Auto Racing Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 10-05-2023

If you want to follow Formula One racing, there are a few essential things you need to know, like when the races take place, who the drivers are, and what race numbers they carry with them throughout their career. It is also really useful to know what the warning flag colors mean when you see them waved at the side of the track, and how the current crop of racers compare to some of the most successful competitors of the past.

Article / Updated 06-23-2022

Pit stops are one of the most tense and exciting features of a Grand Prix or other formula one auto race. In fact, auto races are frequently won and lost because of the pit stops and pit crews. In just a few seconds a huge number of actions are carried out by a Formula One pit crew. Here they are broken down: Pit-stop actions explained Pre-programming: Once the strategists have agreed on when the driver is to make a pit stop and the intended duration of the next stint, the driver's fuel rig is programmed to deliver the precise amount of fuel required. Timing: The driver's race engineer tells him over the radio, usually on the preceding lap, when to pit. At the same time, the team manager — listening in to all team radio communications — scrambles the driver's pit crew, who gather their equipment and tires and move from the garage into the pit apron in front of the garage. The lollipop man — a crew member with a big carbon-fibre lollipop — stations himself in line with where the nose of the car will stop and holds out his lollipop directly in the driver's path, giving him a clearly visible guide for his precise stopping place. Pit lane entry: The driver enters the pit lane at full racing speed but brings the speed down to the pit lane speed limit of 80 km/h (60 km/h in the very tight pit lane of Monaco) before he crosses the white line that denotes the start of the speed limit area. As he crosses the line, he engages a pit lane speed limiter that electronically prevents the car from accelerating above the speed limit. Selecting the limiter automatically pops open the fuel filler flap. Although the pit lane limiter helps, the driver is the one responsible for being under the speed limit as he crosses the line entering the pits. The limiter only prevents the car accelerating beyond that speed once it's already below it. Hitting the marks: The driver stops the car in the appropriate spot. As the car stops, the lollipop man brings down his lollipop in front of the driver. Imprinted on the face of the lollipop is the word "brakes" to remind the driver to keep his foot on the brake pedal so that the wheels don't turn as the wheel nuts are spun loose. The driver must also prevent the engine from stalling, which they can be prone to. It is essential that the driver stop at precisely the same place that his crew are awaiting him. Failure to do so means that the crew have to drag their equipment and tires up to the car, costing valuable seconds. To help the driver hit the mark, the stopping place for the front and rear tires and the lollipop man are marked out by extremely tough-wearing adhesive tape. Front jack: Crouching next to the lollipop man is the front jack man. The instant the car stops he levers his jack under the nose of the car and lifts it into the air. The jack is made from steel tubing and has a quick-release button to bring the car back down. In most cases the car only needs to be jacked-up around two inches though at certain tracks the pit lane is on an incline and the jacking height has to be increased, which is done by giving the jack bigger wheels. Because teams have different nosecones giving different aerodynamic characteristics, they need also to have specific jacks to suit them, with specially tailored mating points. Rear jack: The rear jack man has to wait until the car has passed him before getting into position. He then places his jack beneath the car and raises the rear of the car. Starter motor: The rear jack has a fitting incorporated into it for a starter motor. The starter is there ready to bring the engine back into life if the car stalls. A car may stall due to driver error or trouble with the gearbox, clutch, or hydraulics system. The starter is fitted with an extra-long lead as a precaution in the event that the car stalls after jumping forward a few feet. Wheel changing: Each wheel has two crew members. One operates the compressed air-driven gun that removes the single, central retaining nut. The other removes the old wheel and fits the new. The gun man then re-attaches the nut and tightens it to around 500 lb/ft (pounds per foot). The wheel nut and the socket of the gun are magnetized to prevent the nut falling to the ground. This whole process takes around three seconds. To prevent the nuts working loose, the right-hand side of the car uses right-handed threads, the left-hand side of the car left-sided threads. This means that the guns of the right and left sides have to work in opposite ways. Teams usually color code them to denote which is which. Each wheel man has a spare gun with him and usually a couple of spare wheel nuts too, just in case. Refuelling: A transparent plastic shield is fitted between the filler and the rear of the car to prevent any spilt fuel reaching the hot