Everything You Need to Know About F1

march 14, 2019

Source:Artes Max Lewis Hamilton is the current Formula One champion and soon he will be pitting his skills for Mercedes against a more competitive Ferrari team than we have seen in recent years. This form of motor sport attracts bigger crowds and more bookmaking activity than any other. In fact, together with slots, sports betting generates the most traffic in online casinos of which Formula One plays a big part. Despite its popularity, not everyone knows the basics of Formula One racing. What are the most important questions to answer?

How Long Is a Formula One Race?

Each Formula One race is contested over a minimum of 305 kilometres. The number of laps it takes to get to this total is worked out beforehand, so most races end up being a little over this figure. However, races can be reduced in length for certain reasons on the day of the race; for example, due to interruptions to the planned timetable.

How Long Is the Season?

Running from the end of March until the final race in Abu Dhabi in November, the 2019 Formula One season will be contested over a total of 21 races. There is a mid-season four-week long break towards the end of July. Most races are held a fortnight apart from one another, although there are some back-to-back Grand Prix, too.

Who Is the Favourite to Win the Championship?

Most bookmakers have Lewis Hamilton as the favourite driver to take the 2019 title. According to the latest odds, he is well ahead of Valtteri Bottas, his Mercedes teammate,which is quite remarkable given the pair are to set out in the same car. Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc - both Ferrari drivers - are hotly tipped also. The next most favoured driver is Max Verstappen who drives for Red Bull. Source:AngMoKio

What Are the F1 Flags For?

Flags are still widely used in Formula One even though some courses have electronic signals to back them up. The chequered flag is the most famous, signifying the end of the race. Yellow flags represent a danger and instruct racers to slow. Green flags are the all clear which mean drivers can speed up again. A red flag is shown when the race has been suspended or stopped, usually because of a crash. Finally, when a driver is about to be lapped, he is warned by a blue flag being waved.

How Do You Get Your Starting Position in the Race?

Teams get two practice sessions on the Friday of a Grand Prix to get their cars set up to go as fast as possible. A further session occurs on the Saturday of a race weekend. After this, there are three rounds of qualifying. The fastest timed driver wins the right to sit in pole position on the grid with each driver's place determined by his qualifying time.

How Does a Race Start?

Once drivers have conducted a so-called formulation lap to warm their tyres up, they take their place on the grid. Ahead of them five red lights will appear, one being turned on per second. Once five seconds have elapsed, all five lights go out to signify the start of the race.