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 A |
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A-1 RING |
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Since 1997, current permanent home of the
Austrian Grand Prix, the newest F1 European 4.319-km track is located near
Spielberg, southern Austria. The circuit is full of short straights, slow
corners and tight hairpins. |
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ACTIVE SUSPENSION |
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Hydraulic actuators in the suspension
which control ride height during a race. The actuators were controlled by
computer software aligned to each track. In 1993, this was banned by the
F.I.A. after the season. |
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ADELAIDE |
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Home to the Australian Grand Prix for ten
years (1985-95). Now it's held at Albert Park circuit, Melbourne, Australia.
The track once wound its way through city streets, and included a
purpose-built section in the middle of a horse-racing oval. |
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AERODYNAMICS |
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Science that relates to air in motion and
its effects to objects. In motor racing (unlike aviation), bodywork design
is used to promote down force. This basically means that the moving air
presses the car down against the track the faster it goes. |
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AINTREE |
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English racetrack just five miles north of
Liverpool. Hosted the British Grand Prix in 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961-62. An
attempt was made to convert horse racing steeplechase track to motor racing,
in a 4.828 km configuration. |
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ALBERT PARK |
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The Australian Grand Prix has had its home
here ever since 1996. The 5.303-km track is located within the city of
Melbourne. |
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ANDERSTORP |
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Based in southern Sweden; the home of
Scandinavian Raceway and the site of the Swedish Grand Prix 1973-78. Niki
Lauda was the sole double winner of the Swedish Grand Prix (Ferrari, 1975;
Brabham-Alfa Romeo, 1978). |
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ANDRETTI, MARIO |
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This
American champion won his title in 1978 and ended up contesting 128 Grands
Prix with 12 GP victories. Andretti also won the CART title in 1984 and
notched up 52 wins in the American based series. |
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APEX |
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The center point of a turn. |
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ASCARI, ALBERTO |
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Ascari
was Ferrari’s first ever world champion winning the 1952 and 53 World
Championships. The Italian won 13 GP's, scored 12 fastest laps and 14 Pole
Positions. |
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ASN FIA |
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Approved national motor sport body. |
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ATMOSPHERIC ENGINE |
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A combustion engine which runs on a
mixture of vaporized fuel and air. Normally, an aspirated engine
(atmospheric engine), is not forced into the combustion chambers but enters
the chambers at the normal atmospheric pressure. |
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B |
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BAKERVILLE |
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A specially built TV compound for FOCA-TV
(named after Eddy Baker, head of the FOCA-TV services), It broadcasts
high-definition digital TV live images worldwide via satellite. |
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BALACLAVA |
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A flame retardant, mask-like head covering
worn by the drivers, complete with openings for the nose, eyes and mouth. |
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BALANCE |
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So that the vehicle may smoothly negotiate
the circuit, a condition is set-up in a race car so there is no over steer
nor under steer. |
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BERLIN |
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One-time site of the German Grand Prix
(1959) spanning a 8.3-km road course (AVUS). The race was won by Tony Brooks in a
Ferrari 246. |
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BLACK FLAG |
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Shown in conjunction with a white number
to a driver for dangerous or non-sporting on-track conduct. The offending
driver must stop at his team's pit within one lap and consult the Clerk of
the Course. A black and white diagonal flag is a "once-only" warning to a
driver for non-sporting on-track behavior, while a black flag with red spot
shown in conjunction with a competitor's number indicates the driver's car
has a mechanical problem and he is must stop at his pit. |
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BLUE FLAG |
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At all times: A stationary blue flag is
shown to a driver when exiting the pits to indicate other cars are
approaching on the track at racing speed. During practice: Stationary - a
faster car is behind. Give way. Waved - A faster car behind is about to
overtake. Give way urgently. During Grand Prix: Stationary - A car behind is
about to pass. Let it pass. Waved - Let the car behind through immediately
or risk being penalized. |
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BRABHAM, JACK |
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Australian Sir Jack Brabham won the world
