



By N2H

The Price of Formula One Racing

Formula One racing is indeed a very costly sport that’s why corporate sponsorship has always been important in keeping a top-notch team. F1 racing budgets have been reported to range approximately from 66 million dollars up to 400 million dollars. These amounts seem to be quite right when considering the expenses necessary for design and for supporting a champion team.

Specially designed vehicles are F1 champions’ keys to success. A team needs innovative and ingenuous engineers and designers who can produce ways of improving racecar designs, speed, as well as driver safety. Inevitably, these people would require high-end computers and testing equipment to support their studies. Also, new ideas must be custom defined before it undergoes vehicle testing. After that, the vehicles needed to be track-tested to determine if a new feature would work to the team’s advantage. An example of this would be the wind tunnel testing done for aerodynamic purposes.

Aside from these costs, safety concerns must also be met according to FIA regulations. The latter requires specialized fabrics in making F1 overalls for race drivers, helmets, and even parts of the racecar itself.

The repair and maintenance of used F1 race vehicles also require very expensive costs. Although required to last an entire race weekend, race engines are replaced with a new one before each weekend. This will eventually require multiple tire changes while on a race and a specially formulated fuel would be needed to run the racecars. Numerous replacement parts must also be within reach in pits during an ongoing race to upgrade and make necessary changes for the cars during pit stops.

Since F1 racing is held all over the world, transportation budgets are also to be considered. European races permit teams to move their cars, equipment, motor homes, and even their kitchen equipments through the use of a truck convoy. Outside Europe, jumbo jets are usually the required means of transportation for the said necessities and of course, fees are charged for excess weight. During the race season, F1 teams must also allot a budget for food and lodging to cover each team member who will participate throughout the race. Aside from team members, there are also people behind-the-scenes who perform vital roles such as coordinating travel details and advertisement and publicity campaigns.

If a new team would like to join the world of F1 racing, there is but another important factor to consider. The FIA requires an up-front payment amounting to 47 million dollars. This will eventually be repaid to the team throughout the season.

The 1990’s caused a high increase in expenses for F1 racing due to new technological innovations. Team who has been receiving support from large auto manufacturers as well as other corporate companies had the advantage. In contrast, independent teams were unable to keep up with the new financial demands. As a result, twenty-eight teams have left Formula One racing.

The sport’s popularity attracts many corporate sponsors due to its merchandising opportunities. Sponsorships are used to offset a team’s increasing expenses. So as the sport receives higher financial demands from newly created technological advancements, sponsorships would continually be welcomed and would proliferate as the sport likewise continuously develops in popularity.

Tags: Formula 1

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Racing Hazards: Formula 1 Dangers and Its Preventive Measures

It is not hard to see why Formula One racing can be considered as a dangerous sport. Speeding for over 100 miles per hour throughout the race is an obvious reason. Aside from this, the car design also contributes to the fatalistic possibilities of the said event. Formula One racecars have an open cockpit, which exposes a driver’s body.

Danger can be considered synonymous to F1 racing. What generally set it apart from other professional races are the tracks in which F1 races are held. Usual racetracks have simple oval designs, which allows for gradual turns. In F1 racing, there are sharp left and right turns which are included in the race circuits and each race circuit have different sharp turning points. If the driver did not have sufficient practice on a track prior to a race, it would most probably give him a rather disastrous racing experience.

Given these racetrack conditions, certain measures have been provided to minimize danger and ensure the safety of the race drivers. Racing helmets were designed in the 1970’s and 1980’s and were considered as a very important race accessory due to the car’s open cockpit. Aside from this, a head and neck support system has also been developed to prevent whiplash. Whiplash is the term coined for neck sprains brought about by being thrown either forward or backward at a rapid speed. This kind of injury is most common during F1 races.

Aside from personal safety measures for race drivers, racecars have also been provided with additional safety measures. The cockpit of racecars has been strengthened through the use of strong carbon fiber. This has been utilized to make sure that these compartments would be able to withstand serious accidents.

