Why do I love F1?

A lot of friends ask me that. In words of one, "whats so great about watching cars run around the same track 70 times wasting precious fuel"
Now how do i explain to her, that a modern Formula One car is a technical masterpiece and has almost as much in common with a jet fighter as it does with an ordinary road car....that what we see on the track is the latest in automotive technology...most of which will soon find its way into ordinary road cars.

Every year FIA modifies rules to try and cut down speed, and every year the cars keep getting faster (this year has been an exception because of the single tyre regulation). Its like a challenge between the engineers of various teams on who can come up with a more ingenious idea to get that few km/hr extra. I can only imagine the thrill these lucky few people get.

Imagine aerodynamics capable of developing 3.5 g lateral cornering force (three and a half times its own weight) . That means that, theoretically, at high speeds they could drive upside down!!(Race car wings operate on exactly the same principle as aircraft wings, only in reverse.)
Imagine brakes that can bring you to a halt from 200 km/hr within 55 metres, all within 1.9 seconds.
Tyres (cause of all the trouble in the US grand prix) with an underlying nylon and polyester structure in a complicated weave pattern are designed to withstand far larger forces than road car tyres - typically with a lifespan of about 200 kms. All racing tyres work best at relatively high temperatures, Formula One dry 'grooved' tyres are typically designed to function at between 90 degrees Celsius and 110 degrees Celsius. To ensure that the tyre pressure stays as constant as possible during these changes in temperature a special mixture of low density gases is used to inflate them rather than air.

The engine, at the heart of the formula 1 car is a marvel in itself. A 3000 cc engine that produces over 800 Bhp, most road cars prduce about 100 Bhp using a 2000 cc engine. Revving to over 18,000 RPM a modern Formula One engine will consume a phenomenal 650 litres of air every second (causes the slipstream effect) and go from a standing start to 200km/hr in about 5 seconds. 5 seconds!! There in lies the answer to the question...its the science behind the formula 1 race car that I enjoy so much and this is why I have been a fan for about 12 years now:) .