Why Formula 1 is a Masterpiece – An Amateur Viewer’s Perspective
It starts with the machine. Each one of the multiple F1 teams has to design the best possible car while staying within the regulations and structural requirements needed for the car set by the FIA. The more money that is poured into R&D, the better the car can potentially be.
Science 23-Mar-2022
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I’ve only recently started watching F1 so I’m not going to claim to be a ‘professional’ viewer here. However I have watched enough of the sport to now know that it is nothing short of a masterpiece and if you don’t follow the F1 season I highly recommend that you do; here’s why.
Okay so all of us watch sports of some sort. Some of us like team sports like football or hockey, others like myself prefer solo sports like tennis. Motorsport sits in a rather special place in this spectrum since while we see only two drivers per team alone on the grid competing against other individuals, it truly couldn’t be more of a team effort. F1 has so many variables which leads to the success of a team that each and every team member’s contribution is an integral part in the working of this well-oiled engine that is Formula 1. The nerves, the precision, the engineering perfection, the practice required and the intense amount of team effort mean that perfection is a must here from each and every person involved.
It starts with the machine. Each one of the multiple F1 teams has to design the best possible car while staying within the regulations and structural requirements needed for the car set by the FIA. The more money that is poured into R&D, the better the car can potentially be. How fast it can corner, how well it does on the straights and most of all its ability to keep running flawlessly for the many tens of laps that the race goes on for all determine how successful the car’s run can be. There are underdogs here, for example the Haas team has a much smaller car development budget than Mercedes-AMG. The competition therefore does not start at the chequered flag when the race begins but rather at the headquarters of the company where a bunch of brilliant minds sit together with ideas and prospective development paths for the car their drivers will be using that season. The race begins well before the actual racing season does.
The team needs a substantial amount of training as well. The communications, pit crews and other team members needs to carry out their operations flawlessly since one action of theirs can make or break the entire race outcome. Pitstops have to be carefully measured, comms have to feed accurate and clear information and the right type of tyres have to be used during correct timings of the race for precise and measured durations. These are only a few of the variables in play. It’s all a domino effect, if everything works well the system stands but if one operation fails, everything can prospectively come tumbling down.
The last piece of the puzzle is probably the most crucial; The Driver. This is the person who executes these years of effort taken by the team. This is the front man who leads the team to potential success. The driver has to first of all memorise the track, practice, practice and practice some more. This man has to test the limits of the car and find out its boundaries. He drives the car, he drives the team. He has to take all the tough calls about when to go at what speed and when to make any significant move. The thrill in this sport is amazing and there’s a constant adrenaline rush throughout.
Sometimes crashes happen, unforeseen circumstances arise which bring rules into play which can flip the outcome of a race in a split second. Luck is also a factor here. Years of development, practice and test runs can’t prepare the team for every conceivable outcome, it’s simply not possible. This is what makes Formula one a test of the best. It’s not for the faint hearted and the amount of dedication put into the races by the drivers and their teams is unparalleled. The vibe around the race is crazy, the hype is through the roof and very much real and the season has an infinitive number of twists and turns which blows up the excitement levels to an all new level. So as I said at the beginning, if you haven’t started watching F1, you really should. I have and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve taken.
Devashish Puranik
Devashish Puranik is a student who is currently pursuing his bachelor's degree in Transportation Design at MIT Institute of Design. He is extremely passionate about automobiles and enjoys sketching, digital art, 3D modelling and ocassionally even animating his automotive creations. He enjoys exploring a wide variety of art forms besides automobiles and likes to experiment with different media and surfaces too. Besides this he has a love for content creation in the form of video as well as text. He creates automotive reviews and videos on his two YouTube channels Ignite Motorrad and Devashish Puranik and intends to grow them further alongside his educational course. Delivering content and hosting videos in front of the camera is one of his strongest points. He is a motorcycle enthusiast himself and goes on long tours on his bike and is part of a few motorcycling groups in addition to having started one himself. He keeps himself in the loop regarding all things automotive and is always seeking to expand his horizons in these fields.