exhausts. (It's transparent so that the lollipop man can see through it and know when the right-rear tire has been attached.) Two refuellers attach the hose to the car's filler. One handles the hose itself, the other presses on the "dead man's handle" which has to be kept down in order for the fuel to flow. As soon as this handle is released — as it would be by the man running away, for example — the fuel stops flowing. The rig delivers the exact amount of fuel that's been programmed in, at the rate of 12 liters per second. Fuel shrinks in volume when it is chilled, enabling more of it to be contained within each liter. The regulations allow the fuel to be chilled to 10 degrees Celsius below the ambient temperature. The rig is standardized and provided by the governing body to the teams who are not allowed to modify it in any way. Attached either to the hose or to the refuellers' helmets are indicators showing when the fuel is flowing and when the process is completed. As soon as these indicators tell the refuellers that the car is full-up, they release the latch that holds the nozzle to the filler and then use a second handle to release the nozzle from a connector on the car. Overseeing the whole operation are two crew members, each with a 60-liter fire extinguisher. Larger capacity fire hoses are at hand in the garage. An additional safety feature on the fuel rig are earthing strips that are wired to the refuelling rigs and reduce the chances of static electricity discharging — highly undesirable with all that fuel around. Lollipop up: The lollipop man, who's been watching the whole operation intently, lifts the lollipop. He does so only when he's satisfied that all four wheels have been attached, the refuelling completed, the nozzle removed from the car, and that another car isn't about to be in his man's path. Only then can the driver leave. Pit lane exit: The driver, while waiting for the crew to finish, will have armed his launch control. The launch control, in concert with his pit lane speed limiter, governs his getaway. As he crosses the line denoting the end of the pit lane speed limit he disengages the speed limiter and accelerates hard back up to race speed, taking care not to cross the next white line — the one that denotes the exit lane back onto the track — before he reaches the end of the pit lane itself. Failure to respect this will incur a penalty.

Article / Updated 04-07-2022

Ever since its inaugural season in 1950, Formula One — also known as F1 — has captured the attention of fast car fans across the globe. And for good reason: the prestigious series of races, held internationally on both custom circuit courses and closed public roads, features the fastest open-wheel, single-seat race cars in the world. It’s an engaging sport that draws tens of millions of eyeballs each race — but those new to Formula One may feel as if they need a GPS to navigate it. To celebrate the recent start of the 2022 racing season, here’s a crash course on F1: what it is, how it works, and what you need to know to earn your racing stripes. What is Formula One? “Formula” refers to a set of rules that must be followed by participants and their cars. Prior to Formula One, there were no formal limitations on the power or size of racing cars, leading to unfair (and sometimes fatal) outcomes for the competing drivers. The introduction of F1 rules — sanctioned by the governing body of racing events, Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) — created a more level playing field, placing limits on the size, weight, and power of race cars. Formula Two rules were created shortly after Formula One rules to apply to cars with a smaller engine capacity. You can think of it as Formula One’s younger sibling. Even with these regulations (or, perhaps, because of them), Formula One stands as the epitome of motor racing throughout the world. It’s the most difficult type of racing to master, and the most expensive. It’s also the most international — occurring in more than 20 different countries — and the most dangerous, with speeds regularly reaching or topping 200 mph. In every aspect, Formula One reigns supreme. Another distinction of Formula One racing in the world of sports is its focus. Football and basketball tend to fixate on a superstar player or team (think Tom Brady or the 1995 Chicago Bulls), but there isn’t much innovation happening with the balls, courts, or fields. While Formula One has more than its fair share of celebrity, much attention also lies on the cars and tracks themselves. Teams are constantly improving their technology to shave tenths of seconds off their space-age vehicles' times, and each track has its own eccentricities to keep the race interesting. Not your average racing car Many people think of a racing car simply as a more aerodynamic type of sedan you’d see on the road. But Formula One cars have more in common with a fighter jet than a Ford Taurus. Drivers are often dubbed "pilots," and their masterful vehicles are sometimes referred to as “rockets on wheels.” They’re agile, they contain a central cockpit, and they even boast front and rear wings. The wings help push the car down onto the track, and they’re painstakingly tested in high-pressure wind tunnels. These cars are also incredibly lightweight due to their