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| VIEW CIRCUITS | F1 FACTS | TECHNICAL | DRIVERS | TEAMS | No change of car is authorised following the green light signalling the start of the formation lap.Nevertheless, if the race is interrupted before two laps have been completed, the starting procedure is repeated and starts again from the T-15 point. Car changes are authorised once again until the green light indicating the start of the formation lap is shown.
here are some amazing facts about the circuits that have played host to some of the greatest duels of F1 racing
The 1st formula1 race that counted for the championship was the British Grand Prix which took place on the 18th of may in 1950.The circuit was Silverstone(Silverstone used to be known as Silerston) This Grand Prix was the first UK motor race meeting attended by a reigning monarch, King George VI, and is best remembered as "Royal Silverstone". Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret accompanied the King.But the first contest to be labeled an "International Formula One" race was the Pau Grand Prix,won by Juan Manuel Fangio, on 10 April 1950, in a Maserati.
WHAT IS PREQUALIFING
From 1989 to 1992 when there was over 30 cars trying to compete in the GP's, a practice called pre-qualifying was used. 30 cars was the maximum allowed into a Friday or Saturday qualifying session so on the Thursday prior to each race all but 26 protected cars would venture out to compete for the four remaining spots in qualifying. 26 cars (usually the 13 teams who had scored the most points from the previous 16 Grands Prix) automatically pre-qualified. The automatic pre-qualifiers were re-evaluated every 8 races.
DID YOU KNOW that the maximum no of competiters was 34 in Germany 1953 and the lowest number of competitors was 10 in Argentina 1958
WHEN WAS THE 1ST TIME THAT RACE POSITION WAS DETERMINED BY QUALIFING TIMES?
The 1933 Monaco GP was the first in which staring grid positions were determined by qualifying times.
WHO WAVES THE CHEQUERED FLAG AT THE END OF A RACE?
It is the 'clerk of the course' who waves the chequered flag at the end of a race.The Clerk of the Course, who is nominated by the National Sporting Authority from among holders of a FIA Super Licence, is responsible for the co-ordination of all the officials and track marshals at the Grand Prix. Nevertheless, the Clerk of the Course must work closely with, and under the authority of, the Race Director, who is nominated by the FIA.
WHY IS IT CALLED FREE PRACTISE
On free practise the cars can run freely for as many laps as they want like warm up which takes place 1/2 an hour before a race usually, unlike the qualifing session where each driver is limited to 12 laps of the circuit.
Any driver exceeding 12 laps for qualifing will have to start at the back of the grid even if he has set the best time!
STEWARDS,WHO ARE THEY?
The three Stewards are the judges, or the referees, of an Event. They examine the reports submitted by the various officials and, once they have heard the explanations and defence of all the parties concerned, decide on any sanctions. In order to ensure sporting equity, the Stewards vary from one event to another; two of them are nominated by the FIA from amongst holders of the Stewards' super licence. The third Steward is designated by the National Sporting Authority of the country in which the event is taking place. The Stewards appointed by the FIA are of a different nationality from that of the country in which the event is taking place. They may, at any time, impose the sanctions set out in the International Sporting Code and, if they judge the behaviour of a competitor or a driver to be reprehensible, they may request that he be summoned before the World Motor Sport Council.(A total of around 1500 marshals volunteer their services for the British Grand Prix )
THERE WERE ONLY 7 RACES IN 1955 TO DECIDE THE F1 CHAMPIONSHIP
The fewest number of races was seven in 1955, but that was after four races were cancelled in the wake of the 1955 Le Mans disaster, where Pierre Levegh's Mercedes sports car rolled into the crowd, killing and injuring a huge number of people (the exact number was never released). Due to this disaster, Mercedes had left F1 in 55 and had not competed for nearly 42 years before its comeback in 1997.
WHEN AND WHY DID THE 1ST TRACKS COME OUT?
In France racing was banned twice following a spectator's death in 1901 and further tragedy in 1903. Both times the Motor Industry were able to exert enough pressure for the government to give way but the second time with the condition that the races were held in areas of low population with the roads sealed by barriers. This racing on specially closed roads was the start of modern day circuit racing.The first purpose built track was Brooklands in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907. Before this the races were usually from town to town.
HOW DID THE NAME PITLANE AND PITS COME ABOUT?
