Drive, transmission and gear

The F1 drive is at the rear, this means that the engine power is transmitted to the back tires. The engine is in the central back part of the car, almost over the wheels, the transmission in these cars I very short. The use of front drive is allowed but not of the total drive, this system is used in the McLaren M9A.

Also the F1 gearbox is located in the back part and has as principal characteristic the sequential semiautomatic gear change, so the car doesn’t need a clutch pedal. The pilot only has to trigger paddles underneath the wheel to raise or lower gear. Know all the F1 cars has 7 gears. Renault which had chosen to have just 6, since 2008 has also 7. From 2008 if a gearbox is changed they must go 5 positions back in the start line.

Since 2008 the drive can’t be regulated through an drive control electronic system which would prevent the wheels to spin uncontrolled. Neither is allowed any device or system that tells the pilot wheels gliding condition.

The steering wheel

Due to the limited space of the cockpit of a Formula 1 car and the degree of concentration and attention that is required to drive a F1 car, the wheel of one of these cars not only control the steering of the vehicle, but is also a complex interface with multiple devices, it gives the pilot information through displays, and also controls the vehicle by buttons.

The introduction of the semi-automatic gearbox control in the rear of the steering wheel marked the beginning of the transition to focus controls as near of the pilot’s fingers as possible

The first buttons to appear in the steering wheel the death point and the radio buttons to communicate with technicians of the boxes team. Except for the gas pedals and brakes, few F1 cars have controls in different places at the wheel. It is common to use buttons for on/off as the one for the habilitation to limit the speed in the boxes road, and the turning controls are used to select functions with multiple options, as the autoblock different action, braking distribution, or the electric engine management.

It also has one or more LCD screens for a better view of the electronic giving orders as well as other facts like the speed al time per lap.

The technical racing regulations demanded that the pilot must be able to go out from the cabin in five seconds, so the steering wheel should be easily removable.

An F1 steering wheel is expensive because it is not done massively; it is handmade one by one using just carbon fiber with some more than two kilograms.

Tires

The tires for F1 are designed to withstand strengths over the normal tires will. Its fabrication is based in the use of nylon, polyester fiber and soft rubber. Once in race the tire could handle with more than tone coming from the aerodynamic charge, 4g lateral forces and 5g length forces.

The number of tires per car is 4, and doesn’t exist the possibility of three or 2. In 1970’s the Tyrrell P34 had front tires with an extraordinary diameter of 10 inches.

Part of the rubber that the tires have, are left, usually in the entrances and endings of the curves in the track, leaving dark spots.

The tire works better in a rank of determinate temperatures, for example: wet common tires are thought to work in its best between the 90 and 110°C. Just between this rank the tires gets to it maximum adherence coefficient. Each manufacturer gives recommendable temperatures for each kind of tire.

The pressure of a tire must be keep as stable as possible to have an optimum pressure distribution in the track contact area.

To avoid the temperature changes produced by the gases pressure that the tire has, instead of using air, other gases are used, especially nitrogen. The atmospheric air contains oxygen and water steam that, oxidize the inner rubber coating that ensures the tightness of the tire.

The gas leaking will cause the tire pressure diminution, damaging the pressure distribution in the track contact area, also facilitate the tire to warm faster due to increased friction. The use of nitrogen extends the life of the tire, besides not being flammable.

The competition tire development got it better in the 1960’s with the use of flat tires. But in 1998 the new FIA rules forced the teams to use back tires with a minimum of 2 drawing channels, and front tires with 3 with also other specifications. These changes created new challenges for the manufacturers that know have to work with fewer adherences.

Since 2001 Michelin returned to the F1 to compete with Bridgestone. Goodyear and Dunlop had also participated in this competition. With the FIA decision to impose a single tire manufacturer since 2008, Michelin announced they retirement from the F1 after the 2006 championship. So Bridgestone is the only tire provider since 2007 till now.

Braking system

To reduce the cars’ speed, the braking system transforms the kinetic energy into thermal energy through friction. The F1 cars, as most of streets cars, has disc brakes in which one disc rotates with the tire pressing the braking pills through the hydraulic clamps

The friction of this pills with the disc made the tires stop transforming the kinetic energy into thermal energy, generating great quantities of heat that must go out to the environment.

The difference with the street cars, which brakes are steel brakes, is that in the F1 this discs are built with ceramics materials that don’t get completely melted but get even incandescent throwing out yellow, orange or red lights.