use of high-tech materials like carbon fiber. Check out these features on the F1 car below. Unique racing tracks and venues In addition to having cars that are in a league of their own, each F1 racing track boasts a completely unique design. Rather than being cookie cutter copies, every track has a different top speed, corners, and layouts. While some venues have been on the schedule for decades (like Silverstone and Monza), new ones pop up all the time. In 2022, Formula One announced that the U.S. will host a night race in 2023 where cars will speed past casinos down the famous Las Vegas Strip. This track will run 3.8 miles and drivers can expect to hit speeds up to 212 mph. Off to the races Each Formula One Grand Prix (its fancy name for a race) takes place over three days. These days are usually scheduled over the weekend — Friday to Sunday. Typically, on Friday and Saturday, the venue hosts practice and qualifying runs, while the main race occurs on Sunday. There isn’t a set amount of laps the cars must complete in F1 races. Instead, the race is finished once the first car has driven 305 kilometers (roughly 189.5 miles) and completes its next full lap. Also, races can’t last for more than two hours, so if drivers reach this time limit, officials will end the race after the next full lap. The only Formula One Grand Prix that is shorter than 305 km occurs in Monaco. This race is 260.5 kilometers (roughly 162 miles) and 78 laps. In the pits Another unique feature of F1 racing is the pit stops. These high-pressure intervals last anywhere from 1.5 to 3 seconds, and when teams are fighting for every last tenth of a second, this means that races can be won or lost "in the pits." Drivers used to make pit stops to refuel, since engines could only hold so much gas, and carrying extra made their cars more sluggish. However, due to recent engine developments, refueling during pit stops has been banned and drivers must start with all the fuel they need for the race. Nowadays, pit stops are mostly about fixes and changing tires. New tires are usually much faster, thus giving a speed advantage to drivers. But that advantage must be weighed against the risk of stopping to change them. Without a good pit crew on their side, drivers (and the race) may be lost. This team of about 20 people is vital to their success. Becoming a Formula One fanatic In its early days, if you weren’t able to see a Formula One Grand Prix in person, you weren’t able to see it at all. But now, hundreds of channels broadcast these races, including Formula One’s own channel, F1 TV. Other options for viewing races include ESPN, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and SkySports F1 on YouTube. To get into the rivalries, scandals, and personalities of Formula One drivers, managers, and team owners, you may want to check out Drive to Survive, a docuseries on Netflix. If podcasts are more your style, Formula One has you covered! Tom Clarkson and Natalie Pinkham discuss every twist and turn on F1 Nation, and Clarkson hosts in-depth interviews with the biggest Formula One personalities in his F1: Beyond the Grid podcast. And finally, if you're lucky enough to be going to an actual F1 race in person, here’s a pro tip: pack some ear plugs! Experts have measured noise levels at around 140 decibels, which is just below a volume that causes permanent hearing loss.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 08-30-2021

If you're a newcomer to NASCAR, learning some basics — like the differences between the NASCAR series and what the flags signal during a race — will have you talking like a race pro in no time. And if you're heading to a NASCAR race, know what items to take (and not to take) so your day at the track is fun and safe.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

You may not think of stock-car racing as a team sport — racing certainly seems like an individual sport, considering all the attention a driver gets. But while a driver is arguably the most important part of a race team, he isn't the only reason a team wins or loses. Dozens of people work on a race team and contribute to the performance of a car every weekend. From the owner to the crew chief, the engine builder, and the guy who orders parts, everyone on a team has to work well — and work well together — in order for the team to succeed. Consider the driver racing's version of a quarterback. And a good quarterback can't accomplish much if his team lets him get sacked. So, without further adieu, a look at all the major players on a NASCAR team. The owner is boss. The owner has the final say in hiring everyone who works on the team, from the driver to the crew chief to everyone who prepares the cars for racing. The owner spends money on cars, parts, and payroll. Better-known NASCAR owners include Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Roger Penske, Richard Petty, Robert Yates, and the Wood Brothers. With all those bills to pay and paychecks to sign, an owner has to be a shrewd and savvy businessperson, because that money has to come from somewhere — ideally not his own pockets. So in order to make sure he has enough money to pay everybody, the owner has to do one thing first: Secure a sponsor. A sponsor will fork out between $4 to $10 million for a season. Even though sponsors