Formula 1 Racing

[Blackferne]

So Austin is hosting a big race pretty much shutting downtown this weekend. Anyone follow F1 who can tell me what I should know about this racing thing?

[Skiggity]

F1 is the the pinnacle of autosport. The cars have more in common with an F-22 Raptor than they do with a car; insane power-to-weight, even crazier aerodynamics.

The current formula has them running 2.4-liter engines (about the same combustion chamber size as a base-model Camry) that are so highly tuned they spin at 18,000 RPM and crank out about 900 horsepower, plus a battery-powered boost they get for a few seconds every lap. So, the same power as a fully uncorked NASCAR stock car. They weigh about 1200 pounds WITH the driver in them. They accelerate like crazy, and brake and corner even harder. Thanks to sticky tires and the aforementioned aerodynamics, they generate THOUSANDS of pounds of downforce, allowing them to corner and decelerate at 5+ g's.

And like Soccer, F1 is rare in the US, and HUGE everywhere else in the world. Drivers are paid amounts that make US Football stars look like hobos. More than a BILLION people watched F1 last year on TV.

I know Timmy's a fan. I've been lax in watching all the races this year, but I find the sport fascinating.

The crazy thing is, they've done a lot to slow the cars down. 20 years ago they were well over 1000 horsepower with 1.5-liter turbo engines. That's like a prius engine, with so much boost it's more powerful than a Bugatti Veyron. but they were a bit fickle.

Here's one of my favorite what's-an-F1-car like clips, from Top gear a few years back. They stick a very capable driver, a professional automotive journalist, in an F1 car to show just exactly why it's a big deal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGUZJVY-sHo

[Maizan]

I think I would have loaded shorts in that beast.

Maizan

[Darklinda]

2nd to last race of the season spanish pilot Alonso was almost all season in 1st place with a worse car (ferrari) now Vetel with a red bull (with a renault engine) the best car right now for 1 lap is in 1st with 10 points over the 2nd (alonso) last race vetel started in the last position and finished 3rd the austin race is new so they only tested it on a simulator

[TimmySchneeks]

Well,

As a Prius driver I'd like to say "please don't hurt me."

It's the opposite of that, basically. It's a huge party with lots of people pretending to be European and drinking a lot (at least, it was in Canada, eh), and some REALLY loud and fast cars drive around. Even if you might be bored watching on TV or don't nerd out about the horsepower and technology and which color tire is which compound, the spectacle of it all is pretty incredible in person - the sounds, the smells, and the stuff you see that the TV director doesn't focus on. Though, if you have no interest in racing at all, it might just be loud (but then you probably wouldn't have started the thread).