2010 Chinese Grand Prix Preview

The fourth and final round of the traditional fly-away start to the season sees Formula One arrive in Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix, but only just. Many teams had arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday, which was just before many European airports closed down over the Icelandic ash cloud which has halted many european sports so far this weekend. Red Bull's Christian Horner had said on Friday that many of his team were "terribly lucky" that they had managed to get out to China and without them, they would have struggled to compete this weekend.

Sebastien Vettel goes into China yet again as the man to beat after his breaktrhough win in Malaysia two weeks ago. Had it not been for two unfortunate incidents in the opening two races, Vettel would have been comfortably leading the championship on a maximum 75 points due to this new points system which has seen the championship table spread out between so many drivers separated by so few points. After the earlier criticisms of the new regulations and how they could be boring the sport, to have so many vying for that top spot is mostly in thanks to the new points system, where championship positions can now change regulary after each race, which is a delightful relief from the old system where first and second place was only seperated by a measly two points.

The Shanghai International circuit is now into its sixth year and since has produced its own share of entertainment. But, sadly the track itself seems to lack imagination and a challange with many long, sweeping, flat out corners and the now infamous long straight into a tight hairpin feature. This is yet another Herman Tilke designed "Tilkedromes". One paticular race that springs to mind was in 2006 when a Ferrari red Michael Schumacher overtook the Renualt of Fernando Alonso, who had decided to stay on his already worn tyres despite having a comfortable lead over the German. This also happens to be the last race that Schumacher has won and the way Schumacher has started his return, it looks to be his latest win for a little while yet.

The Chinese Grand Prix however has come in for criticism from many international fans over the staging of the event which has seen an increasing drop in attendences from the Chinese public with many empty seats visable in most of the grandstands. There has been rumours already that thanks to this the Chinese Grand Prix might not be included on the 2011 calender. Such a decision wouldn't surprise me at all as the attendance at the Chinese Grand Prix is questionable and for such a multi-million dollar project to not produce sell out events is just asking for trouble.

The form book for the Chinese Grand Prix is simple. Red Bull still seem supreme and around China it seems to be business as usual. Vettel and Webber just seem so comfortable in the car. Their one-two in qualifying on Saturday morning only confirms this. Fernando Alonso finally out qualified Felipe Massa for the first time since round one and will look to challenge the Red Bulls into turn one. The Spaniard stayed in touch with Vettel in Bahrain and it will be interesting to see what the Ferrari can do in Shanghai despite his engine failure in Malaysia, which Ferrari have gone on to play down their engine reliability fears. The race could be a walk in the park for Red Bull unless Alonso can either overtake them into turn one, or at least keep on tabs with them throughout the race.

Forecasts for the Sunday race predict rain or at least some form of showers. Rain in China has happened before and like any fan, rain is very much appreciated. Vettel will be going for win number two and perhaps finally the lead in the championship. He has lead at some point in every one of the three Grands Prix so far and few would bet against him doing so tomorrow. If the weather decides to make an appearence, then the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix could become a tasty Chinese take-away.

2010 Petronas Malaysian Gp Review

Sebastien Vettel looked like one of the most relieved men in all of the F1 paddock at the conclusion of the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix. Finally the little German had something to smile about after he led home a Red Bull one-two from team-mate Mark Webber and Mercedes' Nico Rosberg. The Mclarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button finished in the points albeit further down in sixth and seventh after a serious qualifying gaffe which compromised their race.

This could have been a third consecutive win for Vettel. After leading for most of the races in Bahrain and Australia, the German fell foul to Red Bull's poor relibility. In Malaysia such gremlins decided not to bother him and after an impressive start from third to first by the first corner including overtaking pole sitter and team mate Webber, Vettel took supreme control of the race and never looked behind.

The monsoon storms that threatened the race never showed which left the race dry and the question regarding F1's new regulations could be answered after the bore of Bahrain and the rain aided Australian race. This dry race provided action, overtaking, retirements and general entertainment. There was a certain relief at seeing the sight of overtaking in the dry. Lewis Hamilton made his way throughout the field after a qualifying mess up at Mclaren left the Briton at the back of the field. The Sepang circuit with its wide sweeping corners encouraged overtaking and it didnt disappoint.