Sometime in the year 1908 motor racing saw the appearance of pits in the true sense of the word(huge dug ups)by the side of the track where the mechanics could labour on the car when something went wrong, and change the tyres with the "new system" of detachable rims.
HOW MANY MECHANICS ASSIST DURING A PITSTOP?
Twenty odd team members can be involved in a pit stop(at least seventeen) which would require changing four tyres, refuelling the car,changing the nose or the wing if something falls of during a crash,etc.Even the truckies help during the pitstop's. Three Mechanics are used to change each tyre, two to hold the fuel pipe and put fuel in,one to hold the stop/go sign,one to lift the car from behind up, one to hold the car from front up,one to clean the driver's viser, the other two are used to surpervise armed with a extinguisher (although each mechanic has to have one which he attaches to his waist) if the pitstop is going according to planned.click for pic
TIME PENALTY?
Did you know that if the time penalty is imposed during the last five laps of a race, 25 seconds will be added to the race time of the driver concerned, instead of a stop-go.Since that is the time roughly taken for the driver to enter and exit the pits at reduced speed,and thus will effectively ruin his race position during the race.
AERODYNAMICS AGAINST ENGINE POWER?
From the early days of formula1 the it was between ferrari(engine) and the other(british) team's aerodynamism of the car. In 1961 regulations made sure that no oil could be taken into the engine during a race and that ordinary fuel was to be used, working well with ferrari but not with other teams. The other teams had to find something else to make thier cars go faster,Another new development introduced in 1968 that would become an integral part of future car design was the aerodynamic wing, although some of the earlier efforts were not too pretty to look at.
WHAT IS THE NO OF CARS THAT START ON THE GRID
The grid density for a Formula One race was set at its current level of 26 cars back in 1982, prior to that it was 24. Although exception was made at Monaco where it was acknowledged that the circuit couldn't handle more than 20 cars, In 1989 there were a record 39 cars trying to make it into 26 grid spots at most races.
The starting grid consists of two cars per row in staggered formation, with an interval of eight metres between each row and the next.
WAS THERE EVER A TIME WHEN ALL DRIVERS RACING FINISHED A GRAND PRIX
In 1961 for the Dutch GP,15 cars lined up on the grid at Zandvoort and all 15 finished. That race was won by olfgang von Trips, ahead of Ferrari team mate Phil Hill. Emerging star Jim Clark was third in only his second visit to the podium. Next was the privateer Lotus of Stirling Moss, Richie Ginther's Ferrari, and Jack Brabham in the factory Cooper scored the last point. From there finished John Surtees , Graham Hill and Tony Brooks in the BRM's, Dan Gurney & Jo Bonnier in the Porsche's, Bruce McLaren's factory Cooper-Climax, Trevor Taylor in Lotus's older car, and the two privateer Porsche's Carel de Beaufort & Hans Herrmann. IN THAT RACE THERE WAS ALSO NOT ONE SINGLE PITSTOP IN THE RACE.
DID YOU KNOW that fifteen minutes before the start, the pit lane exit is closed and any driver who is not yet on the track has to start from the pit lane exit, after all the other competitors have gone past.Five minutes before the start, access to the grid is closed and any driver who is delayed on the circuit has to start from the pit lane exit. His vacant position is not filled on the grid.
The 1st ever drivers championship took place in 1884,There was only 1 race, on the Paris-Rouen Trail, All the competitors were french and The winner was Count Jules de Dion. The following year there were 3 races and a American Oscar Mueller won the championship.The official drivers championship was held in 1950.
The Monaco gp has always been one of the toughest races, the only race which is driven on the street,making it very difficult, in 1966 it had the lowest no of finishers when only 4 drivers finished the race.Monaco is the only race in the world which can be finished without pitting.It is also the only race which has free pracice on wednesday or thursday instead of conventially Friday.
Mayaysia sepang circuit,the recently laid track has the longest pitlane in the world.
