Formula One racing is one of the most popular sports in the world with nearly 90 million viewers tuning in for every race. Although most F1 fans have a good basic knowledge of the sport, there are countless very interesting facts that do not quite qualify as common knowledge. From the amount of weight a driver loses during a single race and the logistics involved in an F1 season to the average age of a driver, here are 3 things you probably didn’t know about F1 racing until now.
F1 racers lose a lot of water weight during a race
There is a very good reason why the average F1 car is equipped with nearly 2 liters of fluid during a race. Depending on the category and duration of a race, a river can lose anywhere between 2 and 3 liters of water due to perspiration. This can result in a weight loss of up to 8 pounds during a single race. Although most of the weight lost will be regained as the driver rehydrates, it gives a very clear indication of just how hot it can get in the cockpit. During some races, the temperature inside the cockpit can, in fact, reach up to 50 degrees Celsius which qualifies as unbearable by anyone’s standards.
The logistics involved with F1 racing are insane
While it is very obvious that a lot of planning goes into F1 racing, not many fans are aware of the extent of the organization involved in a single race, yet alone an entire season. During the course of an average season, nearly 1000 tonnes of equipment in total gets transported to every race. Carting this amount of gear around the world is no easy feat yet it appears to be an effortless operation to the untrained eye. Some of the bigger racing teams such as Ferrari and McLaren can have up to 100 team members that cart up to 50 tonnes of cargo with them to and from every race.
F1 titles aren’t just for young racers
During 2015, the average age of a Formula One driver was 25. Now, six years later, the median has increased to 27. There is a great misconception that F1 racing is only for youngsters, though. Damon Hill only started in F1 racing at the age of 32 and became world champion in 1996 at the age of 36. His career ended three years later when he was 39 years old. While Hill was considered old by current standards, the oldest driver to ever win a world title was 11 years older than he was. Juan Manuel Fangio was 47 years old when he won his fifth world title in 1957. Luigi Fagioli is the oldest race winner in history, winning the French Grand Prix of 1951 at the ripe old age of 53 years.
F1 racing is without any doubt one of the most popular sports in the world. Despite millions of fans tuning in to enjoy every race, there is still a great deal about the sport that not many people know.
