Formula 1 is a sport that has taken the world by storm for decades. While it’s been huge in Europe for many years, the sport has only become popular in the U.S. more recently. It’s basically dangerous go-kart driving for very brave adults. The Netflix show Formula 1: Drive to Survive has likely had an impact on the uptick in U.S. fans. F1 racing is known for expensive cars, daring drivers, and unbelievable racing. The sport is a fascinating mix of talent, politics, and money. If you’re just getting into the sport or you’re looking to learn more, check out these unbelievable facts about Formula 1.
F1 teams have up to 600 members
When you watch a Formula 1 race, you see 20 cars on the track with one driver in each car. But it takes hundreds of people to win an F1 race. It’s not just about the driver and it’s not just about the coach (known as the team principal). The crew pit is in charge of changing tires and checking the car during pit stops. The engineers have to craft a vehicle that can take turns at over 100 miles per hour without crashing. The PR team has to create buzz around the team each season. Of course, the driver has to race. It takes a tight knit group to make the well-oiled machine that we see on the track.
Formula 1 cars can go from 0 to 100 MPH in under 4 seconds
Formula 1 cars are fast (obviously), but just how fast are they? When these cars are whipping around a track it’s hard to understand the speeds that they’re actually going. F1 cars can accelerate from 0 to 100 and all the way back to 0 in 4 seconds flat. Can you imagine the whiplash that you could get from a speed change like that? As you can imagine, speeds like this make the sport an incredibly dangerous one and when crashes do happen they can be very ugly.
The average F1 car costs $12 million
Professional sports are always expensive. Good gear costs money. But Formula 1 cars take it to a whole new level. The average F1 car costs $12 million dollars and that’s without some of the bells and whistles. Money plays a huge role in the sport. If you don’t have the financial support to create a good car, you won’t be competitive no matter how talented the driver and team are. Politics are very important when it comes to succeeding in F1 and it adds to the deep complexity of the sport.
The pit crew can change tires and refuel in 3 seconds
A major component of a Grand Prix win is the pit crew. These are the team members who check the car is running correctly, change the tires, and refuel the engine during the race. All Formula 1 drivers have to pit a certain amount of times during a race and 1 second could be the difference between a win and a loss. The pit crew has to train extensively to be able to send the car back on the track in only 3 seconds.