CAN A DRIVER CHANGE HIS CAR DURING A RACE?Although the race is on a sunday and qualifing on a friday-saturday,the preparation at the gp starts on that monday.The Truckies with all the pit equipment arrives at the Grand Prix Circuit in the evening or the following day depending on the distances involved.the next day Tuesday The garage floor in the pits is painted(traditionally in team colors) and allowed to dry while the two truckies begin unloading all the equipment. They start the task of kitting out the garage, assembling all the overhead gantries that carry power, air and light. In addition to the basic equipment, all the computers have to be set up and the partitioning, decorated with partner branding erected. On Wednesday everything is ready for the arrival of the drivers and the cars have arrived at the circuit, bringing the three race cars and all the spare parts which have to be unloaded and checked.Usually an advance party of six mechanics also arrive to carry out any last minute changes to the cars, such as fitting any parts evaluated in testing the previous week.Thursday Everything is now ready for the team to arrive. The motorhomes are in place and their staff have been out buying fresh food produce to feed the team and guests over the course of the weekend & polishing all the vehicles to ensure they look their best! the team fly to the country holding the Grand Prix. the mechanics, engineers, the team manager and between 4 and 12 marketing staff will pick up an assortment of mini-buses and hire cars to drive to the circuit, arriving around midday. The drivers make their own way to the track and work for the serious business of the weekend begins.
WHAT DECIDES THE DISTANCE OF A GRAND PRIX(HOW MANY LAPS)?
The distance of a Grand Prix is the least number of laps which exceeds 305 km, So in the 50st lap if the total distance just exceeds 305 km, then the race is of 50 laps.The only exception is the Monaco GP which takes place within a town itself is a very slow circuit and the total race distance is about 265 km. Any race which exceeds over two hours is likely to be stopped at the end of 2 hours and the leader who finishes his lap at the end of 2 hours wins.
The first ever United States Grand Prix took place in 1959. It was the final race of the season and held three months after the previous race at Monza.The US GP will be back in the US in 2000 at The Indiapolis track on 24 September.
DID YOU KNOW the start of a race is the extinction of all the red lights at once. This occurs between 0.2 and 3 seconds after the last red light has been lit. This lapse of time is pre-programmed by the starter at each race, but kept secret.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE WEEK OF A GP?
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE TERM GRAND PRIX IS USED ONLY IN FORMULA1?
The FIA decided to restrict usage of the then popular word for a race which was called GRAND PRIX(or grand prize). The 1st race however to be called a grand prix was in 1906 It was the Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France held at Le Mans.
STALLING ON THE GRID,WHAT HAPPENS?
BEFORE FORMATION LAP
If a driver stalls whilst the green light is on i.e.start of the formation lap, his mechanics are allowed to push the car to get it to start, once all the competitors have left the grid. Since overtaking is not permitted during the formation lap, he must start from the back of the grid. However, a driver who has had difficulty starting the car but who manages to leave before the last car has crossed the Start/Finish line is allowed to overtake during the formation lap and take up his original position on the grid.AFTER FORMATION LAP,BUT BEFORE START
If a driver stalls on the grid after the formation lap, but before the start, he must raise his arm to notify the starter, who turns on the flashing yellow lights. The start is aborted and the procedure begins again from the "5-minute" board. In order to compensate for the additional formation lap, the race is reduced by one lap. The driver responsible for the false start must start from the back of the grid.DURING THE START
If a driver stalls during the start when all the lights are extinguished, and therefore too late for the starting procedure to be interrupted and aborted, the marshals will push his car to the pit lane once all the competitors have left the grid. If the driver is then able to start his engine, he may rejoin the race. Otherwise, he is pushed back to his pit where his mechanics will take over.
DIFFERENT STARTING PROCEDURES?
If the rain is such that, in the opinion of the Race Director, it would be dangerous to start the race with the normal procedure, it is possible to start behind the Safety Car. In this case, the revolving yellow lights on the Safety Car, which is positioned at the front of the starting grid, are switched on no later than the one-minute signal. This indicates to the drivers that the race will be started behind the Safety Car. When the green light is switched on, the Safety Car leaves the grid followed by all the other cars. The race starts immediately, and there is no formation lap. Overtaking is permitted only after the Safety Car has returned into the pit lane. Overtaking is only permitted in order to pass a car which remains on the grid, or in order to retain a grid position provided the car overtaking left the grid before the last car crossed the line.
PITSTOP DURING SAFETY CAR OUT?
The driver can have a pitstop while the safety car is out, but it may only rejoin the track when the green light is on in the pit lane. It will be on at all times except when the Safety Car and the line of cars following it are about to pass or are passing the pit exit.click for pic
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