Copy of `Inside Formula 1 - F1 glossary`

The wordlist doesn't exist anymore, or, the website doesn't exist anymore. On this page you can find a copy of the original information. The information may have been taken offline because it is outdated.

Inside Formula 1 - F1 glossary Category: Sport and Leisure > F1 Racing Date & country: 31/07/2014, UK Words: 73

Undertray
A separate floor to the car that is bolted onto the underside of the monocoque.

Tyre warmer
An electric blanket that is wrapped around the tyres before they are fitted to the car so that they will start closer to their optimum operating temperature.

Tyre compound
The type of rubber mix used in the construction of a tyre, ranging from soft through medium to hard, with each offering a different performance and wear characteristic.

Tub
Another name for the chassis or monocoque, so called because of its shape.

Turbulence
The result of the disruption of airflow caused by an interruption to its passage, such as when it hits a rear wing and its horizontal flow is spoiled.

Turbocharger
Attached to the engine, a turbocharger uses an exhaust driven turbine to drive a compressor to increase the density of the intake air consumed by the engine. Denser air helps an engine create more power for its size. The residual heat energy contained in the exhaust gases after expansion in the cylinders of the engine is converted to mechanical sha...

Traction control
A computerised system that detects if either of a car's driven (rear) wheels is losing traction - ie spinning - and transfers more drive to the wheel with more traction, thus using its more power efficiently. Outlawed from the 2008 season onwards.

Traction
The degree to which a car is able to transfer its power onto the track surface for forward progress.

Telemetry
A system that beams data related to the engine and chassis to computers in the pit garage so that engineers can monitor that car's behaviour.

Torque
Literally, the turning or twisting force of an engine, torque is generally used as a measure of an engine's flexibility. An engine may be very powerful, but if it has little torque then that power may only be available over a limited rev range, making it of limited use to the driver. An engine with more torque - even if it has less power - may actu...

Stop-go penalty
A penalty given that involves the driver calling at his pit and stopping for 10 seconds - with no refuelling or tyre-changing allowed.

Steward
One of three high-ranking officials at each Grand Prix appointed to make decisions.

Slipstreaming
A driving tactic when a driver is able to catch the car ahead and duck in behind its rear wing to benefit from a reduction in drag over its body and hopefully be able to achieve a superior maximum speed to slingshot past before the next corner.

Sidepod
The part of the car that flanks the sides of the monocoque alongside the driver and runs back to the rear wing, housing the radiators.

Shakedown
A brief test when a team is trying a different car part for the first time before going back out to drive at 100 percent to set a fast time.

Sectors
For timing purposes the lap is split into three sections, each of which is roughly a third of the lap. These sections are officially known as Sector 1, Sector 2 and Sector 3.

Scrutineering
The technical checking of cars by the officials to ensure that none are outside the regulations.

Rumblestrip
A bumpy, often saw-toothed strip of kerbing usually found on the exit of a corner to warn the driver of the edge of the track.

Ride height
The height between the track's surface and the floor of the car.

Reconnaissance lap
A lap completed when drivers leave the pits to assemble on the grid for the start. If a driver decides to do several, they must divert through the pit lane as the grid will be crowded with team personnel.

Retirement
When a car has to drop out of the race because of an accident or mechanical failure.

Protest
An action lodged by a team when it considers that another team or competitor has transgressed the rules.

Prime tyre
Of the two tyre compounds nominated by the official tyre supplier for use at each Grand Prix, the prime is the compound that is in theory best suited to that particular circuit's characteristics. Normally harder than the option tyre.

Practice
The periods on Friday and on Saturday morning at a Grand Prix meeting when the drivers are out on the track working on the set-up of their cars in preparation for qualifying and the race.

Powertrain
The term used to describe the entire system providing an F1 car's power. The powertrain (or power unit as it is sometimes known) comprises of the engine, two Energy Recovery Systems (ERS) and an Energy Store.

Plank
A hard wooden strip (also known as a skid block) that is fitted front-to-back down the middle of the underside of all cars to check that they are not being run too close to the track surface, something that is apparent if the wood is excessively worn.

Pole position
The first place on the starting grid, as awarded to the driver who recorded the fastest lap time in qualifying.

Pit board
A board held out on the pit wall to inform a driver of his race position, the time interval to the car ahead or the one behind, plus the number of laps of the race remaining.

Pit wall
Where the team owner, managers and engineers spend the race, usually under an awning to keep sun and rain off their monitors.

Pits
An area of track separated from the start/finish straight by a wall, where the cars are brought for new tyres and fuel during the race, or for set-up changes in practice, each stopping at their respective pit garages.

Paddock
An enclosed area behind the pits in which the teams keep their transporters and motor homes. There is no admission to the public.

Parc ferme
A fenced-off area into which cars are driven after qualifying and the race, where no team members are allowed to touch them except under the strict supervision of race stewards.

Oversteer
When a car's rear end doesn't want to go around a corner and tries to overtake the front end as the driver turns in towards the apex. This often requires opposite-lock to correct, whereby the driver turns the front wheels into the skid.

Out brake
A term used to describe a driver braking either too late or too softly and subsequently overrunning a corner. A common mistake made during overtaking moves.

Monocoque
The single-piece tub in which the cockpit is located, with the engine fixed behind it and the front suspension on either side at the front.

Marshal
A course official who oversees the safe running of the race. Marshals have several roles to fill, including observing the spectators to ensure they do not endanger themselves or the competitors, acting as fire wardens, helping to remove stranded cars/drivers from the track and using waving flags to signal the condition of the track to drivers.

Lollipop
The sign on a stick held in front of the car during a pit stop to inform the driver to apply the brakes and then to engage first gear prior to the car being lowered from its jacks.