Sebastien Vettel's win in Malaysia is ominous for the rest of the Formula One championship hopefuls. The Red Bull star has been the best and most consistant driver this season. His poles in Bahrain and Australia and third here in Malaysia suggest the Red Bull is incredibly quick over the one lap qualifying and his race pace is just as quick. If this win is a stepping stone for Red Bull's season, then Ferrari, Mclaren and Mercedes will have to watch out. This Red Bull RB5 looks the deal and if they can sort out its relibility, then Vettel could continue to dominate.

The Malaysian race saw the retirment of two World Champions in Fernando Alonso who, after a race of troubled downshifting, suffered an engine failure halfway through the race. The Spaniard, like Mclaren, found himself cought out in the Saturday rain and at the back of the grid, had a tough race and once again found himself behind team mate Massa who now leads the championship and is two points ahead of Alonso. Michael Schumacher's return to the sport has still yet to get quite off the ground. The German retired twenty laps in thanks to wheel nut coming loose in the mid section of the track. With only 9 points from a maximum 75 so far, Schumacher will need to produce something soon enough as team mate Rosberg seems to be far more comfortable in the Mercedes car.

Towards the back of the grid a special mention for Richard Branson's Virgin team after three races finally got to the chequered flag thanks to a finish from Lucas Di Grassi. After a tough winter testing dogged by relibility troubles and more recently controversy surrounding the legality of their fuel tank, the team finally made it to the flag.

The season opening fly-away Grands Prix continue apace. Next stop is Shanghai in China. Last years Grand Prix in China saw a record low attendance with viewer interest in the country dropping by the year. A switch towards the start of the season last year was made to encourage more viewers but was a fail in the eyes of the race's organisers. Will this year see the same sights as last year like an empty 80,000 seater stand which seemed an absolute disgrace. The Shanghai circuit has produced some interesting races these last few years. Sebastien Vettel won there last year and the way things are going, it could be the exact same situation in two weeks time.

2010 Quantas Australian Grand Prix: F1 Back on Track

If the Australian Grand Prix was prescribed medication, it was just what the doctor ordered without a doubt. The 2010 Australian Grand Prix produced, like the many times beforehand, a race of unpredictability, weather changes, crashes, safety cars and a podium of three drivers which the bookies would have licked their lips at. Jenson Button in only his second race for Mclaren produced a champions drive ahead of the surprising Robert Kubica of Renault and Felipe Massa in the Ferrari. After the processional boredom of Bahrain, Australia set the record straight.

For any spectator unpredictable weather is almost dreamy, for the driver an team it can be quite the opposite. Rain had threatened to fall for most of Saturday and Sunday and it managed to finally make up its mind ten minutes before the start, sending the grid into a craze. Dry tyres were changed to intermediates as the race got underway.

Jenson Button's first win came in the wet of Hungary in 2006, this time he produced what could be one of the decisions of the 2010 season, only 6 laps in the Brit made the bold move to switch to dry tyres. Alot of people thought it was too early and many thought they were right when they saw Button's Mclaren go well wide after only a couple of corners. Soon enough, Button began to produce personal bests after personal bests, ushering the other teams to follow suit. This leap-frogged the Briton into second which could have been first had it not been for that earlier off.

One has to wonder where has Lady Luck been for some of Sebastien Vettel's biggest moments. In Bahrain he fell victim to a spark plug failure which dropped him to fourth despite leading the race from the start. In Melbourne, he was comfortably in the lead when suddenly he found himself beached in Albert Park's notorious gravel traps. The Mclaren mechanics were shocked as they were delighted as this propelled Jenson into the lead from which he never looked back. Vettel's luck would have to be likened to that of former World Champion Kimi Raikkonen during his time at Mclaren, where very unlucky reliability problems robbed the Finn of precious points and ultimately the World Championship. Vettel is already 25 points off Fernando Alonso, who recovered from an opening lap spin to finish fourth. Even with the new points system, to claw back that from someone as consistent as the Spaniard would be some achievement.