pay most of the bills, they don't get to hang out at the race shop as much as they want or give advice to drivers on how to make their cars run faster. Their role on the race team is usually limited to paying the bills or marketing the race team. The team manager organizes the operation. He serves as the owner's representative in the shop: someone who oversees everything, including ordering equipment, hiring personnel, and organizing test sessions. There are just too many details for the owner and crew chief to deal with, so the team manager position was created as a mix of both those positions. This person is usually someone with a lot of experience working on racecars — often someone who had been a long-time crew chief, but wanted to step back and take a more administrative role. After the team is assembled, the team manager's job is to get the people to work together, to make sure each individual person is doing his individual job. The crew chief is a race team's head honcho. Racing isn't like other sports, where the equipment is the same across the board. But some days, drivers are presented with racecars that just aren't fast enough to win. That's where the crew chief comes in. Some of the better-known crew chiefs include Ray Evernham, Todd Parrott, and Robin Pemberton. He works from his own experience, knowing how cars have reacted in the past on certain tracks under certain conditions. The crew chief tells each of the workers under him the specifications for doing their jobs, both at the shop and at the racetrack. He determines how the bodies are built, how the springs and shocks are adjusted, what level of air pressure to run the tires at — everything. If you need something done, go to the car chief. The car chief is the person who works closely with the crew chief in figuring out setups for the car, but is the actual guy who makes sure it gets done. That allows the crew chief more time to work on a computer or look through notes to figure out better setups. The driver does more than drive the car. The crew chief has conversations with the driver about how the car should be set up, but for the most part, the team does all the work at the shop. But after everyone arrives at the track for a race, teams try to improve their cars during practice sessions (when drivers complete laps around the track, and then come into the garage to tell their crew chiefs what the car is doing). Drivers describe whether the car is reacting correctly to the track and where it needs to go faster — on the corners or in the straightaways. The crew chief then determines which adjustments to make. And the rest of the team . . . Other team members, dressed in matching uniforms, do much more than just strut around looking important. Even though they aren't the primary decision-makers on a team, they're important components to building a winning program. Keep in mind that not every team member goes to a race, only a set group goes. The others stay at the race shop and work on cars for future races. Here are some that go to the track: Engine specialist or engine tuner: In charge of taking care of the engines after they get to the racetrack. Tire specialist: Spends the entire day hanging around the team's tires, changing the air pressure, checking the heat buildup, or measuring the wear of a tire after it has taken a few laps on the track. Engineers: Calculate the exact setup for a car on a certain track, including precisely how each shock should be built, which springs should be used, and what tire pressures will be best. General mechanics: All-around workers who can do just about anything. Pit crew: Up to seven people are allowed to go over the pit wall and service a car during a pit stop. Truck driver: Must be on time and be careful driving the rig with millions of dollars of equipment — the primary car, the backup car, extra parts for the suspension, the engines, and every other piece of the car. In addition, dozens of team members wait back at the shop for the car to return from the race so they can fix it up and prepare it for the next race it will run, whether that's the following week or a month or two. Dozens of team members also build engines, build car bodies, and test parts. While these team members work behind the scenes, the fabricators, engine builders, engine assemblers, and parts specialists shouldn't be overlooked.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

We all like to think that driving a racing car flat-out would be easy, but it isn't, even if you have heaps of talent. A modern-day Formula One driver has to work very hard if he's going to win a race. Sometimes drivers work 15 hours a day at the racetrack and then spend their nights thinking about how to do it even better. Formula One racing isn't a job for clock-watchers. Here is an example of how the week of a Grand Prix may pan out for a driver: Thursday: The Formula One driver flies into the racetrack and spends some time with the team, checking that his car is OK and working out strategy for the weekend. He usually attends at least one press conference, and signs autographs for the many autograph hunters chasing him around. In the evening, the driver usually takes part in a sponsor function or press dinner, before escaping at about 10 p.m. to go to bed. Friday: Practice