{"id":42479,"date":"2022-09-27T13:51:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-27T05:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/?p=42479"},"modified":"2022-11-02T16:11:17","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T08:11:17","slug":"formula-1-for-dummies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/blog\/formula-1-for-dummies\/","title":{"rendered":"Formula 1 For Dummies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


Off to the races this weekend, but want to ensure you\u2019re well-prepped? Rev up your knowledge on all things F1 with our quick and dirty guide that\u2019ll give you all you need to appreciate the fast cars, talented drivers, and their teams a whole lot more. <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Watching a new sport can be tough, especially when it comes with such a storied history, and of course, with a million and one technical terms to be aware of. But with all things, it just takes a little bit of patience, a whole lot of binge-watching, and a touch of guidance to become a full-fledged fan. To help you out, we\u2019ve put together a little something that\u2019ll offer just enough to get you acquainted with the world of Formula 1 \u2014 enough to know what\u2019s about to go down this weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix! Read on for our Formula 1 For Dummies guide on everything to do with this weekend’s adrenaline-filled race!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udc9c Stay Up To Date:<\/strong>
\u2013 How YouTrip Keeps Your Data Safe<\/a>
\u2013 The F1 Silver Screen: Films To Watch This F1 Season<\/a>
\u2013 Japan\u2019s Reopened For Travel: Hot Spots To Visit<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Formula Whuuut? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Formula<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Image credits: Montreal Grand Prix<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Formula One, or F1 as we know it, is the highest level of professional single-seat motor racing sport in the world. While the first-ever F1 race was the 1946 Turin Grand Prix, the modern era of F1 racing only began in 1950. However, the spirit of Grand Prix racing actually dates back all the way to the 1890s. Imagine this: huge, bulky, upright cars racing along public roads at about 30km\/h \u2014 a far cry from today\u2019s average of 257km\/h in turbocharged hybrid power units sporting sleek, aerodynamic set-ups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, there are about 21 F1 races per season with three kinds of circuits \u2014 street circuits like Monaco and Singapore, hybrid circuits in Australia, and purpose-built circuits in Bahrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formula 1 For Dummies: Click here<\/strong><\/a> to learn more about the F1 circuits<\/em> in 2022<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Qualifications<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Formula<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Image credits: Eurosport<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Of course, the road to driving in the F1 is paved with plenty of twists and turns; it is, after all, reserved for the creme de la creme in the motorsport world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a driver to even have a chance at the F1, they would have to fulfil set criteria that\u2019ll earn them a Super Licence. This includes having to compete across various championships and raking up points across said competitions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, through events called feeder formulas, drivers can work on their skills and chalk up their experience points to join the best of the best. The more notable events include Formula Three, which is pretty much the rite of passage for most amateur drivers looking to go pro, and Formula Two, which is essentially where the up-and-coming drivers show their skills. Drivers who make a name at the F2 level are pretty much on the road to racing in the F1. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from locking in the fastest timings, drivers and constructors also pay close attention to accumulating points. However, these are only awarded to the first ten finishers of each race. Why is this so important? Well, that\u2019s because drivers and constructors are in it for the long haul; the World Championship title goes to those who score the highest number of points during the season \u2014 which also means more moolah for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca1 Fun fact: if you ever bemoaned the lack of gender diversity in F1 races, you may be pleased to hear that there\u2019s a new W series designed to address this issue. Introduced in October 2018, the W series is a free-to-enter single-seater motor racing competition for women drivers. Unlike the other competitions, drivers in the W series will all drive the same car make, focusing purely on talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formula 1 For Dummies: Click here<\/a><\/strong> to learn more about F1’s qualifying rules <\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Teams and Drivers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Formula<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Image credits: Unsplash<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What\u2019s unique about Formula One is that your teammate can also be your biggest competition and that one\u2019s success is not only based on talent but a combination of strategy, technology, teamwork, and willpower. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At every F1 race, there will be ten teams, with two drivers representing each team. Here are the teams that have qualified for the season, alongside the drivers that will be making their appearance in Singapore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfce\ufe0f<\/strong> Mercedes \u2014 Lewis Hamilton & George Russell 
\ud83c\udfce\ufe0f Red Bull \u2014 Max Verstappen & Sergio Perez
\ud83c\udfce\ufe0f Ferrari \u2014 Charles Leclerc & Carlos Sainz
\ud83c\udfce\ufe0f McLaren \u2014 Daniel Ricciardo & Lando Norris 
\ud83c\udfce\ufe0f Alpine \u2014 Fernando Alonso & Esteban Ocon 
\ud83c\udfce\ufe0f AlphaTauri \u2014 Pierre Gasly & Yuki Tsunoda 
\ud83c\udfce\ufe0f Aston Martin \u2014 Sebastian Vettel & Lance Stroll
\ud83c\udfce\ufe0f Williams \u2014 Alexander Albon & Nicholas Latifi 
\ud83c\udfce\ufe0f Alfa Romeo \u2014 Valtteri Bottas & Zhou Guanyu
\ud83c\udfce\ufe0f Haas \u2014 Mick Schumacher & Kevin Magnussen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formula 1 For Dummies: Click here<\/a><\/strong> to learn more about this year’s F1 teams<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Basic Terminologies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Formula<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Image credits: Autosport<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now that you’ve gotten up to speed with the history and teams, we’ll move on to the need-to-know terminologies. We\u2019ll start off with the most iconic of them all: the flags \ud83c\udfc1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udfe8 Yellow flag<\/strong> \u2014 signals to slow down and proceed with caution 
