The sun beats down, heat radiating off long stretches of asphalt. The aroma of diesel and burning rubber wafts through the air. Hydraulics and power tools screech as pit crews change tires in the blink of an eye. Engines roar as cars travel at breakneck speeds, drivers pushing the absolute limit. Ten years ago, if you asked an American what sport this is, they would likely think of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). But that has changed. In the past half-decade, Formula 1 (F1) has cemented itself as the racing sport to watch. With the release of the critically acclaimed Netflix series Drive To Survive in 2019, F1 viewership in the states has soared; this increase has paralleled an expanded US race schedule with new tracks recently constructed in Miami and Las Vegas. This electrifying sport has captured new audiences due to its unique blend of cutting-edge technology, eccentric personalities, and thrilling multi-day races.
Since its founding in the mid-nineteenth century, engineering has played a critical role in F1. As opposed to other racing sports where all cars are identical, F1 requires that teams create distinctive vehicles. All ten teams must design and construct their cars’ chassis, while other components, such as engines, can be purchased from either competitors or third-party organizations. This has led to an arms race in which teams pour millions into designing the quickest and most efficient cars possible. Consequently, a problem emerged as top teams were spending upwards of 400 million dollars each year, quadrupling that of their weaker competitors. But in 2021, a 140 million dollar price cap leveled the playing field. Top teams were forced to cut down on expenses and squeeze every penny out of their engineering departments. To some, this exorbitant spending may seem outrageous, but F1 engineering has trickled down to everyday consumers. Both new and existing technologies, including paddle shifters and adaptive suspension, have been developed by F1 engineering teams pushing the limit of modern machinery. This unique aspect of engineering in F1 sets the sport apart from its competitors and serves as a medium for pioneering technology.
Each F1 team hopes to manufacture the best car on track, but their car can only be as good as the two drivers who race it. F1 drivers are unlike any athletes on the planet. The challenges of driving in F1 demand an extensive skill set: drivers must have the endurance of a marathon runner, the reflexes of a professional goalkeeper, and the chin of a world-class boxer. F1 drivers are also put in the global spotlight and deal with the fame of being worldwide celebrities. From the fiery, short-tempered Yuki Tsunoda to the flamboyant, fun-loving David Ricciardo, F1 drivers are often unique characters. Fans live or die by their favorite drivers, forging a deep bond that has played a major role in F1’s ongoing success.
All of the effort that teams put into manufacturing the perfect car and signing the best drivers is tested during the most exhilarating aspect of F1: the races. F1 Grands Prix spans the globe with over twenty races spread across six continents in some of the largest cities and most beautiful locations the world has to offer. Street circuits challenge drivers with extremely narrow tracks and unforgiving turns, the most famous of which, located in Monaco, overlooks rocky shores feeding into the Mediterranean Sea. Other, more open circuits have drivers racing through the bucolic countryside of Belgium and Italy.
Twenty drivers (two per team) begin the three-day event on Friday for practice. Drivers feel out of the track and whatever modifications have been made to their car since the previous race. The real competition begins the next day with Qualifying as drivers fight to put up a lap time which determines their starting position for the race on Sunday. Hundreds of thousands of fans fill the stands for race day as drivers compete for hours, battling to overtake and hold their positions to score maximum points for their team. All drivers that finish in the top ten score points, with higher positions gaining a greater total. These points contribute to the Drivers Championship awarded to the driver with the greatest number of points at the end of the season, and the Constructors Championship granted to the best-performing team after the final race. In addition to their in-person spectacle, F1 races are extremely immersive for those watching on TV. At home, viewers are treated to first-person perspectives of every car as well as audio communications between team engineers and their drivers. All of this culminates in making F1 one of the most enjoyable and thrilling sports on TV. Through its refreshing take on racing and riveting Grands Prix, F1 has taken the US, and the world, by storm. Fans build deep connections with their favorite drivers and teams, traveling around the globe to watch them race. For a new fan, all there is to do now is sit back, relax, and watch an F1 race while rooting for your favorite team.