starts very early on Friday morning, especially if the driver's team has signed up for the extra two-hour test session. The driver usually gets to the track at about 8 a.m. (after having already spent maybe an hour in the hotel gym) and runs through the day's program with the team. The driver spends most of the rest of the day in practice and technical debriefs, when the team evaluates the set-up of the car and its performance. Afterward, he attends even more press conferences. Amid all these other responsibilities, the driver completes the first qualifying round, which decides the running order for Saturday's main qualifying session. In the evening, he usually attends another sponsor function, which can run on quite late. Saturday: Saturday is a very important day, because what happens today decides the grid for Sunday's race. The driver attends two practice sessions in the morning and then a warm-up before he actually qualifies his car. He has to make sure that everything is absolutely perfect with his car because he has only one lap to get his time in — if he makes a mistake and spins off the track or suffers a mechanical problem he could find himself starting right at the back of the grid. If qualifying goes well and the driver's time puts him in one of the top three positions, he attends a special press conference, broadcast all around the world. After this press conference he must attend more debriefs with the team and then even more press conferences. If an evening function has been planned for Saturday night, he must attend that, as well, although these don't run too late because the driver must get a good night's sleep before race day. Sunday: Race day is by far the most important, and busiest, day of the week. While in the past, drivers could just turn up a few minutes before the race started, jump in their cars, and then head off home as soon as the chequered flag came out, that's no longer the case. The day often involves everything from warming up and meeting sponsors to race day parades and post-race functions. And if the driver can't get a helicopter into the circuit he could find himself having to get up even earlier to beat the traffic jams caused by the fans. Monday: If a driver is lucky he'll wake up in his own bed on Monday morning — but it's back to work straight away. Even though he'll be tired and maybe a bit sore from the race, he has to go to the gym for a few hours to make sure he stays in shape. Monday afternoon, if he hasn't been called up for a sponsor function, he'll fly out to one of the European tracks to get ready for that week's testing schedule. Tuesday: Less than 48 hours after the Grand Prix, the Formula One driver is back in the cockpit, working hard on developments and improvements for the next race. The teams will be experimenting with new parts or different set-ups to try to make the car even quicker. Testing a Formula One car is a relentless job, and the track usually stays open from 9 a.m. until darkness. After that, the driver usually spends a few hours with the team, working through a technical debrief of the test, before dinner and then maybe an interview with journalists. (Many drivers prefer to do major interviews at tests because there's a lot less pressure on their time; the only time anyone gets to speak exclusively to Michael Schumacher is at a test.) Wednesday: Another day of testing, although a driver may be able to fly home this evening to get ready for the following week's Grand Prix. Big teams usually have one or two test drivers who help ease the workload on their regular drivers, because there's no point getting their stars completely shattered before the next race. Despite everything else he has to do in his life, being fast in a racing car and working with his team is still the most important part of a Formula One driver's job. At the end of the day, a Formula One driver is the single person who determines whether the team wins or loses. He is the one risking his life out on the track, he is the one who decides how the car should be set-up, and he is the one who gets the credit — or the blame — for how things go on Sunday afternoons.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

In racing terms, "formula" implies a pure racing car, a single-seater with open wheels — a format largely unconnected with, and unrecognisable from, road cars. Formula One implies that this is the ultimate in formula racing. "Formula" One and the baby formulas that came later The reason why the sport is called "Formula" One is rooted in history. Pioneer motor racing placed no limitations on the size or power of the competing cars. With technological advances, this free-for-all quickly made for ludicrously dangerous conditions — especially as the early races were fought out on public roads. As a result, the governing body of the sport at the time began imposing key limitations on the format of the cars in terms of power, weight, and size. Only cars complying with this "formula" of rules could compete. The rules of Grand Prix racing have adapted to the technology and needs of the times. The rules formulated for racing immediately after World War II were given the tag of "Formula One", a name that has stuck ever since. Formula Two was invented shortly afterwards as a junior category, with a smaller