Behind the checkered flag: Not just about the cars
Formula One is not only one of the world’s biggest sporting events but a cultural phenomenon. What is its success formula? Let’s take a Deep Dive.
🏆 The word “formula” refers to a set of rules and regulations that participants must adhere to, while “one” indicates that it is the highest class of the competition.
🏎️ During the race, the split-second decisions based on real-time data made by the F1 teams can determine if they win or lose. It can also be a matter of life or death for their driver.
🏁 The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) governs the motorsport races worldwide. It also governs the Formula Two and Three—feeder races to the top-tier Formula One—Formula E and the junior category Formula Four.
⌛ In 2019, F1 announced its plans to achieve net zero by 2030. This means cutting about 256,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, which was what was produced during its race season that year.
QUOTABLE
"To achieve anything in this game, you must be prepared to dabble in the boundary of disaster.”
Sir Stirling Moss, former F1 driver
BY THE NUMBERS
$135 million To level the playing field, a cost cap of $135 million was implemented on expenditures related to car performance—but not engines—for the 2023 season. This amount is down from $140 million last year.
305 The minimum required distance for each race is 305 km. The only exception is the Monaco Grand Prix, which sits at 260.286 km.
13 The 1998 Belgian Grand Prix remains the most dramatic F1 race in history, as it saw a 13-car pile up just seconds after starting.
QUIZ
What was the total revenue that Formula One generated in 2022?
A. $1.164 billion
B. $2.573 billion
C. $10.92 billion
Scroll to the bottom for the answer.
DID YOU KNOW?
The sport is racing to attract more women drivers, with Formula One Academy, the all-female feeder race to Formula One, launching its inaugural season in 2023.
THE EDIT
🚥 No safety nets, but a safety car instead. When the race hits a dangerous note, the safety car leads the pack.
🌐 Behind the tech. F1 has partnered a major tech giant to power its global operations and give it extreme agility.
🌎 Air, land and sea. Moving millions of dollars of car parts, communication equipment and personnel requires precision, speed and global coordination on a grand scale.
WATCH
Fancy yourself an F1 driver? Well, they are a unique bunch and not everyone is cut out to be one.
THE FULL PICTURE
Of the 22 Formula One Grand Prix races last year, the United States Grand Prix weekend was the best-attended event with 440,000 spectators.
KEY PLAYER
Marquis Antonio Brivio-Sforza
A former bobsled gold medalist and Grand Prix racer from Milan, Marquis Antonio Brivio-Sforza is often credited as the man who mooted the idea of the Formula One World Championship.
HONOUREE TO KNOW
Bianca Bustamante
In 2022, Bianca Bustamante became the first Filipino racing driver to compete in the W Series, the leading women’s motorsport event. She is now part of the Italian team Prema Racing, one of the leading junior outfits, competing in the Formula 4 UAE Championship and the F1 Academy series.
