Why formation lap f1

Previous article Why inflation left Mercedes poorer at Silverstone. Next article How much fuel does a Formula 1 car use? Load comments. F1 to review formation lap radio chat rule. Formula 1. More Adam Cooper. Turkish GP. Formula 1 Formula 1. Historics Historics. Subscribe to PLUS. Formula 1 Sep 30, Formula 1 Sep 29, Formula 1 Sep 28, Formula 1 Sep 27, Formula 1 Sep 26, For timing purposes the lap is split into three sections, each of which is roughly a third of the lap.

These sections are officially known as Sector 1, Sector 2 and Sector 3. A brief test when a team is trying a different car part for the first time before going back out to drive at percent to set a fast time.

The part of the car that flanks the sides of the monocoque alongside the driver and runs back to the rear wing, housing the radiators. A driving tactic when a driver is able to catch the car ahead and duck in behind its rear wing to benefit from a reduction in drag over its body and hopefully be able to achieve a superior maximum speed to slingshot past before the next corner.

A penalty given that involves the driver calling at his pit and stopping for 10 seconds - with no refuelling or tyre-changing allowed. See-through plastic strips that drivers fit to their helmet's visor before the start of the race and then remove as they become dirty. A system that beams data related to the engine and chassis to computers in the pit garage so that engineers can monitor that car's behaviour. Literally, the turning or twisting force of an engine, torque is generally used as a measure of an engine's flexibility.

An engine may be very powerful, but if it has little torque then that power may only be available over a limited rev range, making it of limited use to the driver. An engine with more torque - even if it has less power - may actually prove quicker on many tracks, as the power is available over a far wider rev range and hence more accessible.

Good torque is particularly vital on circuits with a number of mid- to slow-speed turns, where acceleration out of the corners is essential to a good lap time. The degree to which a car is able to transfer its power onto the track surface for forward progress.

A computerised system that detects if either of a car's driven rear wheels is losing traction - ie spinning - and transfers more drive to the wheel with more traction, thus using its more power efficiently.

Outlawed from the season onwards. The result of the disruption of airflow caused by an interruption to its passage, such as when it hits a rear wing and its horizontal flow is spoiled.

Attached to the engine, a turbocharger uses an exhaust driven turbine to drive a compressor to increase the density of the intake air consumed by the engine.

Denser air helps an engine create more power for its size. The residual heat energy contained in the exhaust gases after expansion in the cylinders of the engine is converted to mechanical shaft power by the exhaust turbine.

The type of rubber mix used in the construction of a tyre, ranging from soft through medium to hard, with each offering a different performance and wear characteristic. An electric blanket that is wrapped around the tyres before they are fitted to the car so that they will start closer to their optimum operating temperature. Where the front end of the car doesn't want to turn into a corner and slides wide as the driver tries to turn in towards the apex. The strip of carbon fibre-reinforced Zylon that is fitted to the top edge of a driver's helmet for added protection.

The distance between the centre points of the front and rear wheels. An F1 car's wheelbase influences the way it handles. A term used to describe the movement of an F1 car around an imaginary vertical axis through the centre of the car. Often talked about in conjunction with pitch movement around an imaginary horizontal axis across the centre of the car and roll movement through an imaginary longitudinal axis along the car's centreline.

A synthetic material often found in bulletproof vests which has strong anti-penetration properties and is used to strengthen drivers' helmets and the sides of the cockpit. Grand Prix Weekend. Red flag. Sorry Something's gone wrong. Live Commentary. Watch F1 TV. Join Live Session. F1 Glossary. Aerodynamics The study of airflow over and around an object and an intrinsic part of Formula One car design.

Airbox The engine air intake above the driver's head, which also serves as the car's roll hoop. Apex The middle point of the inside line around a corner at which drivers aim their cars. Appeal An action that a team takes on its drivers' behalf if it feels that they have been unfairly penalised by the race officials. Autoclave A device that uses heat and pressure to 'cure' carbon fibre, the primary material Formula One cars are made of.

Backmarker A term used to describe a driver at the rear end of the field, often when he is encountered by the race leaders.

Ballast Weights fixed around the car to maximise its balance and bring it up to the minimum weight limit. Bargeboard The piece of bodywork mounted vertically between the front wheels and the start of the sidepods to help smooth the airflow around the sides of the car.