Lewis Hamilton had a weekend to forget. Not only was he stopped by the Melbourne Police and had his car impounded for speeding, but he also had to start from a lowely eleventh. Nevertheless the 2008 Champion produced some moments of brilliance to at one point bring him up to third and hound down the Renault of Kubica and looking good to overtake him. This was during a time when many cars headed to pits once again to take on fresh rubber and it was Mclaren that brought in Hamilton and left Jenson out. This pushed Hamilton down the order yet again and at one point it looked the right decision. Hamilton was catching cars in front of him at almost two seconds a lap. With eight laps to go he was on the gear box of Fernando Alonso. But Formula One's famous dirty air came into play once again. Hamilton had no answer and was unable to get passed the Ferrari. Home favourite Mark Webber, who was following suit, ultimately judged his braking point towards the end of the lap, slamming into the back of Hamilton. Webber had to pit, while Hamilton was able to continue on to finish sixth from what could have been second. Afterwards Hamilton was critical of the team's decision to bring him in.

After all the hype surrounding Button's move to Mclaren and the worry that he was essentially moving to "Lewis Hamilton's Team", it was the defending World Champion that managed to take McClaren's first win of the season. The retirement of Sebastien Vettel did of course help the Briton hugely but Button's drive nevertheless was faultless. Button's particular smooth driving style favoured the Melbourne track and never had to pit for a second set of dry tyres, such was his brilliant management of his rubber. Hamilton will now realise that he certainly does have a challenge on him in Button, who was quicker over the weekend. This is just the beginning of a potentially fascinating battle between two very good drivers. Red Bull once again squandered great track position and came away with only a handful of points. They may have the fastest car but reliability is so much more than raw speed. Ferrari still look the best in this category. Always renowned for their brilliant reliability, this years car also has the pace to match it, and although they couldn't make it another one-two, they will take this third-fourth with pleasure and move on to Malaysia.

The return of Michael Schumacher still doesn't seem to be going to plan. The German finished an anonymous tenth and spent the entire race battling a Toro Rosso, a far cry from his glory days. Some were delighted to see him come out of retirement, others feared it might not be such a wise idea and believed he left in 2006 at the right time. This year could prove to be quite embarrassing for the mighty German, but it is still early days.

Although the Australian Grand Prix was dramatic one would have to wonder had it been as such without the changing weather and the safety car period. Though these two provided ingredients for exciting racing the race could have been just as dull as Bahrain had they never appeared. The way Lewis Hamilton was unable to pass the slower Ferrari on old tyres and lacking in grip speaks volumes. Formula One still needs to solve its overtaking problems, not all races can be wet and have unpredictable weather.

Two down, seventeen more to go, the F1 season is only premature still. We've have had two races which produced quite contrasting results in terms of entertainment. The next race in a weeks time in Kuala Lumpor, Malaysia will continue to answer questions that seriously need answering. Melbourne did the world of F1 a favour, but we could be back to square one in just a weeks time. This only adds to the billing of what looks to be a fascinating season.

2010 Qantas Australian Grand Prix Preview

There is a certain air of predicament when the Formula One circus moves into Albert Park Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix. The circuit has for the best part of the last few years has played host the opening round of the season, however this year the circuit comes second in the calender and it's nice to be see the Albert Park Circuit again.

If there is one thing Melbourne differs from Bahrain is it's unforgivingness, with very little room for error around its tight and twist layout around a lake. The circuit is a street for the rest of the year and it not a race track, leaving the drivers with a different challenge from Bahrain, nevertheless it provides them with a full lap of high octane thrills. The circuit's barriers are much closer to the walls in Albert Park than they were in Bahrain which gave each driver plenty of run off area should they have made a mistake. A mistake in Melbourne could be costly, whether its being beached in the gravel trap, or a nasty trip into the barriers. Either way the race is over for any driver after that one lapse in concentration.

Since the season opener in Bahrain, which proved to be quite an anti-climax, there has been a backlash on the the season's new regulations which were put to blame for the poor spectacle in Bahrain. World Champion Jenson Button and the returning Michael Schumacher are just two of the drivers who have gone on to criticise the rules since Bahrain and feared that Formula One may just become a procession, leaving excitement much to be desired. The recent banning of refueling and the rule of starting on the same tyres the top ten qualifiers did their final run on have both come under for their own scrutinee. However many believe that the rules need more time before been judged and Bahrain was no circuit to draw conclusions on these new rules.