engine capacity. Not long after that, Formula Three came into being for even smaller single-seaters. The Formula Two name was dropped in the mid-1980s and replaced by Formula 3000, denoting the cubic centimeter capacity of the engines. Formula Three remains. If illogical and inconsistent labelling bugs you, motor racing is not for you. The premiere racing sport in the world Formula One stands at the technological pinnacle of all motorsport. It's also the richest, most intense, most difficult, most political, and most international racing championship in the world. Most of the world's best drivers are either there or aspire to be there, and the same goes for the best designers, engineers, engine builders, and so on. It's a sport that takes no prisoners: Under-achievers are spat out with ruthless lack of ceremony. Formula One takes its position at the top of the motorsport tree very seriously. Formula One traces its lineage directly back to the very beginnings of motor racing itself, at the end of the nineteenth century, when public roads were the venues. All other racing series have sprung up in its wake. Unlike most racing categories, Formula One isn't just about competition between the drivers. It's about rivalry between the cars, too. The technology battle between teams is always an ongoing part of Formula One. Comparing Formula One and other types of racing Racing in America for a time overlapped in its development with European racing; then it veered off in the direction of oval track racing. CART and IRL racing in America Formula racing in America became Indy Car racing, spawning the CART and IRL series of today. These cars look like Formula One cars to a casual onlooker, but a Formula One car is lighter, more agile, and more powerful. Another difference is that Formula One cars never race on ovals; instead they race on purpose-built road racing tracks or street circuits. Furthermore, each Formula One team designs and builds its own cars rather than buy them off the shelf from a specialist producer. NASCAR and Touring Car racing Non-formula, road car-based racing spawned NASCAR in America and Touring Car racing in the rest of the world. Both are for cars that from the outside look like showroom road-going models but which underneath the skin are very different. NASCAR tailors to American production models and races mainly — though not exclusively — on ovals. Touring cars are based on European or Australian road cars and, like F1 cars, race on road racing or street tracks. The feeder formulas In Europe, feeder formulas to Formula One — where drivers, team owners, designers, and engineers can all hone their craft on the way to Formula One — developed. Today these are classed as Formula 3000 and Formula 3. The names and numbers have changed over the years, but Formula One remains what it has always been — the pinnacle. F3 is currently for single-seater cars with engines based on road-going production cars not exceeding 2-liter capacity. F3000 is for single seaters powered by a specific 3-liter racing engine defined by the governing body. The structure and hierarchy of motor racing is extremely complex and not very logical. All you really need to know is that, in global terms, Formula One is at the top of the pyramid.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

One of the most obvious strategies in NASCAR racing is to pass as many cars as you can by coming up on either the right or left side of the car in front (see Figure 1). But passing during a race isn't like driving around a slow car on the highway. Even if the driver is trying to pass someone on the straight, wide part of the track, it may be difficult because that driver doesn't want anyone to pass him. Figure 1: Even on a straightaway, passing another car can be difficult. And that driver will do anything he can to stay in front. Making a pass is much more strenuous than it may seem, especially if the car a driver is trying to pass is on the lead lap or if he's battling for position. An explanation: Being on the lead lap means that a driver has completed the same number of laps as the leader. (If the driver is a lap down, that means he has completed one less lap than the leader.) Battling for position means the car that the driver is trying to pass is on the same lap as the driver. For example, a driver is battling for position with a car ahead of him when he's in fourth place and that car is in third. If a driver is trying to pass a car that's on the lead lap or on the same lap he is, it's a good guess that the driver-to-be-passed isn't going to let the oncoming car casually drive by. He's going to try to block, meaning he will try to put his car exactly where he thinks another driver is going to try to pass him. That requires plenty of concentration and plenty of glances into the rear-view mirror, but when a driver knows how to throw a good block, even the best cars can't get by him. When a driver is trying to pass another car, he must be patient and stay right on the bumper of the car in front. He must also pay attention, especially going through the turns, because that's the perfect place to make a move. Passes frequently occur in the turns, where cars tend to become difficult to drive — and easy for other cars to pass — particularly if the car in front isn't prepared