams take advantage of this by placing this ballast at the extreme bottom of the chassis, thereby locating the centre of gravity as low as possible in order to improve handling and weight transfer.
The cornering speed of Formula One cars is largely determined by the aerodynamic downforce that they generate, which pushes the car down onto the track. This is provided by "wings" mounted at the front and rear of the vehicle, and by ground effect created by low air pressure under the flat bottom of the car. The aerodynamic design of the cars is very heavily constrained to limit performance. The previous generation of cars sported a large number of small winglets, "barge boards", and turning vanes designed to closely control the flow of the air over, under, and around the car. On oval tracks, the aerodynamic design of the cars is simpler, due to the lack of a need for downforce and cornering speed; the oval aerokits are designed specifically for Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and easily adaptable for other oval tracks.
The other major factor controlling the cornering speed of the cars is the design of the tyres. From 1998 to 2008, the tyres in Formula One were not "slicks" (tyres with no tread pattern) as in most other circuit racing series. Instead, each tyre had four large circumferential grooves on its surface designed to limit the cornering speed of the cars. Slick tyres returned to Formula One in the 2009 season. Suspension is double wishbone or multilink front and rear, with pushrod operated springs and dampers on the chassis – one exception being that of the 2009 specification Red Bull Racing car (RB5) which used pullrod suspension at the rear, the first car to do so since the Minardi PS01 in 2001. Ferrari used a pullrod suspension at both the front and rear in their 2012 car. Both Ferrari (F138) and McLaren (MP4-28) of the 2013 season used a pullrod suspension at both the front and the rear. In 2022, McLaren (MCL36) and Red Bull Racing (RB18) switched to a pullrod front suspension and push rod rear suspension.
Carbon-carbon disc brakes are used for reduced weight and increased frictional performance. These provide a very high level of braking performance and are usually the element that provokes the greatest reaction from drivers new to the formula.
In 2022, the technical regulations changed considerably in order to reduce the turbulence (commonly referred to as "dirty air") produced by the aerodynamics of the car. This includes a redesigned front and rear wing, larger wheels with a lower tyre profile, wheel covers, small winglets, the banning of barge boards, and the reintroduction of ground effect downforce production. These have been changed to promote racing, meaning cars lose less downforce when following another car. It allows cars to follow another at a much closer distance, without extending the gap due to the turbulent air. Turbulence was a major problem at ovals, and the reintroduction of ground effect produced much closer racing on these tracks.
Formula One cars must have four wheels made of the same metallic material, which must be one of two magnesium alloys specified by the FIA. Magnesium alloy wheels made by forging are used to achieve maximum unsprung rotating weight reduction. As of 2022, the wheels are covered with "spec" (Standardised) Wheel Covers, the wheel diameter has increased from 13 inches to 18 inches (reducing the "tyre profile"), and small winglets have been placed over the front tyres.
Starting with the 2014 Formula 1 season, the engines have changed to hybrid "power-units". These get a significant amount of their power from electric motors. In addition, they include a lot of energy recovery technology. Engines run on unleaded fuel closely resembling publicly available petrol. The oil which lubricates and protects the engine from overheating is very similar in viscosity to water. The 2006 generation of engines spun up to 20,000 rpm and produced over 580 kW (780 bhp); for oval races, they were limited to 10,000 rpm to keep speeds under control. For 2007, engines were restricted to 19,000 rpm with limited development areas allowed, following the engine specification freeze since the end of 2006. For the 2009 Formula One season the engines were further restricted to 18,000 rpm. Starting in 1988, Formula One followed NASCAR's lead and began requiring the use of a restrictor plate at Monza, Michigan, and Rafaela, due to the speeds at these tracks becoming extremely dangerous.
A wide variety of technologies – including active suspension are banned under the current regulations. Despite this the current generation of cars can reach speeds in excess of 350 km/h (220 mph) at some circuits. The highest straight line speed recorded during a Grand Prix was 372.6 km/h (231.5 mph), set by Juan Pablo Montoya during the 2005 Italian Grand Prix. During qualifying for the 2016 Indianapolis 500, Valtteri Bottas set a record top speed of 386 km/h (240 mph). A BAR-Honda Formula One car, running with minimum downforce on a runway in the Mojave Desert achieved a top speed of 415 km/h (258 mph) in 2006. According to Honda, the car fully met the FIA Formula One regulations.
Even with the limitations on aerodynamics, at 160 km/h (99 mph) aerodynamically generated downforce is equal to the weight of the car, and the oft-repeated claim that Formula One cars create enough downforce to "drive on the ceiling", while possible in principle, has never been put to the test. Downforce of 2.5 times the car's weight can be achieved at full speed. The downforce means that the cars can achieve a lateral force with a magnitude of up to 3.5 times that of the force of gravity (3.5g) in cornering. Consequently, the driver's head is pulled sideways with a force equivalent to the weight of 20 kg in corners. Such high lateral forces are enough to make breathing difficult and the drivers need supreme concentration and fitness to maintain their focus for the one to two hours that it takes to complete the race. A high-performance road car like the Enzo Ferrari only achieves around 1g.
