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Undoubtedly, the F1 Grand Prix is one of the biggest television events with viewers exceeding more than millions in number from across 200 countries. The F1 grand prix is a fusion of state of the art engineering, super speeding cars, magnificent circuits and the enthralling race itself that has captivated the viewers since 1946. The Grand Prix had been defined as the uppermost class of auto racing by the world’s leading motor sport governing body – the Federation International de I ‘Automobile.
The Home of Grand Prix:
The Grand Prix shares an intimate history with Europe and it is considered to be its centre traditionally. The Grand Prix has expanded with new races and is nowadays held in various different parts of the world with new circuits in Malaysia, Turkey, China, Bahrain and the US. Considered to be the most expensive sport ever known to man, the Grand Prix creates an impact on many different economic and financial aspects in today’s business environment. Its worldwide popularity has helped many businesses flourish around it and has achieved immense attention, which has resulted in extremely high funds from the sponsors. These in turn have provided the constructor teams with exponentially high budgets giving them the freedom to design cars and engines very little known to ordinary men.
The Racing Formula:
A Grand Prix event usually lasts throughout the weekend with the practices beginning on Friday. This routine is applicable all over the world except for Monaco where they start on Thursday. The extra drivers are given an opportunity to exhibit their driving skills on the Fridays and the F1 limits the number of cars to be used to only two. After all these practice hours, a final qualifying round is held where the driver for the race is chosen. A series of lights op top of the racing track alter to begin the race. The tracks for the races are about 190 miles and the duration is two hours. The drivers are allowed to make pit stops in between races to change their tyres are refuel the tanks. Among the 22 cars, only 8 are awarded with points to the drivers and their individual teams.
The Fast lane:
Typically, a circuit consists of a straight track with the starting grids in their place, a pit lane, where the drivers are replenished with new tyres and fuel and a space right to the starting grid where the cars are scrutinised by their respective teams before the start of the race. Most of the circuits run in a clockwise loop, therefore the circuits that run counter clockwise create some complications for the drivers including neck injuries. All the circuits used in the Grand Prix are constructed solely for the competition purposes with only a few street circuits, for example, the Circuit de Monaco in Montreal, Canada, and the street circuit in Melbourne. The designing of these circuits are complicated as a considerable proportion of the drivers’ safely lies in its proper designing.
The F1 Cars:
The F1 cars of today are made mostly out of carbon fibre, giving it the strength and rigidity as well as making them extremely light. The cars are single seated with no wheel coverings and the engine is situated in the mid-portion of the car. The car, together with the driver, engine and the fluids weigh up to 605 kilos only! 605 kilos is the minimum weight that a vehicle is required to be in order to satisfy the F1 standards. The engines used are usually the 2.4 litre aspirated V8s with a series of constraints on its engineering and the materials. The earlier generation of the V10 engines are also used and nowadays many are using the 2006-generation engines, with their performances boosting up to 20000 rpm and producing powers of about 780 bhp. These hi-end engines run on lead free fuel and are lubricated by special lubricating fluids with viscosities similar to that of water.
The F1 Grand Prix is truly a captivating sport and has taken the motor sports of today to an entirely different level. Although motor sporting is all about constant adrenaline rush, there are risks involved with them. All these great drivers wind down on the circuits, but on the streets they drive as safe as the fathers taking their families on evening meals. |