Lock-up
The term used to describe a driver braking sharply and 'locking' one or more tyres whilst the others continue rotating. Tyre smoke and flat spots are common side effects.

Heat cycle
A term used to describe the process by which a tyre is heated through use and then cooled down. This has the effect of slightly changing the properties of the compound and can improve durability.

Grip
The amount of traction a car has at any given point, affecting how easy it is for the driver to keep control through corners.

HANS Device
Short for Head and Neck Support Device, a mandatory safety device that fits over the driver's shoulders and connects to the back of the helmet to prevent excessive head and neck movement in the event of an accident.

Headrest
The removable energy-absorbing foam that surrounds the driver's helmet in the cockpit. Three different grades of foam are used, depending on the ambient temperature.

Graining
When a car slides, it can cause little bits or rubber ('grains') to break away from the tyre's grooves. These then stick to the tread of the tyre, effectively separating the tyre from the track surface very slightly. For the driver, the effect is like driving on ball bearings. Careful driving can clear the graining within a few laps, but will obvio...

Gravel trap
A bed of gravel on the outside of corners designed with the aim of bringing cars that fall off the circuit to a halt.

ERS
Energy Recovery Systems, or ERS for short, consist of Motor Generator Units that harness waste heat energy (from the turbocharger) and waste kinetic energy (from the braking system). This energy is then stored and subsequently used to propel the car. An F1 car has two ERS: MGU-K (which stands for Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic) and MGU-H (which sta...

Formation lap
The lap before the start of the race when the cars are driven round from the grid to form up on the grid again for the start of the race. Sometimes referred to as the warm-up lap or parade lap.

DRS
Also known as adjustable rear wings, DRS (Drag Reduction System) rear wings allow the driver to adjust the wing between two pre-determined settings from the cockpit. The system's availability is electronically governed - it can be used at any time in practice and qualifying (unless a driver is on wet-weather tyres), but during the race can only be ...

Endplate
The vertical panels that form the outer edges of a car's front and rear wings and to which the main wing elements are attached.

Drivers' briefing
A meeting of all the drivers and the FIA race director to discuss issues relating to that particular Grand Prix and circuit. Other subjects, such as driving standards and safety, may also be discussed.

Drive-through penalty
One of two penalties that can be handed out at the discretion of the Stewards whilst the race is still running. Drivers must enter the pit lane, drive through it complying with the speed limit, and re-join the race without stopping.

Drag
The aerodynamic resistance experienced as a car travels forwards.

Delta time
A term used to describe the time difference between two different laps or two different cars. For example, there is usually a negative delta between a driver's best practice lap time and his best qualifying lap time because he uses a low fuel load and new tyres.

Diffuser
The rear section of the car's floor or undertray where the air flowing under the car exits. The design of the diffuser is crucial as it controls the speed at which the air exits. The faster its exit, the lower the air pressure beneath the car, and hence the more downforce the car generates.

Downforce
The aerodynamic force that is applied in a downwards direction as a car travels forwards. This is harnessed to improve a car's traction and its handling through corners.

Compound
Tread compound is the part of any tyre in contact with the road and therefore one of the major factors in deciding tyre performance. The ideal compound is one with maximum grip but which still maintains durability and heat resistance. A typical Formula One race compound will have more than ten ingredients such as rubbers, polymers, sulphur, carbon ...

Degradation
A term used to describe the process by which a tyre loses performance or grip. Different from tyre wear which concerns the process by which the tread is worn away.

Clean air
Air that isn't turbulent, and thus offers optimum aerodynamic conditions, as experienced by a car at the head of the field.

Coanda effect
The tendency of a fluid jet, such as airflow, to be attracted to a nearby surface. F1 aerodynamicists use the effect to help divert airflow to specific areas of the car, for example from the exhaust exit to the rear diffuser.

Cockpit
The section of the chassis in which the driver sits.

Camber
The angle at which a tyre leans into or away from the car relative to the vertical axis. Engineers will vary camber to improve a car's handling characteristics.

CFD
Short for Computational fluid dynamics, a tool used by F1 designers that uses complex mathematics and simulation to predict aerodynamic airflow. Normally used in conjunction with traditional wind tunnel research.

Chassis
The main part of a racing car to which the engine and suspension are attached is called the chassis.

Chicane
A tight sequence of corners in alternate directions. Usually inserted into a circuit to slow the cars, often just before what had been a high-speed corner.

Bottoming
When a car's chassis hits the track surface as it runs through a sharp compression and reaches the bottom of its suspension travel.

Brake balance
A switch in the cockpit to alter the split of the car's braking power between the front and the rear wheels according to a driver's wishes.

Bargeboard
The piece of bodywork mounted vertically between the front wheels and the start of the sidepods to help smooth the airflow around the sides of the car.

Blistering
The consequence of a tyre, or part of a tyre, overheating. Excess heat can cause rubber to soften and break away in chunks from the body of the tyre. Blistering can be caused by the selection of an inappropriate tyre compound (for example, one that is too soft for circuit conditions), too high tyre pressure, or an improperly set up car.

Bodywork
The carbon fibre sections fitted onto the monocoque before the cars leave the pits, such as the engine cover, the cockpit top and the nosecone.

Apex
The middle point of the inside line around a corner at which drivers aim their cars.

Appeal
An action that a team takes on its drivers' behalf if it feels that they have been unfairly penalised by the race officials.

Autoclave
A device that uses heat and pressure to 'cure' carbon fibre, the primary material Formula One cars are made of.

Ballast
Weights fixed around the car to maximise its balance and bring it up to the minimum weight limit.

Airbox
The engine air intake above the driver's head, which also serves as the car's roll hoop.