for the race correctly. If a driver can't zoom by and easily pass, he must wait for the driver ahead to make one mistake, even a small one, in order to get by. This scenario could happen when the driver of the car in front takes a turn too wide (see Figure 2) and slides up the track when coming out of a turn. Figure 2: When the car ahead of you drifts up the racetrack going through a turn, it's a perfect time to pass. Or, a chance to pass could happen when that driver takes his car into a turn too quickly and loses control for a split-second. That's why drivers are more focused than usual when they go through the turns. They know they must capitalize on other drivers' errors and be ready to make a pass when the other driver slips up. Doing the bump At short tracks, passing isn't as much of an art as it is a technique. Cars at short tracks are going relatively slowly and there is plenty of downforce — which means the cars stick to the track — so drivers can be very aggressive without causing a big accident. In order to pass a car in front, the driver doesn't necessarily have to go below him or above him on the track. All he has to do is give the car a healthy tap — called a bump — on the rear bumper, as shown in Figure 3. Most of the time that will cause the car to float up the track and give the driver enough room to pass by. Figure 3: At short tracks, the technique is simple. If a driver doesn't move out of the way, someone moves him. NASCAR frowns on this bump-and-pass technique, especially at bigger tracks where it would be a dangerous move. But at short tracks, it's tolerated some of the time. For example, when the late Dale Earnhardt smacked into the back of Terry Labonte on the last lap of the night race at Bristol in 1999, he moved Labonte out of the way to win. The problem was, he also spun out Labonte and sent him into the wall. NASCAR officials didn't think a penalty was necessary and let Earnhardt keep the win. The fans let Earnhardt know what they thought of his aggressive move, though. They vehemently booed him while he celebrated in Victory Lane. (Of course, the "Intimidator" suffered a similar fate the next year when Jeremy Mayfield pulled the same stunt en route to a victory at Pocono.) How other cars can slow you down The driver in the lead wants to get as much space between him and the second-place car as possible. This becomes a problem — and a great, big pain in the neck — when that driver comes up on lapped traffic. Lapped traffic is made up of cars that aren't on the lead lap, which often are considerably slower than the leaders. So when the leader is trucking around the speedway, the last thing he needs is a bunch of slower cars getting in his way. It's sort of like driving in the fast lane on the highway and having to slow down when there's a slow car ahead of you that just won't switch lanes. Sure, you could pass on the right, but what if another slow car is in the right lane? You're stuck behind those cars until one or both of them decides to move out of the way. Drivers have the same problem in racing. When the lead car gets caught behind lapped traffic, the driver in second — who has no one ahead of him to slow him down — has more time to catch up to the leader's back bumper. On the other hand, if the lead driver can pass the lapped car just before going into a turn, the second-place car gets stuck behind the lapped car (see Figure 4). Figure 4: When lapped traffic gets in the way of a second-place car, the leader has a chance to gain ground.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

From the early years of the Formula One world championship, it became obvious that improvements to safety would not just depend on the design of cars and circuits. Racing drivers began to realize that if they wore long-sleeved tops, protective helmets and goggles then they were less likely to hurt themselves in accidents. Helmets: hard hats of the racing world Crash helmets are the most obvious piece of safety wear for a driver — and they are the one item that a driver absolutely cannot do without. The increased use of modern technology in Formula One has not overlooked helmets and the versions used by drivers today make use of the knowledge gained from space travel. Safety, comfort, and usefulness are all important components of today's helmets. Consider the following: The material used: The helmets are made with the same ultra-strong materials that teams build cars with. The material must adhere to tough regulations to ensure it is strong enough to survive an accident. The helmets have to comply with similar kinds of crash tests that the cars go through as well. If they are at all damaged in a race then they will be replaced for the following event. Drivers usually get through about 15 helmets during a season — and discarded ones do become collectors' items. How it is sized: Each driver has the helmet made to measure. This customized fit not only increases comfort when it is worn in action, but also ensures that the helmet is not likely to slip off in an accident or have gaps where fire or other debris could find their way inside the helmet during the races. Functionality and strength of the visor: The visor of the helmet has to be as strong as the rest of the helmet, but it also has to provide the driver with