During an F1 race, track hazards are considered to be the most dangerous elements that can be present inside the racetrack. These track hazards may be in the form of stalled cars, car accidents, and debris. Because of these, flags serve as preventive measures everytime a corresponding color are waved to update the race drivers of the race’s current condition.

Each flag’s color plays a vital role to ensure a smoothly ongoing race. A yellow flag is waved to signal a driver to slow down and that driver is automatically prohibited from over taking another car. A red flag is waved to signal either a temporary or abrupt final end of the race. Meanwhile, a red and yellow striped flag being waved indicates that the track have thus become dangerous due to certain track hazards that have been detected. These are some of the race flags used to keep track of race conditions and prevent major racetrack accidents.

Aside from race flags, a safety car can also be seen during an F1 race. The purpose of the safety car is to keep the pace of the race by leading the race drivers around the track. Safety cars are usually seen when track hazards have been detected and when a car can no longer continue to race and must therefore be moved from the group of ongoing racers.

As dangerous as Formula One racing may be, these safety and preventive measures help ensure that everyone who participates in the said sport would be able to enjoy it throughout the years. It is also important to note that the ongoing modern technological innovations, which helped developed, these measures helped everyone appreciate and focus more on the amazing world of driving and speed.

Tags: Car Safety, Formula 1

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The International Fame of Formula One Racing

Formula One racing continuously increases in popularity through the years. Its fans also range across different ages. From being a seemingly elitist exclusive sport for wealthy enthusiasts, it has become an international phenomenon, which also welcomes people from different backgrounds.

Perhaps the main reason for its public appeal is the unique physical attributes of the racecars. The most expensive and high-end cars there ever is created can be seen running on F1 race. Not only do racecar constructors pay great attention to car mechanisms but just as well as on the car’s physical appearance. Most cars also tend to be red in color.

Car enthusiasts who also appreciate high-speed driving and its many wonders can definitely appreciate the unique high-performance machines built onto F1 racecars. Drivers usually reach 108mph speeds on track and even more than that. By this, fans get proof of the many high-end characteristics and car details which F1 race cars have always been proud especially when they see these cars zoom past them during each race lap.

Apart from the cars, racetracks can also be an effective means of drawing audiences. Tracks are usually composed of asphalt just as roads and streets are usually made of. The difference, however, lies in its composition as it is made up of exciting and challenging twists and turns which the drivers must be able to endure.

F1 popularity is not just an after-effect of what is seen during the race itself on the track. The merchandise being sold in name of the sport also greatly helps in its marketability and advertising it further. These F1 memorabilia range from jackets, to caps, to t-shirts, and posters as well. Those who have been truly a fan of the sport purchase them even if they cost quite expensive. Those who produce this merchandise are sports car companies whose reputations have also in some way helped make a name for Formula One racing.

Aside from these, the F1 race drivers have also attracted fans on their own and therefore became celebrities in effect. It sure does help that they don sporty race clothes alongside very sporty racecars. The championships of F1 racing have also been well dominated by Europeans, which may probably be the reason why F1 is more popular in Europe and other countries than it is in America. This may also be because F1 has been generally a European-born sport from its early beginnings.

Though America has only been recently getting the hype of F1 racing, it is positively quick in catching up to admire the sport. Racial discrimination is not an issue when it comes to F1 racing. In addition, quite a number of F1 cars are notably seen in races held in America. 19 races were officially recorded and held in the United States for the Formula One event as of 2005. This fact, alongside the sport’s popularity in Asia and Australia just goes to prove how promising F1’s growth and popularity has always been.

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Formula 1 World Champion 2008 - Lewis Hamilton

Breaking News!

After an impressive race, with loads of important moments (rain, pit stop issues, accidents, more rain, etc), Lewis Hamilton has won the Formula 1 championship 2008 against Felipe Massa (2 corners from the end).

(Ferrari took the constructors title…again)

Congratulations to the British driver for a very good season!

