In honor of the release of the F1 Movie, let’s talk about the science of real life F1 racing.
Much like airplanes F1 cars rely on aerodynamics to achieve a high performance on the track. Engineers consider lift, drag, and downforce and more when designing these magnificent cars. The vehicles need to counteract lift, a force that pushes the cars upwards. The front of the cars have wings which generate downforce and also guide air underneath the car. With too much lift it is difficult to ensure that the cars have enough grip and stability, which makes racing less safe; that’s why the wings are so important.
The halo is a tubelike structure enclosing the cockpit of an F1 car which protects drivers in the case of a collision. The halo is made out of titanium, a light material that can withstand thousands of pounds. The design of halo allows for flex and deflection, or warping, which helps to absorb impact energy. The halo can be credited with saving numerous drivers lives. The halo saved the life of the F1 movies producer Lewis Hamilton in 2021 when he crashed with Max Verstappen.
Any F1 fan knows that tires are a large part of racing strategy. Teams look to get the maximum grip out of tires, or the maximum friction between the rubber of the tires and the road. Tyres need to be an optimal heat. Too cold, and the tires are stiff; too hot and the tires degrade. Teams use tire blankets to heat tires up to around 70 degrees Celsius before races, so they have maximum grip via adhesion.
Watch our offical F1 Movie Instagram Reel below:
Featured Image: https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/brad-pitts-f1-movie-delivers-box-office-masterclass-for-apple-with-293-million-earnings/10741151/
Sources:
https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/feature/the-incredible-science-of-f1
https://news.miami.edu/stories/2022/05/experts-explain-the-science-behind-formula-one-cars.html
The Fieldston Science Bulletin 
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