championship in 1959, 60 and 66 with Cooper Climax (59, 60) and Brabham
Repco (66). |
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BRANDS HATCH |
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Brands Hatch: home to the British Grand
Prix in even-numbered years between 1964 and 1986. Occasionally it also
hosted the European Grand Prix (1983 and 1985). Based near Maidstone, Kent
(southeast of London). |
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BREMGARTEN |
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A Swiss town to the west of Zurich. The
Bremgarten circuit was the home of the Swiss Grand Prix from 1950-54
inclusive. |
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BRIDGESTONE |
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Japanese tire manufacturer. |
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BRITISH AMRICAN RACING
(BAR) |
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The Brackley-based F1 team that was formed
in 1999 by Craig Pollock and Adrian Reynard. A regular midfield contender,
the squad is partnered by Honda in works association, and is backed by the
massive British American Tobacco conglomerate. For 2002 the team have lost
Pollock at the helm and signed Dave Richards to run the team. |
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BUGATTI CIRCUIT |
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Once the site of the French Grand Prix
(1967) near the La Sarthe circuit. Used for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Currently it is mostly used for French national-level motor sport events. |
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C |
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CARBON FIBRE |
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A light and immensely strong space-age
material used to build the car's monocoque chassis; body, front wing and
rear wing assembly, front suspension cover and separate floor section. |
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CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS |
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Points are awarded per race for the F.I.A.
Formula One Drivers' and Constructors' Championships as follows: 1st-10
points, 2nd-6 points, 3rd-4 points, 4th-3 points, 5th-2 points and 6th-1
point. |
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CHASSIS |
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The framework of a race car (and any motor
vehicle), including the suspension and wheels, to which all other elements
of the car are connected. A modern F1 race chassis is constructed of carbon
fiber composite material and provides a structure that is durable, extremely
light and strong. |
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CHECKERED FLAG |
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This signals the end of the race for the
drivers. |
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CHICANE |
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A tight combination of corners inserted
into a straight on a racing circuit. Supposed to slow down the cars. |
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CLARK, JIM |
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One of the best drivers in Grand Prix
history, Clark was tragically killed in a minor race outing in Germany.
Before that he won two World Championships and 25 wins. |
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CLERK OF THE COURSE |
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Is the person ultimately responsible for
all operational on-track issues related to the running of a motor race
meeting. |
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CLERMONT-FERRAND |
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Circuit of the French Grand Prix in 1965,
1969-70, and 1972, to the south of Paris. Still used for national races. |
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COCKPIT |
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The area of the chassis, or monocoque, in
which the driver sits. The driver has a custom-made seat (which has been
made extractable since of January 1, 1999), and once strapped in he is
effectively only able to move his head, arms and legs. |
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COCKPIT PADDING |
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A deformable material positioned around
the cockpit of Formula One cars, particularly around the driver's head.
Intended to provide protection (accidents) and support (g-forces). |
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CONCORDE AGREEMENT |
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An signed agreement between the F.I.A. and
teams, in force from 1997 to 2001 inclusive. Consists of a series of
provisions that deal with the distribution of TV and race participation
income as well as changes to the sporting and technical regulations. In
1998, it was updated and signed by all teams. |
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CONSTRUCTOR |
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A constructor is the chassis manufacturer.
In most cases, this is different to the engine manufacturer, and the name of
the chassis manufacturer is always given before that of the engine
manufacturer. In the event of winning the Constructors' World Championship,
the title is awarded to the chassis manufacturer. |
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CYLINDERS |
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Cylinders in a Formula One race car may
not exceed 12, and there can be no more than five valves per cylinder.
Currently, all Formula One engines are of V10 configuration. |
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D |
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DATA RECORDER |
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Each car is equipped with a sensor unit
which monitors and records data relevant to accidents and/or incidents.
