Car Racing Dna By Fabrizio Domingos Costa Ferreira

Cockpit Safety

At the heart of the monocoque lies the survival cell and within that the cockpit.

For safety reasons, no fuel, oil or water lines may pass through the cockpit and thedriver must be able to get out within five seconds without having to removeanything except seatbelts and steering wheel.

The width of the cockpit must be 50 centimetres at the steering wheel and 30centimetres at the pedals. The temperature inside the cockpit averages 50 degreesCelsius.

Power Unit And ERS

The internal combustion engine of a Formula One car must 1.6-litres in capacity and rev-limited to 15,000rpm.

The engine must also have six cylinders arranged in a 90-degree formation, with two inletand two exhaust valves per cylinder and a single turbocharger.

Fuel flow to the engine is limited to 100 kilograms/hour.

The overall weight of the power unit must be a minimum of 145kg.

The Energy Store must be installed wholly within the survival cell and must weighbetween 20kg and 25kg.

Gearbox

Each driver may use no more than one gearbox for six consecutive events.

Cars must have eight forward gear ratios as well as a reverse gear.

Every unscheduled gearbox change will require the driver to drop five places onthe grid at that meeting.

Although gearbox ratios are fixed for the season, teams may change gears or dogrings at any time during an event providing that the FIA technical delegate issatisfied that there is physical damage to the parts in question.

Brake System

Formula One cars must have one brake system operated through a single brake pedal. Nobraking system may be designed to prevent wheels from locking when the driver appliespressure to the brake pedal.

Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are not allowed - brake pressure must be controlled bythe driver’s physical input only and not by any other system.

The rear brake control system is allowed provided that the driver brake pedal is connectedto a hydraulic master cylinder that generates a pressure source that can be applied to therear braking circuit if the powered system is disabled.

Tyres And Wheels

Front wheels must be between 305 and 355mm wide, the rears between 365 and380mm.

With tyres fitted the wheels must be no more than 660mm in diameter (670mmwith wet-weather tyres). Measurements are taken with tyres inflated to 1.4 bar.

If the race is started behind the safety car because of heavy rain… the use of wet-weather tyres until the safety car returns to the pits is compulsory.

Fuel Usage And Refueling

Cars may use no more than 100kg of fuel in each race (with the power unit regulations stipulating that fuel flow must not exceed 100kg/hour). Drivers exceeding the fuel limit during a race will be immediately excluded from the race results.

Teams are not permitted to add or remove fuel from a car during a race. In other occasions during the weekend they may refuel cars but only in their respective garages, and only at a rate of 0.8 liters per second.

Suspension And Steering Systems

Formula One cars must have conventional sprung suspension. Any powereddevice which is capable of altering the configuration or affecting theperformance of any part of any suspension system is forbidden.

Any system, such as active suspension, that can alter the suspension or itsgeometry while the car is moving is forbidden.

Suspension members must have a symmetrical profile for the majority oftheir length.

Electrical Systems

All components of the power unit, gearbox, clutch and differential, in addition to all associated actuators, must be controlled by the standard ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

The electrical and software systems of all cars are inspected by the FIA at the start of the season and the teams must notify them in advance of any subsequent changes.

All pit to car radio transmissions must be open and accessible to both the FIA and broadcasters.

Testing F1 CarTeams are permitted to carry out no more than 15,000km of testing with a currentcar (or previous year’s car) in a single calendar year.

During testing) cars being driven by drivers who do not possess a Super Licencemust be fitted with a green rear light which must be illuminated at all times the caris on the track.

Testing can only take place with one car per team at FIA-approved sites andcannot take place outside of Europe without the agreement of a majority of theteams.

Penalties And Driver Protocol

There are strict rules governing on-track behavior and stewards have the power toimpose various penalties on a driver committing an offence during a race orpractice session.

Unless it was completely clear that a driver was in breach of any of the above,any incidents involving more than one car will normally be investigated after therace.

Race Start Procedure

30 minutes before the start of the formation lap the pit exit will be opened and carswill be permitted to leave the pit lane to cover a reconnaissance lap. At the end ofthis lap they will stop on the grid in starting order with their engines stopped.

17 minutes before the start of the formation lap, a warning signal will be givenindicating that the end of the pit lane will be closed in two minutes.

Any car which does not complete a reconnaissance lap and reach the grid under itsown power will not be permitted to start the race from the grid.

Points Classification And Race Distance

At the conclusion of each Grand Prix, the top ten finishers will score points towardsboth the drivers’ and constructors’ world championships, according to thefollowing scale:

1st 25 points2th 18 points3rd 15 points4th 12 points5th 10 points6th 08 points7th 06 points8th 04 points9th 02 points10th 01 points

Pit-lane Procedures

The FIA allocate garages and an area in the pit lane to the teams on a strictly equalbasis.

Within these designated garage areas is one position - or pit box - where pit stopsmay be carried out during practice sessions, qualifying and the race.

No powered device may be used to lift any part of a car in the pit lane during arace.

The Safety Car And Suspending A Race

To maintain competitors’ safety over a race weekend, particularly in the event of anaccident or extremely poor conditions, the FIA has two main methods ofneutralizing a practice session or race: the safety car or the virtual safety car (VSC).

The VSC procedure may be initiated to neutralize a practice session or a race uponthe order of the clerk of the Course. It will normally be used when double wavedyellow flags are needed

Television Cameras And Timing Transponders

Throughout a Grand Prix weekend all cars must be fitted with at least five on-boardcameras or on-board camera housings. Any decision as to whether a camera orcamera housing is fitted in those positions will be by agreement between therelevant Competitor and the Commercial Rights Holder. Article 20.3.1 of the 2016FIA Technical Regulations

A camera must always be mounted on top of the air box above the driver’s headmust always contain a camera. A camera or camera housing must be fitted at theother four locations, depending on broadcast decisions.

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