How a Formula 1 Race Car Works

I'm Jake O'Neal, creator of Animagraffs.  And this is how a Formula 1 race car works. Let's start with Aerodynamics,  which is how the car interacts with and moves through the air around it. 

It's best to focus on overall theory here to avoid getting lost in the absolute  maze of individual aerodynamic features. The front wing curves upward, forcing air to move  around it in such a way that a high pressure area forms above the wing, with a lower pressure area  beneath. This pressure difference is a contributor to a kind of suction force called "downforce"  that pushes or sticks the car to the track.

Where the wing ends and these different pressure  zones meet, the air crashes into itself, creating a spiraling vortex. Vortices  cause drag, which tugs at the car, slowing it down. A cap on the wing tip interrupts  vortex formation for a less intense effect.

The pointed, curved-in surfaces on the  inside edge of the wing intentionally shape and direct a vortex around the floor of the car,  sealing in the clean air that passes underneath. So, while vortices do cause drag, they're also a useful tool to separate  and seal in different areas of airflow. As a matter of tradition, F1 cars  don't have fenders, and the open, spinning wheel and tire combination is  a major source of dirty, turbulent air.

Turbulent air is unpredictable and  not very useful for aerodynamic goals, like generating downforce. Directly behind  the tires, barge boards condition or "clean up" some of this airflow while also pushing  lots of dirty wheel air away from the body. The narrow gap between the car floor and the track turns the entire floor into a giant  downforce generator as air squeezes, thins, and rushes beneath the car at a  different rate and pressure than overhead air.

The floor has a forward tilt or "rake" that  creates very low pressure at its narrowest point, but allows air to more smoothly rejoin  ambient air pressure as it flows out the back. A diffuser at the rear amplifies this goal,  with its more pronounced upward curvature. The diffuser also has vertical  vanes to control and direct the massive vortices that form behind the  car as air pours out from underneath.

Clean air is directed into the  side pods for cooling purposes; this stream passes through the car and out the  back beneath the rear wing. The smoothly contoured body guides airstreams gracefully around bodywork  for predictable handling under extreme conditions. The upward-curved rear wing, which is another  critical downforce generator, has notched end caps, with gaps, and louvers to allow some  air to combine early, altering and shaping rear wing vortex characteristics.

It's also where,  in wet conditions, the noticeable, misty wing tip vortices sometimes appear in plain sight. A hydraulic actuator tilts a section of the rear wing when the drag  reduction system or DRS is engaged, generating less rear downforce  but allowing higher overall speed. The massive area of dirty air behind the car  can make it difficult for other cars to approach and overtake.

It's worth noting here,  that in coming years the aerodynamic design regulations for F1 cars are set for  major changes to encourage closer racing and overtaking. The airflow pattern might look  more like this than the current wide, dirty wake. Now let's go underneath this exterior bodywork,  starting with the core support structure.

A carbon fiber shell called a monocoque, the  engine heads and block, and the gearbox enclosure form the main structural  support for all other systems. There's no additional frame or chassis  underneath. Key components are either mounted directly to the surface or  housed inside of these sections.

Suspension Both front and back suspension setups share similar components: upper  and lower wishbone arms with a push or pull rod. The wishbones are rigid structural supports  with limited vertical travel. At the front, where heat isn't an issue, wishbones are  directly attached to the monocoque and have simple flexure joints,  designed to bend under load.

At the rear, where engine heat can be  intense, spherical bearings are used. The push or pull rod is where the action  happens. Our model has push rods in the front and pull rods in the back, which simplified,  just indicates how the system is mounted: to push or pull connected suspension  parts.

If parts can be mounted down low for a lower center of gravity, all the better. The pull-rod connects to a rocker and damper, which we call shock absorbers in normal  cars. But instead of large coiled springs, F1 suspension uses a small metal rod called a  torsion bar that twists under load.

One side of the torsion bar moves with the outer cylindrical  shaft while the other side is stationary. Both independent suspension sides are linked to a  central roll bar that twists to limit body roll. Heave is the vertical position of the car, which  is critically important for proper aerodynamics.

The heave spring and damper cleverly come into  play when both sides move up or down together, for example, during acceleration or braking,  but are mostly inactive for other movements. The heave spring in our model is a stack  of flexible, cone shaped washers that compress together under load. Washers can  be added or subtracted for fine adjustments.

