F1 Cars

The aero cars of Formula 1 in the late 1970s and early 1980s were already playing with
modern concepts, but they were doing so without the aid of anything close to the
modern computer analysis of aerodynamics today.
Cosworth and the Italian Motori Moderni concern also manufactured V6 turbos during
the 1980s, while Hart Racing Engines manufactured their own straight-4 turbo. By mid-
1985, every Formula One car was running with a turbocharged engine.
all the F1 vehicles had the same three pedals set up as a typical sports car with the
following: accelerator, brake, and clutch. Those three-pedal setups and the gear lever
remained in F1 cars for decades
The Seventies were marked by:
1) the continuation of the evolution of aerodynamics begin in the Sixties (though the
high wings of 1968 and the early part of 1969 were banned during the latter year
because of failures that caused serious accidents);
2) the proliferation of the Cosworth Ford DFV engine which debuted in 1967 and by the
Seventies was being used by most teams, winning seven of the ten drivers and six of the
decade’s manufacturers titles.
3) Lotus’ adoption of ground effects technology, using the routing of airflow through the
body to give unprecedented traction. It was solely their tool in 1977–78 but by 1979,
other teams had embraced the concept so well that the dominant 1978 Lotus 79 was an
also-ran the very next year.

The Eighties saw:

1) the banning of full ground effects due to the fact that when something in the system
failed, cars could suffer extreme and sudden losses of control so became a safety
hazard; mandated flat car bottoms reduced the effectiveness of the technology;
2) turbocharging was introduced by Renault and, though it took some years to get a
modicum of reliability and drivability, eventually everyone went that route for the
substantial increase in horsepower (although they were banned after 1988, they would
return years later);
3) Lotus made a major step by employing complex active suspensions which allowed
control of the angles, heights and stiffness of suspensions over the course of each lap,
enhancing handling more than standard springs and bars;
3) 1989 Ferrari started employing semi-automatic transmissions.

The Nineties were the time of:

1) Electronic driver aids, such as evolutions of active suspensions, semi-auto gearboxes
and also traction control. Many of these either were already in use in street cars or
eventually were adopted by street cars but most were outlawed starting in 1994 in
order to 1) slow the cars down, 2) make drivers a greater factor in performance again
over engineers (didn’t work!), 3) and limit costs.
Other changes over the years were the increased development of tires (which actually
prevented the pursuit of more expensive alternative solutions such as four-wheel-drive
and six-wheeled cars) during the multiple tire-war eras and vastly improved safety
measures which substantially cut down on the annual role call of serious and fatal
injuries.

In 1992, after further development work was done to the gearbox and aerodynamics,
and electronics technology such as a traction control and active suspension system
were added, the B-spec. FW14, known as the FW14B was introduced for the 1992
season. The FW14B was the dominant car that year and Mansell wrapped up the 1992
Drivers' Championship with a then-record 9 wins in a season, whilst Patrese scored a
further win at the Japanese Grand Prix. Patrese did not warm to the car as much as the
FW14, as he preferred the passive suspension in that chassis, whereas the increased
level of downforce generated by the FW14B suited Mansell's aggressive driving style
much better. The main visible difference between the FW14 and FW14B were a pair of
bulbous protrusions above the latter's front pushrods, which contained the active
suspension technology.[7][8] The FW14B also featured a longer nose section.[9][10] The car
had been present at the Australian Grand Prix the previous year, but Mansell had
elected to use the regular FW14 in that race.
F1 cars right now
Aerodynamics play a fundamental role in the overall setup of a Formula One car. An air
duct panel between the front wheel and the side panel, for instance, can add more
speed than two or three extra horsepower. The teams invest as much as up to 20% of
their total budget in understanding the aerodynamics of the car. Wind tunnel testing,
computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and advanced simulation techniques are used to
refine the aerodynamic characteristics of F1 cars.
These cars don't just have powerful engines; they also go lightning fast on the
corners because aerodynamics play's a role in their movement. Aerodynamics, in a
nutshell, means the effect of air on an object and its analysis. It is a known fact that
teams allocate up to 20% of their budgets on the aerodynamics of their cars.
Aerodynamics are essential because they generate downforce, which means that
the cars get pulled into the ground. More downforce means more grip on the
ground, and cars can turn quicker on turns, leading to faster lap times. 
 The Wings: The front part of the F1 car is responsible for 40% of the downforce
that a car generates. It is naturally the first part that comes into contact with air at
high speeds, and it is designed in a way (upside down) to ensure that the car gets
stuck to the ground rather than flying off. The wings also make the car move faster.  