Ferrari come into the Australian Grand Prix after their Bahrain one-two and will be expected to be at the front once again. Red Bull Racing and their home-town hero Mark Webber will want to put a stable foot down on the championship after their disappointing start in Bahrain thanks to more relibility problems. Mclaren Mercedes and their all star pairing of Button and Hamilton will certainly want to be mroe closer to the front of the pack. With a lap around Melbourne half a minute shorter than it was in Bahrain, a paticular interest will be taken on the new teams towards the back of the pack, where they were about six seconds off the pace but thanks to the wide Bahrain circuit, very few problems were encountered. Melbourne is much more tighter and these slower cars could cause some disruption to the front and Formula One always takes that little bit of drama very nicely!

The Australian Grand Prix has always produced brilliant races and that is thanks to its tough and tight circuit. Crashes bring out the safety car and then it becomes and total lottery between many. There have been surprise results in the past and you wouldnt want to be a gambler when it comes to the Australian Grand Prix. It could be a Ferrari win just as easily as a Red Bull, Mclaren or Mercedes. The new rules will be closely watched this weekend and if this weekend proves to be as disappointing as Bahrain, then serious questions will have to asked regarding them. This only adds to the excitement and anticipation, it's like the season is starting once again, a sort of re-start. Let the lights go out, lets get racing!

Onboard lap of Melbourne with Hispania's Bruno Senna, the Newphew of the Late Aryton

2010 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix Review

Fernando Alonso did say during winter testing that the Ferrari F10 was the best car he had ever driven, and based over the opening weekend of the 2010 Formula One season, few would incline to doubt him. The Spaniard joins the elite pantheon of Ferrari race winners and, more importantly, a rare group of drivers who managed to win on their Ferrari debut. Even Michael Schumacher couldn't manage that. There is an old saying what a difference a year makes, and for the Prancing Horse it couldn't be said any better after they secured a one-two in Bahrain and the maximum 43 points on offer thanks to new scoring system. Compared to last year it is certainly a huge improvement. Lewis Hamilton also picked up an early podium thanks to the unfortunate Sebastien Vettel, who after leading for the majority of the race, succumbed to an engine exhaust problem, relegating him to fourth at the finish. Comeback star Michael Schumacher only managed a quiet sixth while defending World Champion Jenson Button finished seventh.

This weekend was a step into the relatively unknown with new regulations banning in-race refueling for the first time since 1993 the biggest factor. Each car had to start the race on a giant full tank of fuel, which for any Formula One car creates enough ballast to make any car quite a handful when compared to a lighly fueled car, which was the style of previous years when cars qualified light on fuel and usually pitted for a top-up early on. It was the Red Bull of Vettel who had shocked weekend pace-setters Ferrari on Saturday afternoon and from the lights out it was the plucky young German who led with consonant ease. With refueling not an option, it was up to drivers within their cars to manage the next most crucial part of their car-the tyres. With heavy fuel loads comes greater pressure on the tyres, which can only give a car so much optimum grip before eventually giving way and making the car cry out for a fresh set. From the start the Red Bull of Vettel gave the Ferrari's of Alonso and Massa something to think about. Vettel was fast, very fast and consistant, where the Ferrari's simply had no match.

The task of mechanics making a pit-stop has now become so much more crucial no that refueling has been banned. Tyres must be changed in just over 4 seconds, anything more could seriously affect any race position. Teams have been practicing their tyre switches constantly over the summer, with teams like Mercedes practicing nearly 70 times a day. Once the first round of pit stops was complete the tables turned. Suddenly Alonso, who was now on the harder set of tyres, found himself reeling in Vettel, whose Red Bull wasnt adjusting to the hard set like it was to the softs. Within a matter of laps, Alonso had the gap down to 1.5 seconds, but found himself caught in the all too known "dirty air", where hot air from the car in front disturbs any car behind's aerodynamics. Alonso thus had to back off and bide his time. Sadly, any chance of a duel between Alonso and Vettel were quickly dashed out of the blue when the German suddenly lost power down the straight, thanks to a engine exhaust problem. Alonso took the lead with thanks and was quickly followed by Massa as both Ferrari's raced to the flag to collect their one-two, Vettel continued to race to the flag and to his credit finished fourth.