The braking discs’ central part is made of carbon fiber. To reduce the risks of brakes glassing for overheating they used ventilated discs that have inner channels.

In an excessive breaking moment the tire and the track will overcome the adherence limit, blocking the tire turning. The F1 used to allow the use of Anti Blocking System (ABS) that by a microcontroller, reduce the brakes pressure before the tires slide. But, this braking system was prohibited in the 90’s so the pilots must learn to control the brake pedal to prevent wheels blocking.

The breaking system is also divided in two circuits with an hydraulic bomb for the front wheels and other for the back wheels. This assures that in case of a failure of one circuit the other can works. If there were just one circuit and this fail it would be very hard, almost impossible, to stop an f1.

The relation between the pressure that the hydraulic pliers applies over the ahead and forward brakes can be regulated every moment from the pilot’s seat.

In this way, in race, pilots can adjust the braking depending on the circumstances. For example, when de adherence factor has reduced because of the rain or anything, the braking transference of length charge (from the back to the front) would be reduced in consequence of the less deceleration.

In these cases the relation of the braking line for the front wheels is changed so they could brake proportionally less than in conditions of higher adherence.

With the adjustment of the braking distribution the overheating of the front brakes could be avoided by using the front and back wheels and vice versa. It is normal that the strength of breaking is on the front wheels, but depending on the circuit or the pilot’s preference the breaking distribution could change.

The efficiency of the F1’s breaking system, with the quality of the tires the used, allow to reduce the speed in distances and times reduced. The braking system I so important that in the last races, the FIA an engineers, has proposed the extension of this time and braking spaces, making this brakes less prefect and having as result more entertainment and passing over in curves. If this happens the rules must change to avoid the use of some designs and materials.

The ceramic brakes used in this cars were invented in the development of the Concord, a supersonic jet, and actually are being used en the most expensive cars. Porsche and Mercedes-Benz are pioneers in the fabrications of street serried cars with this brakes.

Audiovisual transmition rights

The F1 has audiovisual rights that are acquired by medias of different countries to transmit the races of the World Championships.

According to the hearings, Formula 1 has clearly become an alternative about sports, it is only behind soccer and the Olympics.

The F1 began to be popular in Spain since Telecinco acquired the rights of retransmission, a strong marketing was made to become F1 what it is today, and it is also linked to the success of the Spanish pilot Fernando Alonso that has become one of the most rated events for medias and the Spanish audience.

The audience record of a Grand Prix in Spain has the Brazilian GP of 2006, with approximately 8.62 million viewers, and the start of a championship Grand Prix most watched was Bahrain GP of 2010, with 6.797 million viewers.

Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher was borned un Hürth-Hermülheim in January 3th 1969, he is a germany racing pilot and the most awarded of history. He has 7 world championships 2 with Benetton Formula Team and 5 with Ferrari. After his retirement of F1 in 2006, he came back in 2010 under Ross Brawn orders in Mercedes GP scuderia.

Seven times F1 Wold Champion

He drove a kart for first time at the age of 4. His father, Rolf, mechanic of the Kerpen Karts track, made for him a single cylinder kart. Didn’t matter that he took a streetlight ahead. He improved in karting, where he became junior world’s sub champion at the age of 16.

He went through the promotion formulas, between them the Germany F3 where he became Heinz-Harald Frentzen friend, this relationship became enmity when he engaged his girlfriend Corinna whom he married with, having his children Gina Maria and Mick. Then he met Willi Weber, a F3000 driver, that became Schumacher manager. Webber contacted him with Eddie Jordan who made him debut in the F1 in 1991 in Belgium Grand Prix under the orders of Jordan-Ford in Jordan’s team, substituting the Belgium pilot Bertrand Gachot that was in prison.

After making a great qualifying, a clutch problem he had to quit in the first lap. But he impressed Flavio Briatore, the big boss of Benetton Scuderia and was hired. In 1992, Schumacher won his first GP in Belgium in the same circuit he started the year before. In a Season in which Williams F1 demolished, Schumacher finished third con eight podiums. In 1993 he won all the races he ended, 9 with a victory in Portugal. In 1994 he won eight races even he had a worse car than his opponents –the Williams- he won the title in a crash with the English pilot Damon Hill in Adelaida.

The Benetton’s engine change in 1995 (from ford to Renault) made Schumacher won the title easily, getting 9 victories with the team formed by Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne and Flavio Briatore.