enough visibility. Some drivers fit special tinted visors to keep the sun out of their eyes, while all of them are fitted with tear-off strips that allow the driver to remove a layer if it is covered with oil or dirt. Drivers cannot risk smudges on their visors when racing at 200mph. Special padding: The inside of the helmet is full of special padding. This not only makes wearing the helmet as comfortable as possible for the driver, but also adds further protection in the event of an accident. The mouthpiece: At the mouthpiece of the helmet is a hole for a special tube that allows the driver to drink fluids during the race. Because of the incredible heat in a Formula One cockpit during the race, it is vital the drivers are kept well hydrated so they do not get tired and run-down, which could lead to them making mistakes and crashing out. Earplugs: Before drivers put on their helmets, they put in special earplugs to prevent their hearing being damaged by the very loud noise of Formula One engines —which is easily in excess of a Motorhead concert or a jet taking off. The earplugs also house the radio systems that allow drivers to communicate with their teams in the pits. Balaclavas: Drivers also wear fireproof balaclavas (a knit cap for the head and neck) to protect their head in the event of fire. Helmet technology —Top Gun in a car? Formula One drivers could soon be making use of the kind of high-tech Heads Up Display (HUD) technology that is now used every day by fighter pilots. Although the use of pit boards and radio communications now mean it is very easy for a driver to keep in touch with his team in the pits, there is still plenty of room for improvement. German car manufacturer BMW is looking at ways for special displays to be used in the helmets of their drivers that would warn them of dangers ahead on the track. The display could include information about warning flags, oil on the track and whether other cars have crashed out of the race. Grand Prix bosses are also looking at ways of automatically slowing down cars if there is an accident ahead, or if there is a chance that they might hit another car in poor weather conditions. This technology would have to be completely foolproof before it could be used in the sport though. Race wear: functional, fabulous, and pretty good-looking Formula One drivers often look like walking advertising hoardings. Their multi-colored overalls are full of the logos of their sponsors as every single last piece of material is covered with the names and badges of the companies that support the teams. But the overalls the drivers wear are not just sponsor billboards, because they have a much more important use. The all-in-one overalls have to be worn for safety reasons — which is why they are worn whenever the car is being driven. The days of drivers wearing a shirt, trousers and flowing silk scarf to fight it out for grand prix glory are long gone. Now drivers are decked out in all sorts of safety apparel: overalls, boots, gloves, and more (see Figure 1). The following sections explain function and safety features of what drivers wear when they race. Figure 1: What drivers wear Overalls and undies The driver's overalls look similar to a baby's romper suit. They zip up the front and cover their arms and legs. These suits are made of a special material called Nomex that is fire-resistant. The sport's governing body, the FIA, demands that the material used must protect a driver from a fire of up to 700 degrees centigrade for at least 12 seconds — and the sponsors' logos have to comply with this as well. To increase the drivers' protection, they also wear T-shirts, underwear and socks all made of Nomex. All of this makes it very hot in the car for the driver, but it is a small price to pay in the quest for safety. Boots, gloves and other accessories The use of Nomex is not just restricted to the overalls and underwear because the boots and gloves that the drivers wear are also made of this modern fabric — although comfort issues have to be considered in these areas. Gloves will be trimmed with leather to make sure that there is no chance of them slipping off the steering wheel at 200 mph, while the soles of the racing boots are very thin and made of rubber to ensure that the driver can feel exactly what is going on with the pedals. Although the overalls may provide protection in the event of serious fires, they do not protect the drivers from the bumps and heat of a Formula One cockpit. Some of the top stars also wear knee and ankle protectors to prevent bruises, while drivers have been known to get heat blisters from the bottom of their car. Driving is a dirty business and racing overalls are in a far from pristine condition at the end of the race — covered in sweat, oil, dirt and, if a driver has been successful, champagne. Some teams provide their drivers with a special jacket after the race that looks like the top half of their overalls so that they look pristine for the television cameras. These overalls have been nicknamed "bullet-proof vests" because they are made of specially toughened material to make sure the sponsors' logos are completely flat and fully visible in photos and on television.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

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