Formula 1 — Speed & Strategy

F1 is the top class of international single-seater auto racing. Quick facts below.

Formula 1, better known as F1, is the pinnacle of motorsport. It's the highest class of international open-wheel single-seater Formula auto racing. These words may seem complicated, but they're actually pretty simple. F1 is the highest level of racing with a single-seater car and the wheels outside the body of the car. Since F1 is the highest level of Formula auto racing it's called Formula 1; it's the highest level of motorsport. Junior levels of motorsport are things like Formula 2 and Formula 3, which are feeder series to F1.

F1 Driver in cockpit

Top Drivers

  • 🏆 Max Verstappen
  • 🏆 Lewis Hamilton
  • 🏆 Charles Leclerc
F1 Race Track

Race Calendar

F1 Car on track

Race Highlights

Experience the thrill of Formula 1 racing with our curated collection of historic moments and legendary battles on track.

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F1 Teams 2024

Frequently Asked Questions


The answer to this question is found in the relative height of a Formula 1 car. With the floor being just millimeters off the ground, combined with the undulation and inconsistencies of the track surface, sparking is almost a given. Different factors affect the amount of sparking from an F1 car, with the most common being the fuel load. In qualifying, cars run low fuel for optimum weight and higher speeds, but on race day cars can have up to 110kg of fuel to last them the entire grand prix. You may have noticed planks of wood on the floor of Formula 1 cars, on the rare occasion that the underside is visible. The purpose of this ‘skid block’ is to ensure that all cars are following the ride height regulations. If the wooden plank has been worn down by more than a millimeter at the end of a race, that car will be disqualified. But, as expected, teams take advantage of a helpful loophole when it comes to ride height. They place pieces of titanium in strategic parts of the floor, which are designed to strike the track instead of the skid block, thus reducing the amount of wear on the plank and producing a spectacular shower of sparks.
Every F1 driver has a Super License, which is just like a driver’s license for the racetrack. All forms of FIA affiliated motorsport require them, to keep track of a driver’s racing details. Super Licenses include the holder’s number of penalty points, which accumulate after penalties are applied for on-track incidents. The system is identical to points on a driver’s license, where different infractions are accompanied by varying numbers of points. If a driver picks up 12 or more penalty points in the span of a year, they will earn a one race ban. Though penalty points can be controversial, they aid in the application of safety and regulations in F1.
The short answer is no – drivers cannot listen to music while racing. While it’s true that flipping through Spotify while racing would be a nice gimmick, there’s no doubt that it would be a huge distraction for the drivers. Even though music is off the table, drivers can communicate with their engineers and the pit wall during a race.