Glossary and useful motoring terms
Downforce: Aerodynamic force applied in a downward direction as the car moves forward. This is harnessed to improve a car's traction and handling when cornering.
Drag: Aerodynamic resistance experienced when the car moves forward.
DRS: The rear wings DRS (Drag Reduction System) allow the pilot to adjust the wing between two predetermined configurations from the cockpit. System availability is governed electronically. It can be used at any time in practice and qualifying (unless the driver is on wet tyres), but during the race it can only be activated when the driver is less than a second behind another car in certain areas of the race. clue. The system deactivates when the pilot brakes.
Ground effect: Contact force generated by the lower part of the body with an aerodynamic shape. In the 1970s, sills were added to the sides of the cars to create a void under the car to hold it down on the track. The resulting enormous grip allowed for extremely high turning speeds. Pure ground effect cars developed in the 1970s were banned by the FIA for safety reasons.
Control electronics: Electronic component that joins the rest of the ERS. Provides the encryption to ensure that all systems can communicate with each other and function properly.
Energy Store: Car battery. This energy store is where the energy generated by the ERS is stored, until it is needed for its implementation. It can store up to 4 megajoules of energy per lap, which is also the amount that can be deployed in one lap.
Free practice: During these practice sessions before a Grand Prix, lap times are recorded, but they do not influence the starting order or the result. Teams use them as an opportunity to get their cars ready for the respective circuit and choose the correct tires.
ERS (Energy Recovery Systems): The ERS recovers the residual energy of the car during braking, stores that energy and then makes it available to propel the car. The driver has access to the extra power for limited periods per lap, via a boost button on the steering wheel.
Fading: Technical term for the gradual loss of braking effect after relatively long use. It happens less with modern carbon brakes than with conventional steel disc brakes.
FIA: Governing body of world motor sport and the federation of the main automobile organizations in the world. Founded in 1904, based in Paris, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is a non-profit association. It brings together 245 international automobile and sports organizations from 146 countries on the five continents. Its member clubs represent millions of motorists and their families.
Carbon fiber: Building material for high-end cars Formula 1. The monocoque, for example, is made of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin. These materials, laminated together, give great rigidity and strength, but are very light.
Flat spot: Term given to the area of a tire that is badly worn at one point after a moment of extreme braking or during a spin. This messes up the handling, usually causing severe vibration, and can force the driver to pit to replace the set of tires.
Start formation: Each row of the starting line has two race cars, one slightly in front, with a distance of eight meters to the next row.
Brakes: The Formula 1 brakes are made of carbon. Under FIA regulations, each wheel is allowed only two brake shoes and a maximum of six pistons. Brake calipers must be made of an aluminum material with a modulus of elasticity not greater than 80Gpa.
G-Force: Physical force equivalent to a unit of gravity that is multiplied during changes of direction or speed. Riders experience severe G-forces when cornering, accelerating and braking.
Graining: When a car slides, it can cause small pieces of rubber ('grains') to break off of the tire grooves. These then stick to the tire tread, effectively separating the tire from the track surface very slightly. For the pilot, the effect is like driving on rolling balls. Driving carefully can remove graining in a few laps, but it will obviously have an effect on the rider's pace. Driving style, track conditions, car setup, fuel load and the tire itself all play a role in graining. In essence, the more the tire moves on the track surface (i.e. slides), the more likely graining is.
Grip: Amount of traction a car has at a given point, which affects the ease of the rider to maintain control when cornering.
Guardrail: Safety measure on circuits where there is no space for start areas.
Hairpin: A narrow curve of 180 degrees that can form part of a circuit.
Halo: Introduced in 2018, the halo is a strong piece of protection worn above the head of the driver in the cockpit of all Formula 1 cars. It is a three-pronged bar designed to stop or deflect large pieces of debris, guardrail or wheels from another vehicle, from entering the cockpit.
HANS (Head and Neck Support): Since the 2003 season, they have been has given riders additional head and neck protection. The head and neck support system consists of a carbon shoulder brace that connects to the seat belts and the rider's helmet. In the event of an accident, the HANS device is designed to prevent stretching of the vertebrae. In addition, it prevents the driver's head from hitting the steering wheel.