Impact on Racing

The design of the front wing has a significant impact on the racing itself. The downforce
provided by the front wing allows cars to take corners at higher speeds, which can be
the difference between winning and losing a race. However, the design of the front wing
can also impact the car's ability to overtake. The front wing of an F1 car is a critical
component that plays a significant role in determining a car's aerodynamic efficiency.
Not only does it generate downforce, but it also helps to direct airflow around the car,
reducing drag and improving overall performance. The design of the front wing is a
constant area of development and innovation, with teams investing significant
resources in developing and testing new designs. As F1 teams continue to push the
boundaries of what is possible with front wing design, we can expect to see even more
innovation in this area in the future.

Optimization

The downforce in a Formula 1 car has to be adjusted with the track type. With the
change in tracks, the teams' strategy and car's features change. On tracks where
there are more turns, such as the Singapore circuit, the teams alter the features of
their car to create more downforce, which allows the car to take more turns and at
faster speeds to reduce lap times. 

The Engine 

The engines for the new era will remain pretty much the same: 1000hp 1.6-litre turbo
hybrid engine. And from 1st March 2022, these engines will be frozen as all
development is halted. This will be the case until the new power units arrive with new
engine regulations in 2026.

There are currently four manufacturers of homologated power units for use in Formula
1.

 Mercedes : Based in Brixworth and manufactured by Mercedes High-Performance

Powertrains, these engines are used by the Mercedes factory team, and customer teams
McLaren, Williams, and Aston Martin.
 Ferrari : Manufactured from Ferrari’s base in Maranello, the factory team are just one of
three teams using these engines. Joining them are customers Alfa Romeo, and Haas.
 Honda: While officially withdrawn from Formula 1 as a factory effort, the Japanese
manufacturer’s engines are still manufactured from their base in Sakura, and shipped to
Red Bull and AlphaTauri for use in the 2022 season. Red Bull’s new engine department,
branded as Red Bull Powertrains, will eventually take over the manufacturing of their
own engines.
 Renault: Based in Viry-Chatillon, the current Renault power unit is only used by the
factory Alpine (owned by Groupe Renault) outfit.

The Gearbox

The gearboxes are automated, but the drivers use the clutch while starting the car
and change the gears themselves. These gears are mounted on the back of the
steering wheel, and engaging them at the correct times requires a lot of skill.  

Fuel
The cars use fuel made up of compounds normally found in commercial fuels, with no
specific power-boosting chemical compounds. Nowadays, a minimum of 10 per cent of
the fuel must comprise advanced sustainable ethanol.
The cars reportedly go through around 135 litres of fuel during a race, which is said to
be a third less than they did with the more thirsty V8s of old.

Materials
Modern-day Formula One cars are constructed from composites of carbon fibre and
similar ultra-lightweight materials. The minimum weight permissible is 740 kg (1,631
lb) including the driver but not fuel. Cars are weighed with dry-weather tyres fitted.
Other materials used for the construction of F1 cars include polymeric fibres such as
aramids, Zylon, and highly oriented polythylene filaments.
Engineers
There are a lot of engineers in a Formula One team. The vast majority of them work
back at base; their jobs being to conceive, design and constantly optimise the chassis
and the Power Unit, to make sure the car is both reliable and fast.
The limited number of engineers who come to the race track are responsible for
extracting the maximum performance from the car on any given race weekend.

In other words - a race is won at the track, but a Championship is won in the factory.
Let's take a look at the engineers at the track and running through their respective
roles.

How many engineers work at the race track?

Around 15 to 20. As with every role in the team, the people who work trackside are
only the tip of the iceberg.

At the track, the engineers work in different locations. While they all come together in
one room for the engineering meetings before and after each session, some are based in
the garage and others on the pit wall during the sessions."
Power units a team can be used in one season
Years ago there were no restrictions on engine use and teams spent millions producing
special ‘qualifying spec’ engines which were tuned up to the max but would only last a
handful of laps before revving themselves into submission.
Now, to keep costs down, the number of power units allowed in a season is restricted,
with each driver allowed no more than…

 - three engines
 - three turbochargers
 - three MGU-H
 - three MGU-K
 - two energy stores
 - two control electronics
 - eight sets of engine exhaust systems

Teams are allowed to go beyond their allocated number but will be handed grid
position penalties every time they do – so power units are now built to be more robust
than in the past.
2026 season could witness a huge shake-up with new engine suppliers

The FIA has revealed that a total of six engine manufacturers have signed up to
provide power units from the 2026 season onwards when there will be significant
rule changes.

While the likes of Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda will continue to provide
engines for the teams, the likes of Red Bull Ford and Audi will also join in.

Formula 1 currently has 10 teams and is limited to a maximum of 12 up to and

including the 2025 season by the current Concorde Agreement.