There was certainly an air of excitement surrounding this weekend for the return of Michael Schumacher for the first time since Brazil 2006. Reunited with Ross Brawn the man who produced so many World Championship seasons at Ferrari, the German felt relaxed amongst all the media attention he received around the Sakhir paddock. Sadly for the German and all those who expected him to produce instant magic, he was never close to victory or even a podium over the entire weekend. Afterwards the 7 time World Champion complained about the new rules and believed that the lack of overtaking in future races will remain the same. His voice was backed up by from other drivers including Lewis Hamilton and defending champion Jenson Button, who like Schumacher, found himself well off the pace and in the one position the entire race to which he believed was like racing in "procession". I would have to agree with all three of their points. Though its certainly a radical change in banning refueling, all the overtaking seemed to be either at the start or within the midfield and back, where lesser teams squabbled it out for pride. Though this is just the first race, one has to wonder is this just the start.

So what of the new teams? Without question it was the Malaysian backed Lotus Racing who covered themselves in glory on their return to the grid, who were the only team out of the three new ones to finish the race. Hispania Racing, who had already conceded the Bahrain Grand Prix as just a practice run had both cars out of the race by the half-way stage, the same went for Richard Branson's Virgin. It will certainly be an almighty battle of pride between these three teams and so far, Lotus have taken a giant lead.

Though it may not have been the explosive start to the season so many had hoped for the first race in Bahrain has produced many questions. Is it Red Bull or Ferrari that is the fastest? Red Bull believe they are and Ferrari vice-versa. Will Red Bull be hampered by more reliability problems yet again as in 2009? Will Mclaren continue to be a good second off the pace of the front? Can Mercedes also close the gap to the front and give the win-hungry Schumacher something more to smile about? Will the next race be another procession? So many questions that will have to wait another two weeks, when the Formula One circus heads to Albert Park, Melbourne. The above questions cant be answered after one weekend, we need more action to make a conclusion.

Start of the Grand Prix. Crucial as Alonso gets the jump on team mate Massa - Click Here

2010 Season Preview

Here we go again! 145 days after the 2009 season concluded in Abu Dhabi, Formula One finds itself back where it left off-the desert! The Sakhir International circuit, located not too far away from Bahrain's capital Manama, is litrally a circuit of tarmac and curbing thrown into the middle of a harsh desert. Sand storms are common as the drivers don their overalls and race in temperatures where one would prefer to relax in the shade. However the drivers must push themselves physically and mentally in this, one of the most demanding races of the season.

The Bahrain Grand Prix has quite an honour of hosting this year's curtain raiser in such a year that has been highly anticipated by many. Not only has the sport witnessed the second coming of the German Michael Schumacher, statically the greatest driver in the history of the sport, but also the fact that this season is shaping up to be one of the closest and most exciting seasons in many years. New regulations including a ban on refueling will make teams think that little bit harder regarding their strategy and cars have been made bigger to accomodate more fuel. Mclaren Mercedes boast one of the strongest line-ups on paper with the last two World Champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton now team mates. The fairy-tale of team of 2009 Brawn Gp, who rose from the ashes of Honda, now find themselves under the famous German Marque Mercedes, who have subsequently signed an all German pairing of Schumacher and Nico Rosberg to drive for them. Double World Chanpion Fernando Alonso once again finds himself back in a competitive car driving for Ferrari with Felipe Massa who is fit again after his horror crash at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Red Bull Racing finished the 2009 season on a high and with the fastest car. Now they head into 2010 full of confidence on going the extra mile after finishing second to champions Brawn. Their line-up is the only one to remain unchanged with Sebastien Vettel and Mark Webber. These 4 teams are the front runners, its been a long time since Formula One has had 4 top quality teams battling it out for the World Championship, at this moment in time it is too close to call.

Bunched up in the midfield we find the squads of Williams, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Force India, Renault and Sauber who are back on the grid after BMW pulled out of the sport citing the economic downturn. Joining BMW in the F1 gravel trap are Japanese giants Toyota who after many years of massive budgets without a single win to their name, decided to pack it in and cut their losses. Rubens Barrichello after a rejuvinated year at Brawn Gp finds himself at Williams partnering rookie Nico Hulkenburg of Germany. At Renault, Pole Robert Kubica is alongside the first Russian in F1, Vitaly Petrov. Force India finished the 2009 season strongly and billionaire owner Vijay Mallaya wants more steps forward to compliment his huge investment in the team. German Adrian Sutil is partnered by former Red Bull driver Vitantonio Liuzzi. For Sauber's re-introduction into the sport the team have decided to go with former Mclaren tester Pedro De La Rosa, who at 39 is one of the oldest on the grid. In stark contrast is his team-mate, the Japanese youngster Kamui Kobayashi. As is the trend within the Formula One midfield these teams will continually take points off one and other and will go all out for that "best of the rest" title, similar to who gets 5th in the Barclay's Premier League.