In 1996 he went to Ferrari Scuderia, taking with him all the team rebuilding the Italian scuderia. Just married with his wife Corinna, Schumacher changed his residence to a Swiss mansion in Vufflens-le-Château. In the sports part he won three races and finished third behind the Williams of Damon Hill. In 1997 he won five races, but in the last race in Jerez, he tried to send out of the track to Jackes Villeneuve, and it almost meant the retirement of his pilot super license and the exclusion of the World Championship of that season.

In 1998, Michael Schumacher almost got the world title. He won six races, but in Suzuka he blew up a tire leaving the title to Mika Häkkinen. In 1999, a hard accident in the UK GP, in the Silverstone circuit took him away from the F1 for a half of the season, but with his teammate Eddie Irvine they got the Constructors Championship for Ferrari. After so many deceptions, Schumacher won’t give a chance to his opponents in the five next years.

In 200 he won 9 races an bécame the Wold Champion with 19 more points than the last champion.

In 2001 he won another 9 races and the title in Hungary, havin four races left. He doubled in points to his mate Rubens Barichello and almost did it with David Coulthard from McLaren.

En 2002 demolished with eleven victories and equals the championships record of Juan Manuel Fangio, that will overcome in 2003 winnig just for two more points than Kimi Räikkönen, the new banner of McLaren with six victories. In 2004 he shows invincible again wining thirteen races and widely the title. During 1999 and 2004 Ferrari also won all the constructors title. A change in the tires rules damages its 2005 season where they just won the USA GP. “Schumi” enjoyed a good car again in 2006, the year of his retirement, where he won six GPs finishing second behind Fernando Alonso.

According to Forbes magazine's publication of June 2006, Schumacher was the second highest-earning sportsman in the world with 48.2 million euros a year, only surpassed by Tiger Woods, of which some money is dedicated to humanitarian labours.

On September 10, 2006 after winning Italian GP he announced his retirement from the F1 at the end of the season with 37 years, more than 25 dedicated to racing and 16 seasons in the F1 in which he had been the most awarded pilot in history.

Despite announcing his retirement, he renewed with two sponsors and got a new one that will provide approximately 15 million euros a year. In addition, he has been assigned the post of "superhelper" in Ferrari to advise on certain issues as choosing drivers.

On september 5, 2007 he was given the “Principe de Asturias de los Deportes” award, for his sports career.

After the accident suffered by the Ferrari driver Felipe Massa during qualifying Grand Prix of Hungary in 2009 and his hospitalization, Schumacher was chosen as his substitute.

On July 29, 2009 was confirmed by the Italian team and Massa, that Schumacher would replace him in the European GP in Valencia. However, on August 11, Schumacher ruled out his participation for not overcoming an injury in his neck.

In December 2009 he confirmed his return for 2010 season, this time with the new scuderia Mercedes GP.

THE FIA

The International Automobile Federation (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile in French), usually named as FIA, is the organization that regulates the most important automobile competitions.

It has its principal headquarters in Paris, France. It is formed by 157 national organization members in 118 countries all over the world. Its president of the lasts years had been Max Mosley, but he was substituted by the ex Ferrari’s team boss Jean Todt in October 2009.

The FIA was founded in Paris on June 20^th 1904. In 1922, FIA lead the organization of automobile races to the Commission Sportive Internationale (CSI), an autonomic committee that later became the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA).

In 1950 they organized the first Automobile World Championship actually known as Formula 1.

In 1973, the FIA also include in its jurisdiction rally races; the Monte Carlo rally was the first race of this kind organized by the FIA.

A restructuration was made in the organization in 1993 this eliminated the FISA, giving the administration of all the automobile races under the direct management of the FIA.

McLaren's Team

McLaren was founded in 1963 by Bruce McLaren, this is a car racing team with its main house in Woking, UK, that is well known specially for its F1 scuderia, but has also raced in other categories. Its full actual name is Vodafone McLaren Mercedes because of the sponsor of this media company. The team’s director is Martin Whitmarsh and it is supervised by McLaren Racing of McLaren Group.

McLaren is one of the most succesful team of the F1, being the third scuderia in number of Constructors Championships behind Williams F1 and Ferrari.

Bruce McLaren, borned in New Zeland, announced the McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. In 1963 because his last team didn’t wanted to follow the engineering advices. He hired engineers and pilots and started the F1 cars construction. While he was developing the car, the team’s pilots drove the Cooper T70.

