![]() The word itself refers to the painted box outside a team's garage where pit stops take place, although some argue that it hails from 'boxenstopp', which is German for 'pit stop'. This is because 'box' sounds more distinct than 'pit' over the team radio, so there's less chance of confusion leading to an error. When a driver is told to 'box, box', they're being instructed to make a pitstop. So when the pit window is 'open' it means a driver is expected to make a pit stop soon, although it doesn't account for how good a driver is as looking after the tyres or various other factors. Meanwhile, broadcasters can use the information to predict when a driver will stop. Pirelli usually estimates how far it thinks its tyres can go, and teams factor this information into their qualifying and race strategies. The pit window is one of F1's stranger terms, as it involves a certain amount of guesswork about when a driver will make a pit stop based on the expected lifespan of the tyre compound on the car. The DRS was introduced in 2011 to make overtaking easier, and while some see it as an essential weapon in a driver's arsenal, others believe it makes racing artificial. The DRS can only be used once a driver has closed to within a second of the car ahead at a specified 'detection point' on the circuit. Most tracks have one DRS zone, although some have two. The DRS is an overtaking aid, but drivers can only use it in designated DRS zones that are set before the start of a race weekend. Opening the flap reduces aerodynamic drag, making it easier for a car to accelerate and increasing its top speed. DRSĭRS is short for Drag Reduction System, which is a movable flap on the rear wing of an F1 car. In theory this will make it easier to follow during races, leading to more exciting racing.ĭirty air is the opposite of clean air, which a car runs in when there's nothing ahead of it. New rules - originally due in 2021 but now delayed until 2022 - should force teams to build cars that produce far less dirty air. Dirty air is one of the main reasons why overtaking is so hard at some F1 circuits. Secondly, it can cause tyres and brakes to overheat, forcing drivers to back off. ![]() Following in a car's dirty air is tricky for two reasons: firstly the unsettled air can reduce downforce, which means drivers have to corner more slowly. The faster an F1 car goes, the more turbulent the aerodynamic wake it leaves behind it. It's why you see drivers weaving around on formation laps to increase the amount of heat in the tyres prior to the start of the race. Cold tyres are to F1 cars what Kryptonite is to Superman: when tyres are cold, they can't produce anywhere enough adhesion to deal with the speeds and cornering forces typical in the sport. Blue flags are used to prevent the lead cars being held and interfering with the result of the race.Įach tyre compound used in F1 has a temperature window in which it works best and delivers the most grip, so if a driver can't get the tyres up into this window, they're said to be too cold. After being shown a blue flag, drivers must get out of the way of faster cars at the earliest opportunity, or face a time penalty for not responding quickly enough. Blue flagīlue flags are shown to drivers who are about to be lapped. When the car goes up the airflow then goes back underneath it, pulling the car down again, and the loop continues.įind out more about porpoising and how it affects F1 teams here. It's caused by the ground effect aerodynamics pulling the car down to the ground, but as the car gets closer to the ground the airflow stalls, which forces the car up. Porpoising is when an F1 car bounces up and down on the straights. Most-used phrases Black and White flagīlack and white flags are show to drivers for unsportsmanlike behaviour, acting as a warning to the driver who it is shown to, but if the issue persists a black flag can be shown to the driver, along with the driver's number, to indicate they have been disqualified from the race and must return to the pits immediately.įIA Race Director Michael Masi said that the black and white flag "is effectively the motorsport version of the yellow card". F1 has taken steps in recent years to try and make things easier for fans, such as simplifying the names of the tyre compounds provided by Pirelli.Įven so there are still plenty of expressions that can confuse casual viewers, and in the worst cases put them off watching altogether.Ī little understanding goes a long way, so this glossary of common phrases should bring you right up to speed with F1's technical terms.
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