Hybrid: A modern Formula 1 engine is a hybrid engine, with two machines (one electric and one mechanical ) that generate and recover energy. There is the Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K), which harnesses kinetic energy when the car is braking, and the Motor Generator Unit-Heat (MGU-H), which is connected to the turbocharger and harnesses the excess of exhaust energy.
Jump start / Early departure: Occurs when a driver leaves his position on the grid before the turn off all five red lights to indicate start. Sensors detect premature movement and such a start carries a penalty.
Kerbs / Pianos: Raised edges that cover curves or chicanes on race tracks. Edges provide additional safety as riders must slow down when passing over them.
Start in motion: Occurs when the vehicles are in motion at the time the start order is given. Competitors are normally driven off the starting grid by an official car. When the official car leaves the track, the grid continues in grid order until the start signal is given, at which point the race is considered to have started.
Long stop: Occurs when the car is stopped at the moment the start command is given.
Track boundaries: Boundary between the race track and the part of the starting area in which a pilot can drive and the area beyond it in which he is not allowed. Track limits are enforced to prevent a driver from gaining an unfair advantage during the race or qualifying session.
Racing line: Also known as the ideal line, the racing line is the imaginary line on which the can drive the circuit in the shortest possible time. Due to the rubber build-up, this is usually also where the grip is best.
Control line: Line from which a car is timed. Start line: First control line, with or without timing.
Speed limiter: Cruise control function used in the Formula 1 pit lane. It is activated by pressing a button on the steering wheel. The speed is then reduced to the pit lane limit.
Lollipop: Poster on a stick that is placed in front of the car during a pit stop to instruct the rider to brake and then engage first gear.
Rear light: Decreases the risk of crashes. When using rain tires, the rear light must always be on. It consists of individual LEDs that must be placed 35 centimeters above the bottom of the car.
Marshal: Track official who supervises the safe development of the race. Marshals have various roles to play, including observing spectators to ensure they do not endanger themselves or competitors, acting as fire watches, helping to get stranded cars/drivers off the track, and using flags. to signal the state of the track to the pilots.
Medical car: Car of the responsible race doctor. Like the pace car, it is on standby at the pit lane exit during every practice session and race.
Monocoque: One-piece tube in which the cockpit is located, with the engine fixed behind it and front suspension on each side at the front.
Engine: Formula 1 cars are currently powered by a 2.4-liter V6, with turbocharged hybrid electric systems connected that mean a general power close to 1000bhp. The current engine rules were introduced in 2014, replacing older normally aspirated V8s, and these regulations will remain in place until at least 2025. In 2021, there are four manufacturers supplying these engines: Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault and Honda. .
Rain tires: In rainy weather, cars use special tires that can better displace water from the track and optimize grip.
Paddock: Closed area behind the pits where the teams keep their carriers and motorhomes. They are not open to the public.
Parc fermé: Fenced area to which the cars are driven after qualifying and the race, where no team member may touch them except under the strict supervision of the race stewards.
Pedals: Levers on both sides of the back of the steering wheel with which the driver raises or lowers the gears .
Drive-through penalty: Penalty that can be applied at the discretion of the stewards while the race is still in progress. March. The pilots must enter the pit lane, cross it complying with the speed limit, and rejoin the race without stopping.
Stop-go penalty: Penalty that implies that the driver is called to the pits and stops for a certain number of seconds. Refueling or changing tires is not allowed.
Weight: A Formula 1 car must weigh at least 740 kilograms, including the driver, but not the fuel. The construction weight of the vehicles is less. In this way, teams can achieve better weight distribution by using additional weights, thus improving handling. The FIA technical commission may, at any time, send cars to the electronic scales located at the pit lane entrance to ensure rules and regulations are followed.
Pit board: Board that is placed on the pit wall to inform the driver of his race position, the gap time between the car ahead or behind, plus the number of laps remaining in the race.
Pits: Track area separated from the start/finish line by a wall, where the cars are brought in to fit new tires and fuel during the race, or for setup changes in practice, each stopping at their respective pit garages.