Brazilian Grand Prix final results:

1. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari one hour 34 minutes 11.435 seconds
2. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 13.298 seconds behind
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari +16.235
4. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Toro Rosso-Ferrari +38.011
5. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes +38.907
6. Timo Glock (Ger) Toyota +44.368
7. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes +55.074
8. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota +1:08.463
9. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault +1:19.666
10. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber one lap behind
11. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber one lap
12. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota one lap
13. Jenson Button (GB) Honda one lap
14. Sebastien Bourdais (Fra) Toro Rosso-Ferrari one lap
15. Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda one lap
16. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India-Ferrari two laps
17. Kazuki Nakajima (Jpn) Williams-Toyota two laps
18. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Force India-Ferrari two laps
R Nelson Piquet (Brz) Renault 0 laps completed
R David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull-Renault 0 laps

Key: R = retired

Fastest Lap: Massa 1:13.736 on lap 3

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Race Flags - The Colors of F1 Racing

Race marshals can be seen at Formula One Races, each carrying 10 different colored flags with them. Originally, the purpose of these flags is to send messages to the drivers during the race. However, due to the high-speed driving displayed on the track, it would be difficult for the drivers to notice each flag and react accordingly.

Modern-day technology presented a solution for this and thus provided each racing cockpit their very own GPS marshalling system that displays the relevant flag color as the driver passes by a certain location. But this does not mean the race flags automatically lose their importance inside the racetrack. Nowadays, they are still used to send race information to cater to a different group of people–the Formula One Race audience.

As a Formula One Race fan, it would be important to know how each flag is used to keep track of what is literally on track. Each flag has its own specific meaning and collectively, these flags follow a pattern.

Among these flags, the most popular perhaps is the black and white checkered flag. It is used mainly to indicate the end of a race or session and it is waved at the first car to cross the finish line. But this is not the only use of the said flag. During qualifying and practice sessions, it is waved to indicate the elapse of the allotted time.

This is not the only flag used to indicate the end of a race. The waving of a red flag also indicates the same reason but under a different condition. A red flag indicates an abrupt end of a race due to poor racetrack conditions or any track accident or emergency.

Marshals can either wave two yellow flags or only one yellow flag. A yellow flag indicates a problem ahead and waving a single one warns the driver to slow down. On the other hand, two yellow flags indicate that an even greater danger can be expected ahead and the cars might then require stopping. In cases such as these, overtaking is not allowed.

When used in combination, a yellow and a red flag being waved at the same time may indicate adverse track conditions. It may indicate that oil has been spilled on the racetrack or certain dangerous debris may have been found on track.

Just as a race may be abruptly ended, it may still resume after the unavoidable incident has been cleared and the racetrack proven safe again. A green flag serves this purpose, indicating that the race may already resume.

The red, yellow, and green flags are used in Formula One racing almost in the same way it is used to direct road traffic.

Meanwhile, a white flag can also be seen being waved during a race. This indicates that a slow-moving vehicle has entered the track and therefore, drivers must reduce their speed to make way for the vehicle.

The blue flag is used to warn a driver that a faster car is approaching. In this case, the driver must let the faster car pass him by. If a driver fails to let a faster car pass by after being warned by a blue flag thrice, he then gets penalized.

Aside from these color-coded uses, the race flags are also used to inform the drivers of their current status on track. These race flags are also being used to keep the race spectators updated regarding the individual status of the personal cars or racers, which they may have been keeping an eye on.

If a driver’s behavior during a race becomes unacceptable, a half black and half white flag is raised together with the driver’s car number. If the driver’s behavior continues after these have been raised, it may lead to his disqualification.

If a driver becomes disqualified, a purely black flag is waived to inform him that he must return to his pit within the next lap.

Lastly, a black flag with an orange circle in the middle is waived to inform a driver that a vehicle mechanical problem has been detected and should then return his car to the pit.

Tags: Car Racing, Formula 1

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