The 90’s

Despite the departure of Alain Prost to Ferrari in 1990, McLaren dominated F1 for two years. Since 1992 the team began its decline when the Renault engines started winning. Until 1996 when McLaren chassis was combined with, Mercedes engines and drivers Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard, winning between 1998 and 2000 constructors' championship and Häkkinen two pilots.

2000's decade

Since 2000, McLaren has fight to stay on the top, but has failed matching Ferrari, getting some firsts and seconds places in the drivers' championship in 2003 and 2005 for Kimi Raikkonen and for Lewis Hamilton in 2007. It was not until 2008 when, at last, after nine years of nothing, Lewis Hamilton is crowned world champion after a hard season and complicated laps in the Brazilian Grand Prix, which was only one point ahead of Felipe Massa of Ferrari team that went to the Constructors' title again.

2010

For 2010, McLaren hired the actual world champions Jenson Button coming from Brawn as Lewis Hamilton partner, giving him the number one team again, and forming a team exclusively English. This year, McLaren separated from Mercedes and formed Mercedes Grand Prix, although McLaren still is the engine’s supplier.

In the first race in Bahrein the team classified with Lewis Hamilton 4th and Jenson Button 8th. In race Hamilton conserved his 4th place, but after Vettel’s engine failed he finished 3th. Button overcome Mark Webber and finished 7th.

In Australia, in a very difficult race with rain, Button used slicks before anybody and became 2nd behind Vettel but as he had an accident Button finished the race 1st. Hamilton crashed with Webber and ended 6th.

In Malasia Both classified badly (Button 17th and Hamilton 20th) but both improved durong the race finishing 6th and 8th.

Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel –my favorite F1 pilot- was borned on July 3rd 1987 in Heppenheim, Germany. Actually he is Red Bull’s pilot with Mark Webber. He was part of Toro Rosso team until 2008.

He is the third youngest driver to compete in a Grand Prix, the 2007 United States’ Grand Prix, exceeded only by the youth of Mike Thackwell and Jaime Alguersuari. He holds the record of being the youngest driver to achieve rating in the category in his first race. He is also the youngest to lead a Grand Prix, Japan’s 2007, and the youngest to get a pole position, a podium, and a victory in a single Grand Prix, achievements that he got in the Italian Grand Prix 2008.

Sebastian Vettel hopes to get his first world title the season, and showed it in Bahrain when he got the pole position beating the Ferrari drivers. During the race, Vettel holded the 1st position until lap 34 when a problem with a plug made him lower the speed of the car and he couldn’t defend against Ferrari or Lewis Hamilton; Nico Rosberg was close to take the 4th position, but Sebastian endured and finished 4th. After crossing the finish line, he left his RB6 aside.

In Melbourne he won his second pole of the year. During the race, at the beginning he held the first position with wet track and half wet tires, but on lap 25 a brake problem forced him to quit.

After two bitter race, Vettel finally achieved his awaited first race of the season at the Malaysian Grand Prix, where after having qualified in second position (behind his teammate Mark Webber) managed to win the Australian and showed the superiority of the RB6.

In Shanghai, the 4th race of the season, Sebastian got his third pole in four races, but in a mad race marked by rain the young German pilot couldn’t overcome the 6th position.

In Montmelo he arrived 3th after Fernando Alonso had an accident. And in Montecarlo after a lot of “safety cars” he arrived 2nd and became de co-head of this season world championship with 78 points.

But in Turquey both Red Bulls had a little crash when Vettel tried to overcome Webber leaving him away of the race. It was clearly a Vettel’s mistake when he tried to take Weeber away from the track.

Red Bull Racing Team... MY FAVORITE!!!

Red Bull Racing F1 Team is owned by the Austriac company of Red Bull drinks. Red Bull acquired the Jaguar Racing scuderia for 110 million dollars, when the team’s house of this scuderia (Ford) announced his retirement from the maximum category.

The team's origins date back to the team created by Jackie Stewart, Stewart Grand Prix, who ran his first race in 1997. The team was bought by Ford and ran under the name of Jaguar during the 2000 season Formula 1. Despite the youth of the equipment compared with other manufacturers like Ferrari and McLaren, it was considered a very successful start, a race won in 1999. Eventhough the many technical and managerial changes (which included the recruitment of high profile personalities such as Niki Lauda and Bobby Rahal, and the failed attempt to attract the designer Adrian Newey, the team never again reached the achievements of the Stewart era.