Teams must ensure the data recorder is available and accessible to the F.I.A. |
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DENNIS, RON |
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Is the managing director of TAG Heuer
Group. In 1966, Ron Dennis began his career in motor racing with the Cooper
Racing Company before joining the Brabham Racing Team two years later. Ron
launched his own business in 1971, called Rondel Racing, in order to compete
in the European F2 Championship. In 1974, he created the Project Three team
- two years later it evolved into the Project Four team - for his continued
contesting of the European F2 Championship and other various formulae, Ron
successfully steered the team to the BMW M1 Pro-car title in 1979. One year
on, Project Four and Team McLaren Ltd merged, forming McLaren International
Ltd, with Ron Dennis ascending to lead the company in 1982. McLaren
International achieved considerable success in Formula One in the 1980s till
the early 1990s, and, in its present incarnation as the West McLaren
Mercedes team, is the reigning double world champion. Incidentally Ron
Dennis is married and the father to three children. |
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DETROIT |
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Seven Grand Prix were held here, five
called USA-Detroit, run in 1982-86, and two editions of the U.S. Grand Prix,
in 1987-88. All seven races took place on the same 4.023 km downtown
circuit. Brazilian Ayrton Senna won the final USA-DETROIT race, in 1986, and
the two subsequent U.S. GRAND PRIX events, in 1987-88, to score a "hat
trick" on the streets of "Motor City". |
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DIFFERENTIAL |
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The mechanism, usually found inside the
gearbox casing, that drives and regulates both drive shafts, allowing them
to rotate at different speeds. |
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DIJON |
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The Dijon-Prenois circuit in central
France. Once home to five editions of the French Grand Prix, (in 1974, 1977,
1979, 1981 and 1984). In 1982, a single race of the Swiss Grand Prix was
also run here. |
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DIRTY AIR |
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The turbulence created by the passing of a
car. Another car following closely in this air finds its aerodynamics
disrupted. With down force cut drastically, the car behind has less
effective steering, less GRIP and may spin off. |
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DONINGTON PARK |
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Located outside Derby, this 4.023-km race
track was a famous pre-war site of the British Grand Prix. In the modern
era, it hosted the 1993 European Grand Prix, won memorably by McLaren's
Ayrton Senna. |
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DOWN FORCE |
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Force created by air flowing over and
around the bodywork, wings and suspension of a race car that promotes
adhesion to the track as the speed is increased. |
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DRIVE-BY-WIRE |
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An electronic system that involves the
elimination of a direct mechanical link between the throttle pedal and
engine. Throttle input is electronically fed to an on-board engine control
unit (ECU) that then manages the behavior of the engine accordingly. Also
known as fly-by-wire. |
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E |
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EAGLE |
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A type of Formula One car developed by Dan
Gurney's All-American Racers team and raced by him between 1966 and 1969.
Gurney's Eagle scored the sole victory at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1967. |
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EAST LONDON |
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Indian Ocean resort city. Home to the
first three South African Grand Prix, in 1962-63 and 1965. |
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ECCLESTONE, BERNIE |
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Head of the Formula One Constructors'
Association (F.O.C.A.) and Vice President of the Fédération Internationale
de l'Automobile (F.I.A.) in charge of promotional affairs. Former owner of
the Brabham team - and now the manager of Formula One. |
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ELECTRONIC SENSORS |
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The electronic devices attached to parts
of a racing car that report various data back to team engineers and
mechanics during a race. Also see Telemetry. |
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ESTORIL |
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Town west of Lisbon, and between
1984-1996, the site of the Portuguese Grand Prix. The 1997 Portuguese Grand
Prix was removed from the Formula One calendar when a governmental
jurisdictional dispute was raised over F.I.A. track improvement demands. The
track's tight turns and chicanes earned the enmity of many F1 drivers and
led to the original request for improvements. |
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EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX |
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This is an extra Grand Prix race run
occasionally during the regular F1 season - Brands Hatch (1983, 1985),
Nurburgring (1984), Donington Park (1993), Jerez (1994, 1997). Since the
1999 season, the race has been held at the Nurburgring. |
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EVENT ORGANIZER |
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F.I.A.-sanctioned events which consist of
a body approved and recommended by its A.S.N. in accordance with the 1998
Concorde Agreement. |
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