\ud83d\udfe6 Blue flag<\/strong> \u2014 signals when a car is about to lap (a.k.a overtake) another car
\ud83d\udfe5 Red flag<\/strong> \u2014 signals a stoppage because of imminent danger
\ud83d\udfe9 Green flag<\/strong> \u2014 signals go-ahead and indicates the formation lap 
\u2b1b Black flag<\/strong> \u2014 signals that a driver has been disqualified due to reckless behaviour
\ud83c\udfc1 Chequered flag<\/strong> \u2014 signals the end of a session<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Next, we move on to the commonly-used jargon (don’t worry we won\u2019t go into technicalities here!): <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1<\/strong>. Grid:<\/strong> the formation of each driver\u2019s starting position at the beginning of the race. Where a driver starts on the grid is crucial and can determine whether they stand a chance to win or not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Formation lap:<\/strong> Also known as the warm-up or parade lap, this lap happens before the start of a race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Pole position:<\/strong> The first place on the starting grid is awarded to the driver who recorded the fastest lap time during the qualifying round. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. In lap:<\/strong> The lap that the driver performs when they are headed towards the pit for a pitstop. During a race, this lap can be pretty powerful as drivers can really push their car to the limits since they\u2019re changing their tyres, making up for the time they\u2019ll lose while pitting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5<\/strong>. SC or VSC: <\/strong>These stand for Security Car and Virtual Security Car respectively. These are used to ensure that the tracks are clear of any obstructions such as debris or crashed cars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Parc Ferm\u00e9:<\/strong> A French term that literally translates to \u2018closed park\u2019. This refers to when a car is returned and parked in a secure area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formula 1 For Dummies: Click here<\/a><\/strong> for an F1 Glossary of all things Formula 1 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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So, What\u2019s Going To Happen This Weekend?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Formula<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Image credits: F1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We\u2019re glad you asked! As you should\u2019ve noticed by now, F1 Grand Prix typically takes place over the weekend \u2014 and the flow of events remains consistent no matter which instalment of the series. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traditionally, teams would be out and about on Thursday morning for media conferences. However, to help give the teams more wiggle room between races, they have shifted all media conferences to Friday. Now, Thursdays are when teams conduct their track walks and for the FIA, or F\u00e9d\u00e9ration International de l\u2019Automobile to carry out any necessary checks at the venue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, the excitement starts creeping in. On Friday and Saturday, teams will conduct three 1-hour practice sessions, and these are known as FP1, 2, and 3. During this time, they test and perfect their car\u2019s setup, draw data on how the driver is performing, get a feel for the track, and of course, familiarise themselves with the circuit. While the lap times during these practice sessions don\u2019t necessarily mean anything, F1 enthusiasts still look forward to these sessions as they offer so much insight into the sport as a whole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday evening is when the qualifying round begins. This hour-long session will see three short but crucial sessions \u2014 Q1, Q2, and Q3 \u2014 where individuals compete for the pole position, where a driver starts the race at the front of the grid. Apart from the actual race on Sunday, the qualifying race is probably equally as exciting, as it is essentially a race to avoid the elimination zone. It\u2019s during this hour that you\u2019ll see rankings change rapidly as drivers try to outrank one another in whatever time they have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Sunday is where the magic happens. Nearly two hours of literal non-stop action that\u2019ll keep you at the edge of your seats. In the Singapore Grand Prix, that\u2019s 61 laps of adrenaline!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formula 1 For Dummies: Click here<\/a><\/strong> to purchase Singapore F1 GP Tickets<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lights Out And Away We Go!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Formula<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Image credits: Bloomberg<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An exhilarating weekend of races and entertainment is just around the corner, and we can\u2019t wait to get in on all the action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you choose to catch the races in person or in the comforts of home, you can now look forward to the weekend knowing that you\u2019re pretty much up to speed with the basics of the sport. Don\u2019t forget to use your YouTrip card for race day snacks and merchandise, because you\u2019ll get to enjoy those sweet wholesale exchange rates<\/a> while skipping on pesky bank fees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sign up now and be sure to check out our YouTrip Perks<\/a> page for exclusive offers and promotions too! For more great tips and articles like this, join our Telegram(@YouTripSG)<\/a> and subscribe to our free weekly newsletter here<\/a> or down below! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while you’re at it, why not join the conversation with thousands of #YouTroopers in our very own Community Telegram Group @YouTripSquad<\/a>? Get tips and tricks to everything YouTrip including exclusive invites to exciting events and experiences, & be part of the #YouTripSquad! \ud83d\udc9c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rev up your knowledge for the F1 weekend!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":42508,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8119,623,1],"tags":[39483,39450,39453,39482,39431,39132],"class_list":["post-42479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides-tips","category-lifestyle","category-uncategorized","tag-f1-101","tag-f1-grand-prix","tag-formula-1","tag-formula-1-for-dummies","tag-lifestyle","tag-trending"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42479"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42479\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.you.co\/sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}