Following the disappointing results obtained by the team, Ford announced his retirement following the 2004 Formula 1 season.

On November 15, 2004, Red Bull announced that the acquisition was finalized. During the 2005 Formula 1 season, the team kept the drivers Cosworth. The first pilots of the team are David Coulthard and Christian Klien, who debuted in the 2005 season scoring points with both cars in his first two races.

On May 28, 2006 took his first podium of history to finish in 3rd place David Coulthard in Monaco Grand Prix 2006.

After the disappointing results obtained by the team, Ford announced his retirement after 2004’s Formula 1 season.

On November 15, 2004, Red Bull announced that the acquisition was ended. During the 2005 Formula 1 season, the team kept Cosworth driver. The first pilots of the team are David Coulthard and Christian Klien, who debuted in the 2005 season scoring points with both cars in his first two races. On May 28, 2006 took his first podium of history by finishing in 3rd place in Grand Prix of Monaco 2006.

2007

In 2007, the team joined Mark Webber, who, in part, came back "home" after visiting Jaguar in 2003 and 2004. Along with David Coulthard, formed the driver line-up of the team owner. Webber Colulthard and occupied the tenth and tenth to second position in qualifying for Red Bull drivers and ranks fifth in the constructors' standings with 24 points.

2008

Coulthard and Webber were the drivers of that seaso,n Sébastien Buemi signed as test driver. On January 16 the team presented at the Circuito de Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz) the new Red Bull Renault RB4, which improves the 2007 car, especially in the hydraulic system.

2010

This season the scuderia’s pilots are Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, both having very good results and some podiums.

Ferrari in Formula 1

FUNDATION: 1950

DEBUT: Monaco's GP, 1950
HEADQUARTERS: Maranello (Italia)
TEAM'S DIRECTOR: Stefano Domenical

Ferrari's history is very closed to the history of F1, since its origins, Ferrari has been the oldest and most awarded scuderia since 1950.

Scuderia Ferrari is the known name of sports division (Gestione Sportiva) of Ferrari automoviles, it is encharged of the F1 races.

The first scuderia participation was in 1950's Monaco GP, with the 125 F1, driven by Alberto Ascari, he was second, auguring a good relationship between the team and the podium.

Ferrari is the only scuderia that has participated in all the F1 World Championships. The argentinian Jose Froilan González, was the first pilot to win the first victory in this category, in the Silverstone GP in 1951, driving the 375 F1.

The firsts F1 seasons marked the beginnig of the succes for Enzo Ferrari's team with his pilots Alberto Ascari, José Froilán González or the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio. Those yeears were marked by the competiton between the Maranellos with Alfa Romeo or Maserati. The pilots world championsip tittles of 1.952, 1.953 y 1.956 were for Ferrari.

In 1.958, they won the tittle again thanks to Mike Hawthorn, to repeat the total sucess in 1961 with Phill Hill. That was also the year when the team suffered a tragedy with the failure of its pilot Wolfgang von Tips in an accident where also died 12 spectators in the Italian GP.

John Surtees was the nex pilot to win the tittle for the Scuderia list of winners. The nexts years the new technician changes provoqued some inestability that preventes new awards.

Thanks to Niki Lauda,the victory in the Pilots World Championship returned to the team in 1974, and a terrible Lauda's accident didn't allow to get it again in 1975. This tittle returned for Lauda and the team in 1977, and in 1979 who got the tittle was Jody Scheckter.

In 1982 they had to face the Gilles Villeneuve death in a car accident during a trainning session. In the 80's Ferrari got some triumphs as Scuderia. But in 1988 the team had to face Enzo's death when he was 90 years. Without a dubt this were years of transition for the scuderia.

1990 was a historic year because of the duel between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, wich won the Brasilenian pilot.

In 1996 Michael Schumacher arrived and in that same year was about the get his first wolrd tittle, but the team had to waited until 2000 season to see Schumacher won his first World tittle in the F1 with Ferrari and made the team won the first homologue tittle for Constructors. As Schumacher as Jean Todt were promotors af a great change in the team that made it got pilot's world championship in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004. From 1999 to 2004 all the constructors awards were for the Italian team.

In 2007 and 2008 Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa got the constructors tittle and Kimi got his first world tittle too.