In the high-octane world of Formula 1 racing, understanding the unique jargon can enhance the excitement and appreciation of the sport. Here is a guide to some of the most common terms.
Aero
Short for aerodynamics, ‘Aero’ refers to studying how air moves around the car. It’s a critical factor in Formula 1 as it can greatly affect the car’s speed and handling.
Dirty Air
‘Dirty Air‘ is a term you’ll often hear when a car is tailing another closely. The following car experiences disturbed airflow or ‘dirty air’, which can reduce the car’s downforce, making it harder to overtake.
DRS
Stands for Drag Reduction System. The driver can activate this device to open up the rear wing of the car, reducing drag and thus allowing higher speeds on straights.
Graining
This term is used when small pieces of rubber start to break away from a tyre’s surface due to excessive sliding. This can lead to reduced grip and performance.
Marbles
‘Marbles‘ are loose bits of rubber off the racing line, left behind by the tyres. These can cause a car to lose grip if it runs over it.
Parc Fermé
This is a fenced-off area where cars are impounded by race officials from the time they leave for qualifying until the race is over, to prevent teams from making major changes.
Scrutineering
The process where cars are inspected by race officials to ensure they comply with all the rules and regulations.
Understeer
When the front wheels of a car do not respond to the steering wheel and the car continues straight ahead. It’s often caused by driving too fast into a corner.
Box, Box, Box
A radio message from the team to the driver, instructing them to come into the pit lane for a pit stop.
Slipstream
This is when a car follows closely behind another, using the lead car’s airflow to reduce its own air resistance and increase speed, often to facilitate overtaking.
Oversteer
The opposite of understeer, oversteer is when the rear tyres lose grip and cause the car to turn more than the driver intended.
Pits
This is an area of the track where the cars are serviced and refuelled. Pit stops are a crucial part of the F1 strategy.
Chicane
A chicane is a sequence of tight corners in alternate directions. They’re usually introduced into a track to slow the cars down.
Pole Position
This is the position at the very front of the grid, awarded to the driver who completes the fastest lap in qualifying.
Safety Car
During the race, if there are dangerous conditions on the track, the safety car comes out. The drivers have to line up behind it, and no overtaking is allowed.
Understanding these terms is just a start to understanding the complex and exciting world of Formula 1. Each term holds a wealth of strategy and engineering prowess that makes the sport so fascinating.
Written by Gareth Booth
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