Formula 1
With 19 races spread all across the globe, Formula 1 is without doubt the King of motorsport. The best drivers in the world pit their reflexes, bravery, and ability against one another in multi-million pound, 200mph plus cars, desperate to grab their chance to join the pantheon of legends that have gone on to become Formula 1 World Champions. Teams steeped in history like Ferrari and Red Bull compete side by side with new kids on the block like Red Bull and Mercedes as they go in search for a millisecond advantage to help their drivers on their way to the championship while seeking their own personal glory in the constructor’s championship. Spectacular action and drama usually follow hand-in-hand as every driver on the grid pushes their rivals to the limit, and when the F1 circus pulls into town controversy is never too far behind.
2011 Season
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel looks to have picked up where he left off in 2010, with his race speed in pre-season testing sending out a message to his race rivals as he goes in search of becoming the youngest ever driver to retain the World Championship. Both McLaren and Ferrari have suffered with their own problems in the opening stages of the 2011 season, but still look to be the only teams capable of catching the mighty Red Bull. Renault have continued on their upward trajectory and will be confident of securing their first race win since 2008 this season, while Mercedes and Force India also look capable of securing podium finishes. The future doesn’t look so rosy for the three teams who made their debut in 2010. HRT, Lotus and Virgin look likely to fall foul of the newly reintroduced rule that means any driver whose best qualifying lap exceeds 107% of the pole position lap will be disqualified for the entire race weekend.
Overview
With most races taking place every two weeks from when the season starts in March to its climax in November, the race weekend consists of:
1st Practice Session – Friday
Usually early in the morning on the day before qualifying, teams use this time to experiment with any updates they have added to their cars since the previous race, and to get a closer look at the circuit.
2nd Practice Session – Friday
Held in the afternoon, teams and drivers will use this session to fine-tune their strategy for the race and qualifying and experiment with varying fuel-loads to find the perfect balance for the race weekend.
3rd Practice Session – Saturday
A dry-run for the impending qualifying session, drivers will usually put in a full speed lap to get an idea of their qualifying pace, while making any last minute adjustments before qualifying begins later that day.
Qualifying Session – Saturday
This is broken down into three sections; Q1, Q2, and Q3. All drivers enter into the first twenty minute qualifying session with the aim of recording one of the top 15 lap times. Those who finish in 16th – 20th are eliminated and will start in those positions come race day. The same format is repeated in the second session, with the top ten drivers moving onto Q3 and the remaining 5 eliminated. The top 10 cars then enter a final qualifying shootout, with the fastest car in this session taking pole for the race.
Race – Sunday
The climax of the weekend. Drivers race for Championship points in a bid to be crowned World Champion. Points are allocated depending on each drivers race finish. The winner picks up 25 points, 2nd place 18 points, 3rd place 15 points, all the down to the 10th placed finisher, who is awarded 1 point.
Key Moments
Formula 1 is steeped in an illustrious history, and is capable of making both the front and back pages on a regular basis. Here are some key dates that have made the sport what it is today.
2010
Sebastian Vettel overtakes Lewis Hamilton as the youngest driver ever to win the Formula 1 World Championship, aged just 23 and 135 days.
2004
Michael Schumacher wins his seventh World Championship, making him the most successful driver in the history of the sport.
1994
Three time world champion Ayrton Senna tragically dies at the San Marino Grand Prix. The charismatic Brazilian’s death sends shockwaves through the sport and triggers a revolution to safety in the sport.
1978
Bernie Ecclestone wrestles the commercial rights for the sport from the FIA, setting into motion a series of action that would revolutionise the sport. From moving race events to Asia and the Middle East, to technical developments and restrictions, Ecclestone has helped shape the face of Formula 1.
1966
McLaren take their place on the grid for the first time, and remain there to this day, second only to Ferrari as the most successful Formula 1 team of all time.
1950
The first ever Formula 1 season begins, with Italian Giuseppe Farina becoming the first ever Formula 1 World Champion.
Recent Years
The sports recent history is dominated by Michael Schumacher, winning the last of his record breaking seven World Championships in 2004. The German returned to the sport in 2010, but as yet has been unable to have things his own way as a new wave of hungry young drivers compete for the right to be crowned World Champion.
