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A pricey pastime -

It’s well known that Formula One is an extremely expensive sport. But just how expensive? Well for starters, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) has put a cap of US$15 million for the cost of a car.

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Typical cost of an F1 car -

Varying estimates about the cost of a car range from US$2 million to $7 million to $14 million!

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Some 80,000 components -

An F1 car has around 80,000 individual components, so no wonder it’s expensive! Many of these parts are made from carbon fiber, a very costly material that is both ultra-light and virtually indestructible.

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The costs of maintaining an F1 car -

On top of the cost of building the car, the yearly maintenance costs of keeping up an F1 car can reach US$350 million!

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Disposable engines! -

These high maintenance costs are mostly driven by the fact that an F1 engine only lasts for approximately five races. By comparison, the average engine of a normal car lasts around 10 years.

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Gas-guzzlers -

An F1 team car can eat up around 52,000 gallons (some 200,000 liters) of fuel per year, which costs around US$450,000 alone.

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Rules, rules, rules -

Formula One is a highly regulated sport and there are over 500 rules that the racing teams need to follow. That doesn’t even include the general international sporting regulations.

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The team behind the scenes -

An entire Formula One team can include up to 600 people. During races, you tend to see a pit crew of around 20 people, but there are hundreds more who work behind the scenes to make it all happen.

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The tire change record -

The mechanics who change the tires during a race usually remove all four wheels and screw on the new ones within three seconds. The fastest tire change to date was done by the Red Bull team at the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. They did it in 1.82 seconds!

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Fast and furious -

At their top speed, F1 cars can reach around 223 miles (360 km) per hour.

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Heart-stopping speeds -

An F1 car can accelerate from zero to 100 miles (160 km) per hour and back to zero within four seconds.

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Driving upside down? -

F1 cars have a special aerodynamic design to maximize speed, similar to an airplane. There’s speculation that F1 cars can actually travel upside down due to this design. However, this hasn’t been tested (not on purpose, anyway...).

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Burning up in the cockpit -

The cockpit of an F1 car gets insanely hot during the race. It can reach up to 122°F (50°C) in there!

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Sweating buckets -

This heat, along with the intense physical toll of a race, causes the driver to lose 100 ounces (three liters) of moisture from their bodies.

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Light as a feather -

An F1 driver usually loses around nine pounds (four kg) by the end of the race thanks to this fluid loss. Maybe that’s why Lewis Hamilton jumps so high?

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The uniform -

Drivers have to wear two heavy layers of uniform despite the heat they have to endure in the cockpit. An F1 uniform consists of fireproof underwear, their team overalls, a balaclava, and heat retardant boots and gloves.

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The helmets -

An F1 helmet is one of the strongest in the world. They are one of the most important elements to protect the driver because the greatest risk of injury is to the head and neck. The helmets are made of carbon fiber, so they’re both light and extremely tough.

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Burning rubber -

F1 cars don’t need to refuel. Whenever they make a pitstop during a race, it’s generally just to change tires. The tires get worn down within a matter of minutes and need to be changed multiple times during the race. On average, a tire loses one pound (half a kilogram) during a race.

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Hot brakes -

The brake discs of an F1 car can reach up to 1832°F (1000°C) during a race. This is the same temperature as molten lava!

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The sensitivities of an F1 engine -

F1 car engines have to be preheated like an oven. It’s impossible to turn over the engine if it’s cold.

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The steering wheel -

The steering wheel of an F1 car can have around 20 different buttons. It looks like something you’d find in a spaceship rather than an arcade!

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Brake power -

If a driver has to brake suddenly during a race, the speed of the car combined with the strength of the brakes create a force so intense that water shoots out of the driver’s tear ducts!

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High mortality rate -

Formula One is a notoriously dangerous sport. So far, over 50 drivers have died during official Formula One events.

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Car safety -

The car designs advance every year to make them both faster and safer. At the moment, a driver can survive a crash at 100 miles (161 km) per hour into a dead stop thanks to the design.

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The dreaded black flag -

Only one driver in history has been black-flagged and disqualified during a race for driving too slowly. This dubious honor goes to Canadian driver Al Pease, who was disqualified during the 1968 Canadian Grand Prix.

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A changing landscape -

Today, Formula One tracks are between two and a half and four miles (four to six km) long. In 1957, a Grand Prix was held at the Pescara track in Italy, which is 16 miles (26 km) long!

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A disaster in Monaco -

The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most challenging of the season. The tight streets of the city leave little room for error and crashes are common. The Monaco Grand Prix in 1996 broke the record for the fewest finishers: only three of the 21 cars managed to finish the race.

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Women in Formula One -

Most people don’t even know that female drivers are allowed to take part in Formula One. There are no restrictions on the gender of the drivers, but very few women have ever gotten far enough to drive in a Grand Prix.

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Lella Lombardi -

Only two women have ever qualified for an F1 race. Italian driver Lella Lombardi was the only woman in history to score a point in a Grand Prix.

Sources: (Euronews) (F1 Vietnam GP) (The Things) (Auto Sport) (Hot Cars) (Dummy Sports)

See also: These are the worst accidents in Formula One history

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