Blistering The consequence of a tyre, or part of a tyre, overheating. Bodywork The carbon fibre sections fitted onto the monocoque before the cars leave the pits, such as the engine cover, the cockpit top and the nosecone.

Bottoming When a car's chassis hits the track surface as it runs through a sharp compression and reaches the bottom of its suspension travel. Brake balance A switch in the cockpit to alter the split of the car's braking power between the front and the rear wheels according to a driver's wishes.

Camber The angle at which a tyre leans into or away from the car relative to the vertical axis. CFD Short for Computational fluid dynamics, a tool used by F1 designers that uses complex mathematics and simulation to predict aerodynamic airflow. Chassis The main part of a racing car to which the engine and suspension are attached is called the chassis. Chicane A tight sequence of corners in alternate directions. Clean air Air that isn't turbulent, and thus offers optimum aerodynamic conditions, as experienced by a car at the head of the field.

Coanda effect The tendency of a fluid jet, such as airflow, to be attracted to a nearby surface. Cockpit The section of the chassis in which the driver sits.

Compound Tread compound is the part of any tyre in contact with the road and therefore one of the major factors in deciding tyre performance. Debrief The meeting between a team's drivers and engineers after an on-track session in which car set-up, performance and strategy are discussed. Degradation A term used to describe the process by which a tyre loses performance or grip. Delta time A term used to describe the time difference between two different laps or two different cars.

Diffuser The rear section of the car's floor or undertray where the air flowing under the car exits. Downforce The aerodynamic force that is applied in a downwards direction as a car travels forwards. Drag The aerodynamic resistance experienced as a car travels forwards. Drive-through penalty One of two penalties that can be handed out at the discretion of the Stewards whilst the race is still running. Drivers' briefing A meeting of all the drivers and the FIA race director to discuss issues relating to that particular Grand Prix and circuit.

ECU Short for Electronic Control Unit, a standard unit that controls the electrical systems on all F1 cars including the engine and gearbox. Endplate The vertical panels that form the outer edges of a car's front and rear wings and to which the main wing elements are attached. Flat spot The term given to the area of a tyre that is worn heavily on one spot after a moment of extreme braking or in the course of a spin.

Formation lap The lap before the start of the race when the cars are driven round from the grid to form up on the grid again for the start of the race. G-force A physical force equivalent to one unit of gravity that is multiplied during rapid changes of direction or velocity.

Graining When a car slides, it can cause little bits or rubber 'grains' to break away from the tyre's grooves. Gravel trap A bed of gravel on the outside of corners designed with the aim of bringing cars that fall off the circuit to a halt. Grip The amount of traction a car has at any given point, affecting how easy it is for the driver to keep control through corners. Handling A term used to describe a car's responsiveness to driver input and its ability to negotiate corners effectively.

HANS Device Short for Head and Neck Support Device, a mandatory safety device that fits over the driver's shoulders and connects to the back of the helmet to prevent excessive head and neck movement in the event of an accident. Headrest The removable energy-absorbing foam that surrounds the driver's helmet in the cockpit. Heat cycle A term used to describe the process by which a tyre is heated through use and then cooled down. Installation lap A lap done on arrival at a circuit, testing functions such as throttle, brakes and steering before heading back to the pits without crossing the finish line.

Jump start When a driver moves off his grid position before the five red lights have been switched off to signal the start. Kevlar A synthetic fibre that is combined with epoxy resin to create a strong, lightweight composite used in F1 car construction. Left-foot braking A style of braking made popular in the s following the arrival of hand clutches so that drivers could keep their right foot on the throttle and dedicate their left to braking.

Lock-up The term used to describe a driver braking sharply and 'locking' one or more tyres whilst the others continue rotating. Lollipop The sign on a stick held in front of the car during a pit stop to inform the driver to apply the brakes and then to engage first gear prior to the car being lowered from its jacks.

If the allocated time of 2 hours is exceeded, the race is considered to be finished at the end of the ongoing lap. Refueling during races was allowed earlier, but from this has been abolished.

As a result, every car must ensure a loaded tank before the race begins. However, refueling during races will be permitted again from the season. Similar to motor sports and other racing competitions, racing flags are used in Formula One to send out various messages and signals to the drivers like the race start or finish, lap indication, bad weather indication, etc. Previous Page. Next Page.