In order to make Formula One more accessible to independent teams the costs of the sport were dramatically reduced and thus opening the door for new teams. Out of this, 3 new teams find themselves on the 2010 grid. The famous Lotus name returns to the grid albeit under the backing of a Malaysian consortium but still run with the gold and green colour scheme dating back to the Colin Chapman days. Their driver line-up contains experience with veteran Jarno Trulli and Finn Heikki Kovalainen. Originally intended to be known as Manor Gp, Sir Richard Branson and his Virgin group has since bought out the team and has renamed it Virgin Gp. Branson had previously sponsered Brawn Gp last year. Left without a drive after Toyota pulled out, Timo Glock is joined by another rookie Lucas Di Grassi. The final team which was only confirmed in the last few weeks is Hispania Racing Team (HRT). Like Manor, it too was taken over after fears it would have not had enough finances to make the grid. A Spanish consortium based in Valencia bought out the then Campos Meta team and has since secured the places of Brazilian Bruno Senna, nephew of the late Aryton Senna and Karun Chandhock who is only the second Indian in Formula One. The return of the Senna name to the grid has been welcomed by virtually everyone in the paddock. It was Aryton who said in 1993, "You think I am fast? Wait till you see my nephew." These new teams during winter testing have proven to be quite slow in conparision to their much more experienced rivals but we all hope they can improve as the season goes on.

The 2010 Formula One Season is ready and raring to go, and I for one cant wait!

Video on the new rules and regulations. For those unknowing - Click Here!

2010 Season Teams and Drivers & Glossery (With Thanks to BBC Formula One and Formula1.com)

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
1.Jeson Button (GBR)
2.Lewis Hamilton (GBR)

Mercedes GP Petronas
3.Michael Schumacher (GER)
4.Nico Rosberg (GER)

Red Bull Racing
5.Sebastien Vettel (GER)
6.Mark Webber (AUS)

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
7.Felipe Massa (BRA)
8.Fernando Alonso (ESP)

AT&T Williams
9.Rubens Barrichello (BRA)
10.Nico Hulkenberg (GER)

Renault F1 Team
11.Robert Kubica (POL)
12.Vitaly Petrov (RUS)

Force India F1
14.Adrian Sutil (GER)
15.Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA)

Scuderia Toro Rosso
16.Sebastien Buemi (SWI)
17.Jaime Alguersuari (ESP)

Lotus Racing
18.Jarno Trulli (ITA)
19.Heikki Kovalainen (FIN)

Hispania Racing F1
20.Karun Chandhok (IND)
21.Bruno Senna (BRA)

BMW Sauber F1
22.Pedro de la Rosa (ESP)
23. Kamui Kobayashi (JPN)

Virgin Racing
24.Timo Glock (GER)
25.Lucas di Grassi (BRA)

Glossery - For all those terms you need to know

Aerodynamics
The study of airflow over and around an object and an intrinsic part of Formula One car design.

Apex
The middle point of the inside line around a corner at which drivers aim their cars.

Appeal
An action that a team takes on its drivers' behalf if it feels that they have been unfairly penalised by the race officials.

Ballast
Weights fixed around the car to maximise its balance and bring it up to the minimum weight limit.

Bargeboard
The piece of bodywork mounted vertically between the front wheels and the start of the sidepods to help smooth the airflow around the sides of the car.

Blistering
The consequence of a tyre, or part of a tyre, overheating. Excess heat can cause rubber to soften and break away in chunks from the body of the tyre. Blistering can be caused by the selection of an inappropriate tyre compound (for example, one that is too soft for circuit conditions), too high tyre pressure, or an improperly set up car.

Bodywork
The carbon fibre sections fitted onto the monocoque before the cars leave the pits, such as the engine cover, the cockpit top and the nosecone.

Bottoming
When a car's chassis hits the track surface as it runs through a sharp compression and reaches the bottom of its suspension travel.

Brake balance
A switch in the cockpit to alter the split of the car's braking power between the front and the rear wheels according to a driver's wishes.

Chassis
The main part of a racing car to which the engine and suspension are attached is called the chassis.