The front suspension handles similar tasks  to the rear, but with different techniques. The steering system is closely packaged with  front suspension. A track rod links each tire to a fairly standard hydraulic rack and pinion  setup, with the steering column extending into the cockpit.

The rear suspension has a track  rod as well for vertical tire angle adjustment. All wheels must be attached to the car with  wheel tethers. These are strong cables that keep wheels connected to the car in the event of  an accident.

They're required to pass through more than one suspension element for increased safety. With few exceptions, most exposed suspension elements are either made from or bonded with  carbon fiber for better aerodynamics forms. This is another major reason suspension  parts are packaged inside body work, away from outside air wherever possible.

Braking system A master cylinder and reservoir controls and  stores hydraulic fluid for braking. F1 cars have two master cylinders and accompanying reservoirs,  for front and rear brakes respectively. The cylinders are mounted to the brake pedal on one  end, and a threaded brake bias screw on the other.

This bias screw is electronically controlled,  and can be adjusted on the fly as directed by the driver. The screw position allows  different pressure to the front or rear brakes. Brake lines snake through suspension elements  to the brake caliper and shoe assembly.

Intense brake heat must be precisely managed,  so the entire inner wheel assembly is covered by a ducted carbon fiber shroud. The front  wing helps direct air into brake ducts and through the inner wheel for cooling. The calipers are mounted at the lowest possible position for proper brake bleed --  that is, ensuring troublesome air bubbles can escape hydraulic brake lines -- while  maintaining a low center of gravity.

The brake discs and shoes are made from  a carbon-based material. The disc has thousands of small holes extending from the  center outwards for maximum cooling effect. The rear brakes have a similar design  strategy but have become smaller in recent years with the addition of the  MGU-K, or Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic.

The MGU-K is geared to the crankshaft and  functions as an electrical power generator to charge an on-board battery, as driven  by a portion of rear braking forces. A computer mounted inside the gearbox enclosure  manages and balances this complex system. The wheels are secured to the hub with a single  wheel nut.

Metal retention pins keep the nut securely in place. A specially designed wheel  gun pushes these pins down when removing the nut. Engine and associated systems F1 cars use 6 cylinders in a V configuration.

The pistons are somewhat flat and  small to suit the high-revving engine. Intricate exhaust headers feed a comparatively  massive turbine at the rear of the engine which is part of a split turbocharger design that  separates these normally stacked turbo components. Red-hot exhaust gasses drive the turbine wheel, which in turn spins the  front-mounted compressor wheel, drawing in and compressing huge quantities of air.

All this pressure adds unwanted  heat to the incoming air, so one entire side pod is  dedicated to the intercooler. That path of incoming air looks like  this: the compressor draws air in through an intake duct mounted in the roll  hoop above and behind the driver's head. Hot air leaves the compressor  towards the intercooler.

Side pod air rushes by the intercooler's tubes  and fins, cooling the compressor air inside. The now cooled air passes through special split  ducting that feeds separate intake plenums. These are chambers designed to keep air  pressure balanced between cylinders.

Intake trumpets extend into the plenums for  specially tuned air delivery to each cylinder. The sidepod air flows by and cools the engine and other internal parts on its  way out the back of the car. The exhaust section of the turbo has dual  wastegates corresponding to each exhaust input, to vent off excess gases when needed.

Wastegate  pipes follow the main exhaust pipe out the back. A high-tech heat recovery unit sits  between these turbo compartments, called the MGU-H, or Motor Generator  Unit - Heat. Excess heat from turbo gases drives this unit to act as an electric  generator to charge the on-board battery.

Energy Recovery System (ERS) The MGU-H and the previously shown MGU-K together  make up the hybrid functionality of the modern F1 car. Both units generate electrical charge for the  battery. Once sufficiently charged, the battery can send power back through the MGU-K unit, which  again, is geared to the crankshaft.

In this way, the MGU-K can generate an additional maximum 160  hp, or as much as a separate small car engine. Cooling Various additional radiators for cooling occupy the opposing side pod. This includes the  main engine cooling radiator, an oil cooler, and a battery cooler.

An additional bank of radiators  sits in the path of a separate roll hoop air duct, to cool hydraulic oil, gearbox  oil, and the MGU-H and K systems. F1 teams may locate specific radiators in  different positions than I've shown here, though the general available spaces will  be similar. They may also use water-driven intercooling for turbo air, in contrast to  the simpler air to air setup I've chosen.

