What do you think of when you think of Formula One? Certainly, the roaring engines, loud crowds, and the highlight of the weekend: the race.
However, Formula 1 is more than just the race. It is a three-day extravaganza filled with three practice sessions, qualifying, and finally the race on Sunday.
Free Practice
The weekend kicks off with three free practice sessions, each lasting about an hour. The teams can run as many laps on track as they want and fine-tune their cars.
During free practice 1 (FP1) on Friday, the drivers will usually get comfortable with the track and adapt the car to suit their personal driving style for maximum success over the weekend. After the first few laps, the team can gather crucial data to confirm and optimize their cars’ setups and strategies. FP1 is also when new car upgrades are tested on track, fuel loads varied, and tire wear analyzed.
During free practice 2 (FP2) on Friday, fuel load and tire wear are even more important as teams are preparing their cars for the race on Sunday. Teams will typically send their cars on track with higher fuel loads for longer stints to evaluate tire performance and perfect their pit strategy. Why is that important? Because tires behave very differently depending on the track and the fuel load of the car. If the cars are heavier, the extra weight pushes the tires harder into the track, increasing grip but also tire wear. The teams will then use the gathered data from the practice sessions to decide on timing and the number of pit stops.
Now comes Saturday, also starting with a free practice session (FP3). Teams usually prepare their cars for qualifying. This means lighter fuel loads, soft tires, and shorter runs to find the perfect setup to set the fastest lap. Unlike FP1 and FP2, lap times in FP3 give a clearer picture of the car’s performance. After FP3, the Parc Fermé conditions begin, limiting most changes teams can make ahead of qualifying.
Qualifying
The action starts with qualifying on Saturday.
Qualifying is split into three stages: Q1, Q2, and Q3. The first session (Q1) lasts 18 minutes, in which each driver tries to set a lap fast enough to go into the second session (Q2). The five slowest drivers who don’t manage to set fast enough laps take the positions 16 to 20. This means that the fastest of the five slowest drivers takes 16th , and the others follow based on their set times.
In Q2 the times from Q1 are wiped clean. The second session lasts for 15 minutes, and the five slowest drivers set the places 11 to 15. Just as in Q1, their fastest lap during the session decides their starting positions.
The times from Q2 also do not matter in Q3. The final session lasts for 12 minutes, and is the most important for the teams and drivers, as it determines who will take pole position (starting place one). Teams will usually try to do multiple runs consisting of the out lap (the driver leaving the pit and warming the tires), the flying lap (trying to set the fastest lap of the session), and the in lap (coming into the pits for fresh tires). The drivers can start their flying laps before time runs out on the session. The fastest driver of the session will take pole position, and the other drivers will start behind them based on their lap times.
Each team only has 20 sets of tires throughout the race weekend, and choosing the right ones is not only crucial for their strategy during qualifying but also the race. Also important is that the ideal time to go out on track during qualifying is if traffic is clear to set a fast lap, which means that there are no other drivers on track blocking the way.
The Race
Now it’s Sunday, and the stakes are high.
With fans roaming in, engines running, and last-minute changes and strategy talk, the fight for victory is about to begin. Something you usually do not see on TV is that the drivers, before taking their grid positions, can complete so-called reconnaissance laps. They are not mandatory, however, they allow drivers to assess the track’s condition, make last-minute checks on the cars, and prepare for the race ahead. If any driver wants to complete more than one reconnaissance lap, they will have to drive through the pit lane. The pit lane closes ten minutes before the race start; by then the drivers must be in their grid position or risk a start from the pit lane.
With all drivers back from the national anthem and in their cars, the formation lap takes place with the lights turning green. The formation lap has several purposes and can be important for the outcome of the race start. Drivers warm up their tires to have a better grip at the beginning of the race. Even though the drivers may have been on track for a reconnaissance lap, the formation lap allows them to assess track conditions and check for changes or hazards. Overtaking is not allowed during the formation lap.
After the drivers retake their grid positions, the race director begins the start sequence. The five lights turn red one by one and staying illuminated for an interval between one and five seconds before turning off and starting the Grand Prix. The race is held over a minimum distance of 305 kilometers (can vary under certain circumstances) and limited to a duration of two hours. The race ends when the first driver takes the chequered flag, completing the mandatory laps of the race. The points for the title fight are awarded to the first ten drivers.
What may seem as simple practice to get used to the car and track, or just driving as fast as possible, is actually a masterclass in precision, strategy and hard work, aimed at achieving the best possible outcome throughout the race weekend.
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