Racing is officially an international sport. The country where F1 racing now has a home has increased over the years. This sport that began a hobby for the ‘privileged’ few has reached mass appeal.  Formula One racing is no longer an international sport dominated by Europeans in Italy. Teams from the United States and the UK are making names for themselves in international F1 championship races.

To demonstrate the popularity that F1 racing has, one need only look at the interest in the World Championships. Over 200 million people worldwide will watch this event on television or view it in person. The popularity of F1 racing is only rivaled by the love of soccer as a sport.

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Aerodynamic design is as important to Formula One racing vehicles as it is to airplanes.  You might not expect a racecar to have wings but Formula One racing cars do.

An airplane is designed with wings to help it lift off the ground.  The wings of an airplane are an important part of the aerodynamic design that helps it to fly.  Airplane wings direct airflow around the wings and give the airplane the lift it needs to leave the ground.

Formula One racing vehicles rely on aerodynamic design to increase speeds.  Millions of dollars are spent on the research and development of better aerodynamic features for the racecars.  Aerodynamic design in Formula One racing focuses on developing a design that will decrease the amount of drag the car creates and while creating a downforce that keeps the car’s tires on the track.  Downforce aerodynamics also influence cornering ability on the track.

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Formula One racing is a sport defined by rules and regulations.  It is also a sport with a long history.  Like any sport with this background, Formula One racing has developed terms that are confusing or not understood by new fans.  The information below highlights some of the more misunderstood terms used in Formula One racings.

In Formula One racing “clean air” does not refer to fresh or filtered air.  Clean air is the term used to refer to the air encountered by the head car in a race.  The turbulence caused by the cars has not yet touched this air.  It offers the best aerodynamic conditions for the drivers.  Clean air is a benefit of leading the race.

Near the end of a race a driver may realize he does not have enough fuel to complete the race.  The driver will then “splash and dash”.  A splash and dash simply means that the driver enters the pits and the pit crew put only the small amount of gasoline needed to finish the race in his tank rather than to fill the tank.  The driver gets a splash of gas and then dashes off for the finish.

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Much of the work surrounding successful Formula One racing teams is done behind the scenes.  Spectators seldom wonder how the cars and all of their accompanying equipment arrive at the Grand Prix circuit or what is involved in getting them there.  Transportation is a key component of Formula One racing although it is seldom considered.

The transport department of a Formula One racing team is responsible for making certain that every aspect of moving the team and equipment from one location to the other is handled smoothly.  The transport department must excel at handling small details perfectly.  They coordinate couriers and deliveries as well as making certain every necessary travel arrangement is completed.

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