Chicane
A tight sequence of corners in alternate directions. Usually inserted into a circuit to slow the cars, often just before what had been a high-speed corner.

Clean air
Air that isn't turbulent, and thus offers optimum aerodynamic conditions, as experienced by a car at the head of the field.

Cockpit
The section of the chassis in which the driver sits.

Compound
Tread compound is the part of any tyre in contact with the road and therefore one of the major factors in deciding tyre performance. The ideal compound is one with maximum grip but which still maintains durability and heat resistance. A typical Formula One race compound will have more than ten ingredients such as rubbers, polymers, sulphur, carbon black, oil and other curatives. Each of these includes a vast number of derivatives any of which can be used to a greater or lesser degree. Very small changes to the mix can change compound performance.

Diffuser
The rear section of the car's floor or undertray where the air flowing under the car exits. The design of the diffuser is crucial as it controls the speed at which the air exits. The faster its exit, the lower the air pressure beneath the car, and hence the more downforce the car generates.

Downforce
The aerodynamic force that is applied in a downwards direction as a car travels forwards. This is harnessed to improve a car's traction and its handling through corners.

Drag
The aerodynamic resistance experienced as a car travels forwards.

Drive-through penalty
One of two penalties that can be handed out at the discretion of the Stewards whilst the race is still running. Drivers must enter the pit lane, drive through it complying with the speed limit, and re-join the race without stopping.

Flat spot
The term given to the area of a tyre that is worn heavily on one spot after a moment of extreme braking or in the course of a spin. This ruins its handling, often causing severe vibration, and may force a driver to pit for a replacement set of tyres.

Formation lap
The lap before the start of the race when the cars are driven round from the grid to form up on the grid again for the start of the race. Sometimes referred to as the warm-up lap or parade lap.

G-force
A physical force equivalent to one unit of gravity that is multiplied during rapid changes of direction or velocity. Drivers experience severe G-forces as they corner, accelerate and brake.

Graining
When a car slides, it can cause little bits or rubber ('grains') to break away from the tyre's grooves. These then stick to the tread of the tyre, effectively separating the tyre from the track surface very slightly. For the driver, the effect is like driving on ball bearings. Careful driving can clear the graining within a few laps, but will obviously have an effect on the driver's pace. Driving style, track conditions, car set-up, fuel load and the tyre itself all play a role in graining. In essence, the more the tyre moves about on the track surface (ie slides), the more likely graining is.

Gravel trap
A bed of gravel on the outside of corners designed with the aim of bringing cars that fall off the circuit to a halt.

Grip
The amount of traction a car has at any given point, affecting how easy it is for the driver to keep control through corners.

Installation lap
A lap done on arrival at a circuit, testing functions such as throttle, brakes and steering before heading back to the pits without crossing the finish line.

Jump start
When a driver moves off his grid position before the five red lights have been switched off to signal the start. Sensors detect premature movement and a jump start earns a driver a penalty.

KERS
Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems, or KERS, are legal from 2009 onwards. KERS recover waste kinetic energy from the car during braking, store that energy and then make it available to propel the car. The driver has access to the additional power for limited periods per lap, via a 'boost button' on the steering wheel.

Left-foot braking
A style of braking made popular in the 1990s following the arrival of hand clutches so that drivers could keep their right foot on the throttle and dedicate their left to braking.

Lollipop
The sign on a stick held in front of the car during a pit stop to inform the driver to apply the brakes and then to engage first gear prior to the car being lowered from its jacks.

Marshal
A course official who oversees the safe running of the race. Marshals have several roles to fill, including observing the spectators to ensure they do not endanger themselves or the competitors, acting as fire wardens, helping to remove stranded cars/drivers from the track and using waving flags to signal the condition of the track to drivers.

Monocoque
The single-piece tub in which the cockpit is located, with the engine fixed behind it and the front suspension on either side at the front.

Oversteer
When a car's rear end doesn't want to go around a corner and tries to overtake the front end as the driver turns in towards the apex. This often requires opposite-lock to correct, whereby the driver turns the front wheels into the skid.

Paddles
Levers on either side of the back of a steering wheel with which a driver changes up and down the gearbox.

Paddock
An enclosed area behind the pits in which the teams keep their transporters and motor homes. There is no admission to the public.

