Know the worth of each second

H. Kishie Singh

The Formula One season is in full swing. It is one of the most exciting spectator sports. It is also one of the most expensive. And the fastest and the safest. 

The F1 car moves at speeds of up to 200 kmph controlled by a human who is also moving at the same speed. These are air craft speeds, but the F1 car has all four wheels on the ground. What is so outstanding about F1 racing? 

An F1 car can accelerate from zero to 160 kmph and back to zero in four seconds. Engines in today’s cars can last up to 25 years or more and the maximum rpm is about 6,500 rpm. F1 engines red line at 18,000 rpm. This means that the piston travels up and down 300 times a second. This is the reason for the hair-raising shriek from the exhaust.

The life-span of an F1 engine is about two hours, which is why the race never lasts more than 90 minutes. The disc-brakes have to slow and stop the car from aircraft speeds. The friction produces heat of up to 1000 degree celsius. At this temperature, steel would melt, thus carbon fiber which has a much higher melting point is used. 

On hard braking, the G-forces are equivalent of a jet fighter landing on an aircraft carrier deck. It is like driving an ordinary car into a brick wall at 300 kmph!

The tyres on your car can last up to 60,000 to 80,000 km. F1 tyres last no more than 120 km. They are filled with nitrogen, an inert gas, which maintains a constant temperature. Refueling is lightening quick — 12 litres per second! This means that the 65 litre tank of your car can be topped up in under five seconds.

More than a kilometre of wiring links 100 sensors, which monitor and control the car. There are no gear shift levers, just paddles. If you have them in your car, they originated in F1 cars. About 80,000 components make up a F1 car. Assembly has to be 100 per cent. If it was 99.9 per cent, the car would be short of 80 components. 

During pit-stops, the crews take no more than four to five seconds to change all four tyres and refuel.

Happy Motoring!

This is what happens during a Pit Stop

0 second: The car stops, gear in neutral, foot on brake.

1.0 second: The wheel-gun-crew uses pneumatic guns to undo the wheel nut. The jack men, front and rear, raise the car.

1.5 seconds: Refueling begins.

2.5 seconds: All four wheels are off. 

The wheel-on-crew replaces the wheels. Another crew member cleans and replaces the driver’s visor.

3.0 seconds: The wheel-gun-crew tightens the wheel nuts. That done, they raise the right hand to signify — done. 

3.5 seconds: The jack-men lowers the car on to its wheels.

4.0 seconds: The lollypop-man signals the driver to select first gear. 

4.5 seconds: The fuel hose is disconnected in 0.3 seconds.  The lollypop-man signals — go.

5.0 seconds  or less: Tally ho! The race is on!

If all this is impressive, consider how the cars are timed. The sophisticated telemetry and sensors on each car are timed to .001 of a second. That is one thousandth of a second.