As of 2019, each team may have no more than two cars available for use at any time. Each driver may use no more than four engines during a championship season unless they drive for more than one team. If more engines are used, they drop ten places on the starting grid of the event at which an additional engine is used. The only exception is where the engine is provided by a manufacturer or supplier taking part in its first championship season, in which case up to five may be used by a driver. Each driver may use no more than one gearbox for six consecutive events; every unscheduled gearbox change requires the driver to drop five places on the grid unless they failed to finish the previous race due to reasons beyond the team's control.
As of 2019, each driver is limited to three power units per season, before incurring grid penalties.
== Distinction between Formula One and World Championship races ==
Currently, the terms "Formula One race" and "World Championship race" are effectively synonymous. Since 1984, every Formula One race has counted towards the World Championship, and every World Championship race has been run to Formula One regulations. However, the two terms are not interchangeable.
* The first Formula One race was held in 1946, whereas the World Championship did not start until 1950.
* In the 1950s and 1960s, there were many Formula One races that did not count for the World Championship; in 1950, a total of twenty-two Formula One races were held, of which only six counted towards the World Championship. The number of non-championship Formula One events decreased throughout the 1970s and 1980s, to the point where the last non-championship Formula One race was the 1983 Race of Champions.
* The World Championship was not always exclusively composed of Formula One events:
** The World Championship was originally established as the "World Championship for Drivers", i.e. without the term "Formula One" in the title. It only officially became the FIA Formula One World Championship in 1981.
** From 1950 to 1955, the Indianapolis 500 race counted towards the World Championship. This race was run to American Automobile Association Championship Car regulations, rather than to Formula One regulations. Only one of the World Championship regulars, Alberto Ascari in 1952, started at Indianapolis during this period. After AAA ceased sanctioning racing in 1956, Formula One took over sanctioning for the race, leading to a contentious relationship with AAA's successor, United States Auto Club (USAC), over the race.
** From 1952 to 1953, all races counting towards the World Championship (except the Indianapolis 500) were run to Formula Two regulations. Formula One was not changed to Formula Two during this period; the Formula One regulations remained the same, and numerous non-championship Formula One races were staged during this time.
The distinction is most relevant when considering career summaries and all-time lists. For example, in the List of Formula One drivers, Clemente Biondetti is shown with a single race against his name. Biondetti actually competed in four Formula One races in 1950, but only one of these counted for the World Championship.
In the earlier history of Formula One, many races took place outside the World Championship, and local championships run to Formula One regulations also occurred. These events often took place on circuits that were not always suitable for the World Championship and featured local cars and drivers as well as those competing in the championship.
=== European non-championship racing ===
In the early years of Formula One, before the world championship was established, there were around twenty races held from late Spring to early Autumn in Europe, although not all of these were considered significant. Most competitive cars came from Italy, particularly Alfa Romeo. After the start of the world championship, these non-championship races continued. In the 1950s and 1960s, there were many Formula One races which did not count for the World Championship; in 1950 a total of twenty-two Formula One races were held, of which only six counted towards the World Championship. In 1952 and 1953, when the world championship was run to Formula Two regulations, non-championship events were the only Formula One races that took place.
Some races, particularly in the UK, including the Race of Champions, Oulton Park International Gold Cup and the International Trophy, were attended by the majority of the world championship contenders. Other smaller events were regularly held in locations not part of the championship, such as the Syracuse and Danish Grands Prix, although these only attracted a small amount of the championship teams and relied on private entries and lower Formula cars to make up the grid. These became less common through the 1970s and 1983 saw the last non-championship Formula One race; the 1983 Race of Champions at Brands Hatch, won by reigning World Champion Keke Rosberg in a Williams-Cosworth in a close fight with American Danny Sullivan.
=== South African Formula One championship ===
South Africa's flourishing domestic Formula One championship ran from 1960 through to 1975. The frontrunning cars in the series were recently retired from the world championship although there was also a healthy selection of locally built or modified machines.
=== British Formula One Championship ===
The DFV helped in making the UK domestic Formula One championship possible between 1978 and 1980. As in South Africa a decade before, second-hand cars from manufacturers like Lotus and Fittipaldi Automotive were the order of the day, although some, such as the March 781, were built specifically for the series. In 1980, the series saw South African Desiré Wilson become the first woman to win a Formula One race when she triumphed at Brands Hatch in a Wolf WR3.
Category:Kaiserreich: Legacy of the Weltkrieg