Parc ferme
A fenced-off area into which cars are driven after qualifying and the race, where no team members are allowed to touch them except under the strict supervision of race stewards.

Pit board
A board held out on the pit wall to inform a driver of his race position, the time interval to the car ahead or the one behind, plus the number of laps of the race remaining.

Pit wall
Where the team owner, managers and engineers spend the race, usually under an awning to keep sun and rain off their monitors.

Pits
An area of track separated from the start/finish straight by a wall, where the cars are brought for new tyres and fuel during the race, or for set-up changes in practice, each stopping at their respective pit garages.

Plank
A hard wooden strip (also known as a skid block) that is fitted front-to-back down the middle of the underside of all cars to check that they are not being run too close to the track surface, something that is apparent if the wood is excessively worn.

Pole position
The first place on the starting grid, as awarded to the driver who recorded the fastest lap time in qualifying.

Practice
The periods on Friday and on Saturday morning at a Grand Prix meeting when the drivers are out on the track working on the set-up of their cars in preparation for qualifying and the race.

Protest
An action lodged by a team when it considers that another team or competitor has transgressed the rules.

Qualifying
The knock-out session on Saturday in which the drivers compete to set the best time they can in order to determine the starting grid for the race.

Reconnaissance lap
A lap completed when drivers leave the pits to assemble on the grid for the start. If a driver decides to do several, they must divert through the pit lane as the grid will be crowded with team personnel.

Retirement
When a car has to drop out of the race because of an accident or mechanical failure.

Ride height
The height between the track's surface and the floor of the car.

Safety Car
The course vehicle that is called from the pits to run in front of the leading car in the race in the event of a problem that requires the cars to be slowed.

Scrutineering
The technical checking of cars by the officials to ensure that none are outside the regulations.

Sectors
For timing purposes the lap is split into three sections, each of which is roughly a third of the lap. These sections are officially known as Sector 1, Sector 2 and Sector 3.

Shakedown
A brief test when a team is trying a different car part for the first time before going back out to drive at 100 percent to set a fast time.

Sidepod
The part of the car that flanks the sides of the monocoque alongside the driver and runs back to the rear wing, housing the radiators.

Slipstreaming
A driving tactic when a driver is able to catch the car ahead and duck in behind its rear wing to benefit from a reduction in drag over its body and hopefully be able to achieve a superior maximum speed to slingshot past before the next corner.

'Splash and dash'
A pit stop in the closing laps of the race when a driver calls in for just a few litres of fuel to be sure of making it to the finish.

Steward
One of three high-ranking officials at each Grand Prix appointed to make decisions.

Stop-go penalty
A penalty given that involves the driver calling at his pit and stopping for 10 seconds - with no refuelling or tyre-changing allowed.

Tear-off strips
See-through plastic strips that drivers fit to their helmet's visor before the start of the race and then remove as they become dirty.

Telemetry
A system that beams data related to the engine and chassis to computers in the pit garage so that engineers can monitor that car's behaviour.

Torque
Literally, the turning or twisting force of an engine, torque is generally used as a measure of an engine's flexibility. An engine may be very powerful, but if it has little torque then that power may only be available over a limited rev range, making it of limited use to the driver. An engine with more torque - even if it has less power - may actually prove quicker on many tracks, as the power is available over a far wider rev range and hence more accessible. Good torque is particularly vital on circuits with a number of mid- to slow-speed turns, where acceleration out of the corners is essential to a good lap time.

Traction
The degree to which a car is able to transfer its power onto the track surface for forward progress.

Traction control
A computerised system that detects if either of a car's driven (rear) wheels is losing traction - ie spinning - and transfers more drive to the wheel with more traction, thus using its more power efficiently. Outlawed from the 2008 season onwards.

Turbulence
The result of the disruption of airflow caused by an interruption to its passage, such as when it hits a rear wing and its horizontal flow is spoiled.

Tyre compound
The type of rubber mix used in the construction of a tyre, ranging from soft through medium to hard, with each offering a different performance and wear characteristic.

Tyre warmer
An electric blanket that is wrapped around the tyres before they are fitted to the car so that they will start closer to their optimum operating temperature.

Understeer
Where the front end of the car doesn't want to turn into a corner and slides wide as the driver tries to turn in towards the apex.

Undertray
A separate floor to the car that is bolted onto the underside of the monocoque.