Fuel tank The fuel tank, also called a fuel cell, is a nearly  puncture-proof kevlar bladder lined with rubber. It occupies an isolated compartment in the carbon  fiber monocoque shell, and fills all available space. F1 fuel cells can hold an incredible  30-40 gallons (115 - 150 liters) of fuel, which is just enough for a single race  as pit-stop refueling is not allowed.

These cars get an estimated 4-6 miles  per gallon of fuel (1. 7 - 2. 55 km/L) The tank has various internal baffles with  one-way valves to tame the sloshing liquid under incredible racing forces.

The goal is  to keep the large fuel mass centered and low, and also to prevent foaming  and fuel pump starvation. The engine oil tank is placed  between the engine and fuel cell. Gearbox The 8-speed gearbox (7 forward plus reverse) sits behind the engine in its own aluminum cartridge. 

The rear differential gears connect to rear axles with special tripod joints that allow spinning  axles to tilt with the rear suspension movement Safety systems F1 cars have robust safety systems. The rear crash structure protects  against rear impact. Side crash structures are concealed within the aerodynamic bodywork.

The  removable front nose section handles front impact, and the all-important monocoque forms  a protective cocoon around the driver. Also attached to the monocoque: a halo  device which was implemented in 2018 for additional driver safety, and a roll hoop. The driver's helmet is kept within a specific angle from the roll hoop to the body for  maximum protection in the event of a rollover.

Cockpit F1 racing seats are crafted from molds taken from a specific driver's body. The driver  sits in a reclined position, almost like laying semi-upright in a hammock. A six-point  harness keeps the driver in place.

The seat wraps around the driver's body wherever possible,  and safety structures surround the helmet area. Drvers wear a special brace called the HANS  or head and neck device to limit head movement in adverse conditions. A connected strap  clips to either side of the helmet, and the shoulder harness straps keep  the device pressed against the driver.

A drinks tube extends over the shoulder; it's connected to a small fluid reservoir  to keep drivers hydrated while racing. Drvers use different helmet front and rear  spoiler designs to keep their helmets from lifting or moving around with sometimes  dramatically shifting air pressures. In recent years, the visor opening has  further narrowed to protect the more fragile visor area from puncture or breakage.

Cockpit design makes efficient use of all available space, such that drivers  must remove the steering wheel to exit. Steering wheel This is the famed Formula 1 steering wheel. Drver's mostly don't need to  remove their hands from the wheel for steering, so the wheel doesn't need to be round.

A customizable display at the center shows  the current gear as the largest item, along with things like lap times, tire and  brake temperatures, average speed, and so on. The daunting array of knobs, dials, and LEDs gives drivers and teams fine controls that  can be adjusted on the fly during a race. Clockwise from the upper left, there's the  energy recovery system dial to control the MGU H and K.

Left and right menu navigation buttons. A  push to talk radio switch for team communication. LED warning lights for critical systems, a  row of LEDs across the top of the display acts as a rev counter and shift light system,  the launch control switch, which is turned on for race starts and off when racing, the brake  balance dial for front and rear brake bias, a pit limits button to automatically impose things  like pit lane speed and acceleration restrictions, an engine mapping dial to alter engine  performance characteristics, DRS toggle button, rear differential lock open or closed adjustment,  with separate turn entry and turn exit adjusters.

The drinks dispenser button.  More settings navigation buttons. Three programmable preset dials for  the engine, chassis (suspension), and a scenario selector for things like  wet weather or tire preservation presets.

The neutral button is for neutral and reverse  gears, which can't be selected with rear paddle shifters. A "message ok" button, an overtake  button to instantly apply optimal settings for overtaking, and finally, a hydraulic settings  dial to control the complex hydraulic components spread throughout the car, for example  in the gearbox and suspension systems. Paddles at the back of the steering  wheel handle gear shifting up or down.

The middle paddles are driver customizable. And  both bottom paddles actuate the clutch. Only one clutch paddle can be used for race start.

Once in  motion, the clutch isn't needed for gear shifting. Further down into the cockpit we see the  gas pedal with contours to wrap around the driver's foot so as to keep pedals completely  separate, and the brake pedal on the left. Sensors There are sensors all over these cars.

For example, a pilot  tube at the front measures air speed. The driver's custom moulded earplugs have  an accelerometer to track head movement. There's a microphone at the  rear to pick up exhaust sound.

For size comparison, here's our average height  driver model standing beside an average sized car, next to our Formula car. Even with the level of detail I've strived to attain here, there's so much more. Formula  1 cars really are incredible racing machines.