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The pinnacle of Auto racing and the most expensive sport in the world. F1 requires drivers to with stand large G-force?s as they battle to finish within the top six to score a points finish. (1st-10pts, 2nd-6pts, 3rd-4pts, 4th-3pts, 5th-2pts, 6th-1pt) |
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The pinnacle of Auto racing and the most expensive sport in the world. |
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To produce the fastest lap times, drivers aim to brake as late as possible and use the optimum line around a race circuit. |
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The Formula One world championship is a annual worldwide series of circuit races of around 300 kilometres in length and slightly less than two hours in duration. The cars, custom-constructed by each team (unlike [Champ Car]? racing), are based around an open-wheel, open cockpit design, have huge wings (oriented upside-down when compared to aircraft wings as they are designed to push the cars down rather than up) and bodies designed to achieve maximum downforce? for incredibly fast cornering, and despite being restricted to three litres and natural aspiration have V10 engines that can produce up to 800 horsepower. Despite being the pinnacle of racing in terms of budgets and driver skill, formula one racing has often been accused of being unexciting when compared to less-prestigious categories. The differences in driver ability are usually dwarfed when compared to the relative speed of the different makes of cars, and on-track overtaking is very rare due to the aerodynamics of trailing cars being adversely affected by the car in front (making overtaking only possible by very risky and thus rarely-taken chances, or a much faster car trailing a slower one). For the last 15 years, the championship has been dominated by just three teams, McClaren?, Williams, and Ferrari, who have provided the vehicle for all but two of the World Champions for that period. |
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The cars are fitted with 3-litre ultra high-revving engines (Internal combustion engine)or motor?s V10 engines. The engine is fed with air from sidepods and an air intake above the drivers helmet. The cars are fitted with aerodynamic aids known as wings which are used to produce downforce, also the under-body and splitter on the car produce down-force. (They are the opposite of the concept of wings as used on Aircrafts which are the other way round and used to create lift) The down-force combined with ever more-grippy tyres/tires allow the cars to corner faster, and ever-more powerful engines allow the cars to go faster down the straights. |
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see also [Bernie Ecclestone]? |
The Formula One world championship is a annual worldwide series of circuit races of around 300 kilometres in length and slightly less than two hours in duration. The cars, custom-constructed by each team (unlike [Champ Car]? racing), are based around an open-wheel, open cockpit design, have huge wings (oriented upside-down when compared to aircraft wings as they are designed to push the cars down rather than up) and bodies designed to achieve maximum downforce? for incredibly fast cornering, and despite being restricted to three litres and natural aspiration have V10 engines that can produce up to 800 horsepower.
Despite being the pinnacle of racing in terms of budgets and driver skill, formula one racing has often been accused of being unexciting when compared to less-prestigious categories. The differences in driver ability are usually dwarfed when compared to the relative speed of the different makes of cars, and on-track overtaking is very rare due to the aerodynamics of trailing cars being adversely affected by the car in front (making overtaking only possible by very risky and thus rarely-taken chances, or a much faster car trailing a slower one).
For the last 15 years, the championship has been dominated by just three teams, McClaren?, Williams, and Ferrari, who have provided the vehicle for all but two of the World Champions for that period.
Recent Champions are:
Famous circuits include:
Teams competing for the current (2001) constructors championship are:
see also [Bernie Ecclestone]?
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