Formula One: A Guide for the American

Football. Baseball. NASCAR. The US always has to be a little different. But cultural phenomena have an uncanny way of sneaking in. Thankfully, this one is pretty European, meaning the backlash should be minimal. Here’s a guide to Formula One, that other kind of racing everyone is talking about. Let’s go Q&A style, keeping in mind this is designed for the absolute beginner and paraphrased largely from a more thorough article.

 

What is Formula One exactly?

Formula One is the highest class of racing for single-seater, open-wheel (wheels outside the body of the car) racing cars. Also called Formula 1 or F1, it is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), headquartered in Paris.

 

When did this thing start?

While car racing has been around for a while, the inaugural season for Formula One (initially known as the World Drivers’ Championship) was in 1950.

 

Why does it seem to be more in the conversation lately?

Assuming you’re American, you might have started to hear a bit more when Austin, Texas, began hosting a successful event in 2012. And in 2017, Liberty Media Corporation, an American mass media company, bought the Formula One Group, adding one event in Miami (as of 2022) and throwing in another in Las Vegas (as of 2023). Liberty Media has generally gone out of its way to market Formula One, teaming up with Netflix to produce the popular docuseries Drive to Survive.

 

So, like, how does it work?

There are 10 teams with two drivers each—a total of 20 drivers, one of whom is American—and the goal for a driver is to finish at the top of the standings over the course of an entire season (consisting of around 22 races, each called a Grand Prix). A point system is used to award performance, and the driver with the most points at the end of the season wins the championship.

 

What’s the deal with the teams?

Some of them are owned by car companies (Ferrari, Mercedes, Alpine/Renault, Alfa Romeo, and Aston Martin), and the others are owned by an energy drink company (Red Bull and its sibling team AlphaTauri), a wealthy guy (Haas), a group that includes the royal family of Bahrain (McLaren), and a private equity firm (Williams).

Each team is charged with building its own cars prior to a given season, sticking to certain specifications, the most basic of which are a single seat, an open cockpit (with a protective halo), an open-wheel design, and four wheels. All teams use a 1.6-liter V6 direct fuel injection turbo-hybrid engine, made by one of only four current manufacturers. To keep things somewhat fair, a per-season budget cap of $135 million for car development has been implemented.

 

How is this different from NASCAR and IndyCar?

Well, to start, Formula One has an international following, while the other two are predominantly confined to North America.

NASCAR vehicles are based off what would be considered “regular” cars, and the cars used for racing are essentially all the same.

IndyCar uses single-seater, open-wheel vehicles, but, like NASCAR, the design is very similar across the board (leaving far less room for the creativity seen in F1). Engine design and track layout also set IndyCar apart.

Of course, a complete list of differences is well beyond the scope of this quick read.

 

Where are the races held?

Races have been held on every continent besides Antarctica. They take place on either permanent race tracks or street circuits.

 

How long are the races?

Races are typically 190 miles long and last under two hours. (An accident or weather-related suspension can extend the duration.) The number of laps depends on the length of the specific circuit.

 

How does qualifying work?

A three-step qualifying process before each race determines the starting position of each driver. In some cases, between qualifying and the main race is something called a sprint, a shortened race that goes towards the overall points standings.

 

How fast do the cars go?

On the straights, the cars can approach 230 miles per hour, though what truly sets them apart is their ability to maintain high speeds around corners as a result of design elements that emphasize aerodynamic downforce.

 

How much fuel is used in a race?

A car can use up to 242 pounds of fuel per race. Refueling is not allowed.

 

What’s the deal with pit stops?

They’re really short. As in under three seconds (not counting the time to pull in and out of the pit lane). That means all four tires are changed in that amount of time! At least one pit stop is required during a race.

 

And how about the tires?

A single tire manufacturer, Pirelli, provides tires to all teams. In dry weather, three types of tires—hard, medium, and soft—are available, providing progressively greater grip and speed but progressively less durability. Which tires to use and when to change to a different type are a big part of race strategy.

 

So how does the whole money thing work?

Let’s start with Liberty Media, whose Formula One division is publicly traded. Revenue—in the range of $2 billion annually—is generated by obtaining sponsors, selling broadcast rights, and charging race tracks a hefty fee to host a race.

Then there are the teams. These guys get their own sponsors, receive payments from Formula One via a complicated system (that is partly related to performance), and obtain subsidies from relevant car manufacturers if appropriate. After vehicle construction costs, driver payments (in the range of $50 million per year for the best but far lower for others), and other expenses, the teams may or may not be profitable.

And finally there are the race tracks, which generate revenue via ticket sales and the like. The race itself may or may not be profitable (especially after the hefty hosting fee), though the track can be used for other purposes during the rest of the year (and benefits to the local economy at large can be significant).

 

What is Formula Two?

Formula Two is a feeder series in which junior drivers compete with the hope of eventually jumping to Formula One. Cars, engines, and tires are identical, meaning driver performance is the key variable in success.

 

Why is there anti-Formula One sentiment?

Probably for several reasons. One is the entity’s cozy relationship with the micronation of Monaco, a tax haven for the elite. The Monaco Grand Prix has been an iconic race for years—despite paying lower fees than other races—and many high-ranking officials and drivers are granted residency status, thereby making their earnings relatively tax free.

 

And finally, to be a Formula One driver, yes, you do have to be a little bit insane.