Formula 1, popularly known as F1, is unarguably the most technological-driven, expensive and heart pulsating sports in the world. Nigerians enjoy sports involving high risks which makes F1 a game that attracts a decent number of viewers in this part of the world.
However, the expenses incurred in F1 implies that you cannot participate in the sport unless you have a billionaire sponsor in your corner. Formula 1 remains the pinnacle of motorsport across the globe, but surprisingly, most of us only enjoy the highly competitive sport without knowing much about it.
Here are 7 amazing facts about formula 1 that you need to know.
1. An average F1 car cost $7 million
Without its components, it will cost you a whopping $7M to acquire a Formula F1. Only people that have rich companies to sponsor them can afford to participate in the game. A report from F1-Grand Prix shows that the total package of an F1 car with its components will set a company back by $7.2M. Maintenance cost alone can run to thousands of dollars especially in case of a crash which is a common phenomenon in F1. The cost of buying fuel alone for an F1 car is around $450,000 per year, as one car can consume up to 200,000 litres of fuel. To worsen the case, an F1 car can only be used for 5 races before being replaced.
2. F1 Car Revs up to 15,000 RPM
F1 car generates so much power that he can rev up to 15,000 RPM, a figure that is more than the double of an average vehicle at 6,000 Revs. Pneumatic valves springs manufactured by Renault is presently in use for F1 cars. Virtually all F1 cars are built leveraging similar techniques of using spring with a high rising rate. This allows them to go even beyond the said 15,000 RPM to around 20,000 RPM.
3. Engine Needs Preheating to power on
Unlike ordinary vehicles that require no heat to start even in cold weather, F1 cars require the use of an external heater pump to preheat the engine. Apart from the engine, the gearbox must also be at the same operating temperature before engaging the first gear. The preheating engineering addresses the reason why it’s practically impossible to put an F1 car engine into a regular car.
4. Safety is a priority in F1 Cars
For a car to qualify for racing, it must have passed a lot of standard and rigorous safety measures. An F1 car has to undergo and pass hundreds of precautionary measures to be accepted for car racing. Although the cockpit offers little comfort to drivers which makes fatigues after hours of racing indispensable. However, the car can withstand severe crash with the driver surviving an impact involving a deceleration from 100 mph to 0 mph with 2 seconds. If you think F1 cars are always about speed and performance, you might need to think again!
5. It takes 3 seconds for Crew to Refuel and replace tires
F1 crews are one of the fastest and most professional automobile specialists you will ever come across. F1 drivers need to focus on the race, which implies that he must not have to worry about tire changing and refueling. The crew help with this cause by replacing tire faster than any auto specialists in the world. The world record for tire changing was smashed by the Massa’s pit crew in 2016 when they beat the 2.05 record initially set by the Red Bull crew. It only took them 1.92 seconds to replace a car. Incredible!
6. Death is a possibility during F1 racing
Presently, the death toll from Formula 1 car auto crash is at 46 casualties. Despite the comprehensive safety measures in F1 cars, death is inevitable sometimes. However, the organizers strive to up the safety measure each year to safeguard against destruction. The youngest victim of an F1 car accident was a 20-year-old Ricard Rodriguez while the oldest was 50-year-old Chet Miller. From the year 1994 to 2015, there was 0 casualty while the whole 2000 decade was also free of deaths from death involving F1 races. Jules Bianchi was the last to die after being in a coma for nine months.
7. F1 has many greatest of all times (GOATs)
The debate about the greatest of all times cut across all sports. We have Cristiano Ronaldo Vs. Lionel Messi in football, Muhammed Ali Vs. Mike Tyson in boxing, Michael Jordan Vs. Lebron James in basketball. However, Formula One lovers will struggle to name the greatest of all time. This is because there are different eras with diving conditions and stipulations. For some, it’s the late Ayrton Senna, while most people regard Michael Schumacher as the best of the new era with 7 record Championship wins. Following closely is Lewis Hamilton and his eternal rival, Sebastian Vettel. However, according to BBC Sport poll, Michael Schumacher emerged the winner with 29% of the post, but many F1 drivers still hold Ayrton Senna in high esteem as the greatest of all time.
Conclusion
Now that you have read some amazing facts about Formula One sport, which of them did you find most interesting? We would love to hear your thought. To make money off F1, kindly navigate to our motor racing page.