Pit wall: Pit wall where the team owner, managers and engineers spend the race, usually underneath an awning to keep the sun and rain off your monitors.
Pole position: First place on the starting grid, awarded to the driver who recorded the fastest lap time in the classification.
Protest: Action filed by a team when it considers that another team or competitor has transgressed the rules.
Setup: General configuration of the vehicle for all adjustable mechanical and aerodynamic parts (wheel suspension, wings , etc.). Specifically, the term describes the various possibilities of adapting a Formula 1 car to the conditions of a particular circuit, including, among other things, modifying tires, suspension, wings, and engine and transmission settings.
Radio: The “Talk” button on the steering wheel is the radio that sends the team to the pits and is used so that the team can talk to the pilot in conversational mode.
Lowering: Reduction of gears, generally prior to curves.
Slipstream: Driving tactic in which a driver positions himself close enough to the car in front to get behind its rear wing and benefit from reduced drag. In this way, it achieves a higher top speed.
Retirement: It occurs when a car has to leave the race due to an accident or mechanical failure.
Rookie: Driver of a team in his first full season.
Safety car: Circuit safety car called from the pits to run in front of the leading car in the race in the event of a problem requiring the speed of the cars on track to be reduced.
Sectors: For timing purposes, the lap is divided into three sections, each of which is approximately a third of the turn. These sections are officially known as Sector 1, Sector 2 and Sector 3.
Sidepod: Part of the car that flanks the sides of the monocoque next to the pilot and runs back to the rear wing, where the radiators are located.
Oversteer: Occurs when the rear of the car does not want to go around a curve and tries to overtake the front when the pilot turns towards the apex. This often requires opposite lock to correct, so the rider turns the front wheels into the slide.
Steward: One of the three high-ranking officials at each Grand Prix appointed to make decisions.
Understeer: It occurs when the front of the car does not want to turn in a curve and slides widely when the pilot tries to turn towards the apex.
Tank: The fuel tank is a fiber-reinforced hull that must yield flexibly when deformed. This must meet the FIA's rigid criteria. To prevent damage, the tank is also housed inside the monocoque and is therefore encased in the survival cell, the best protected area of the car.
Telemetry: System that transmits data related to the engine and chassis to the computers in the pit garage for that engineers can monitor the behavior of the car.
Releasable strips: Transparent plastic strips that pilots place on the visor of their helmet before the start of the run and then removed when they get dirty.
Torque: Force of rotation or torsion of a motor. Torque is generally used as a measure of a motor's flexibility. An engine can be very powerful, but if it's low on torque, that power may only be available in a limited rev range, making it of limited use to the rider. An engine with more torque, even if it has less power, can turn out quicker on many tracks, as the power is available over a much wider rev range and therefore more accessible. Good torque is particularly vital on circuits with medium-low speed corners, where acceleration out of corners is essential for a good lap time.
Traction: Degree in which a car can transfer its power to the track surface for sliding.
Flame-retardant suit: The pilot wears flame-retardant underwear and a balaclava under the helmet. With this suit, a pilot can survive for 11 seconds in a temperature of 840 degrees Celsius.
Racing Suit: The drivers and pit crew wear suits that are made up of two to four layers of Nomex. Even the zipper and the thread used to sew it are made to withstand high temperatures.
Undertray: Separate car floor that is bolted to the bottom of the monocoque. Technical verification: Review of the cars by the officials to ensure that none is outside the regulations.
Steering wheel: Control center of the racing car. Built in the Electronics Department, the steering wheel isn't just for turning, its display shows car stats for the driver and features a selection of buttons to allow drivers to adjust some of the car's settings. The appearance and layout are adjusted to suit each rider.
Formation lap: Lap before the start of the race when the cars turn to get back on the grid exit. It is also known as the warm-up lap or pre-lap.
Exit zone: Exit zones are mainly created in fast corners. If a car goes off the track, it must slow down as quickly as possible without rolling over. This is why gravel traps should be as wide as possible. Gravel slows down and therefore reduces the force with which the car hits the tire barriers. The alternative: tarmac exit zones where the driver has more control over the car.