Zoom Zoom: 2025 Formula One (F1) Racing Primer!

Welcome back Zoomies!A new season of motorsports racing is upon us, with the Melbourne Grand Prix this weekend- also known as Oscar Piastri's home race! A lot has happened in the offseason, which the new seventh season of Netflix's "Drive to Survive" covers MOST of it, I actually covered more in my 2024 Zoom Zoom blogs (ahem, Franco Colapinto, Netflix?? Adrian Newey??) than they did!

This primer post will cover some helpful info going into the season, with some fun stuff, some useful terminologies, and semi-late breaking news, so lets dig in! Semi Breaking News: F1 and the FIA governing body have approved Cadillac's entry as the 11th team to join the grid in 2026! The Monaco GP will now have TWO mandatory pit stops! And as I write this House McLaren has extended the contracts of BOTH their drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris past the 2026 season! Team Papaya is set!

The races themselves:

The Where and When: Notice the Vegas race day for the GP: All GP races are on Sundays.

I liked this schedule because it give the shape of the track with the dates/country!

Your 2025 team/drivers line-up! Lots of changes!

Hamilton with Ferrari after 12 years with Mercedes! Ocon jumps from a difficult situation at Alpine to Haas! Sainz finds a home with Williams Racing! Lawson moves from the junior Red Bull team to being Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull! Hulkenberg leaves Haas for Sauber! Alas no Danny Riccardo (sniffles!).

As you can see, there are some new names racing this season, and this link will give you some brief insights as to who these kids are: (Thanks Jodie for this write up- was exactly what I was looking for!). Rookie Invasion, indeed! https://jodiewritesracing.wordpress.com/2025/02/22/rookie-invasion-the-newish-faces-of-f1-2025/

Helmet Art! I like Ocon's, and Tsunoda's- just wish the Red Bull font wasn't so big!

Class is in session: :) I'll start first with this very helpful video to get y'all comfy with F1 racing!

F1 terminology: I WAS going to write these myself, but then I found this link, that explains these commonly used terms much better than I could! The ones to really focus on imho, are: Oversteer/Understeer, Downforce, Apex, Slipstream, Overcut/Undercut (it's a strategy thing).

https://f1experiences.com/blog/f1-glossary-a-z-most-commonly-used-terminology

A couple that were not in there that are important to know are: Gearbox: my copy n paste covers this big, but the first paragraph, is the most succinct:

F1 gearboxes are sequential, meaning drivers shift gears by moving a paddle on the steering wheel, and they use a single, carbon, multi-plate clutch, not a clutch pedal or H-pattern selector. These gearboxes are designed for incredibly fast shifts, with some teams claiming shifts take as little as 2-4 milliseconds. 

Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Sequential Gearbox:

  Unlike road cars with synchromesh gearboxes, F1 cars use a sequential gearbox with straight-cut gears and dog rings. 

• Dog Clutches:

  The gears are engaged using dog clutches, which are stronger and allow for faster changes with fewer moving parts. 

• Shift Mechanisms:

  F1 gearboxes have two shift drums, one for even gears and one for odd gears, allowing for overlapping gear selection and a "seamless" shift with minimal torque loss. 

• Clutch Control:

  Drivers use a clutch lever on the steering wheel for starting and stopping, but not for changing gears during a race. 

• Regulation and Durability:

  The FIA regulates gearbox design and teams are limited to a certain number of gearboxes per season, meaning they must be incredibly durable and reliable. 

• Shift Timing:

  F1 gearboxes are designed for incredibly fast shifts, with some teams claiming shifts take as little as 2-4 milliseconds. 

• Engine Control Unit (ECU):

  The ECU plays a crucial role in controlling the gearbox, cutting ignition at a millisecond to facilitate fast and smooth gear changes. 

• Gear Arrangement:

  The gears are not arranged sequentially from first to eighth, instead lower gears are positioned closer to the bearings, where they can handle higher torque, while higher gears sit further away, reducing stress on the shaft. 

• Cost:

  F1 gearboxes are very expensive, with some teams spending upwards of £6M a year on them. 

I'm sure you noticed that last bullet point about the cost- yikes!

The other important part of the car is the Power Unit. As the last paragraph states, changes ahead in the 2026 power units: A Formula 1 power unit is a combination of a turbocharged engine, electric motors, and an energy recovery system. The power unit is designed to be efficient and produce high horsepower. 

Components

• Internal combustion engine (ICE): A 1.6 liter, turbocharged V6 engine with 90 degree cylinders 

• Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K): An electric motor that adds horsepower and recharges the battery while braking 

• Motor Generator Unit-Heat (MGU-H): Manages the turbocharger 

• Turbocharger: Uses a compressor to increase air pressure and combustion efficiency 

• Energy Recovery System (ERS): Recovers energy from the exhaust and brakes to power the electric motors or charge the battery 

How it works

The ERS converts energy into electricity to power the electric motors or charge the battery. The driver can use the electric motors to add power to the wheels or save charge for later use. 

Future regulations

The 2026 F1 power units will be more sustainable, with more electrical power and overtaking tools.

Okay class, lets take a cue from Lando and take a rest break before my last lesson:

The last piece of F1 knowledge is very very key: Tires/Tyres! Deploying which type of tyre at the beginning, middle and end of race in the pit lane (you read the link, right?) could be crucial as to how a drivers car can operate! This breakdown of the five different tyres is pretty straight forward! Basically Dry versus Wet tyres depending on the weather, the track, how many laps, etc. Dry Weather Tires (Slicks):

• Soft (Red):

  Offers the most grip and fastest lap times but wears out quickly, requiring more frequent pit stops. 

• Medium (Yellow):

  A good balance between grip and durability, a strong option for the race. 

• Hard (White):

  Provides the longest lifespan, but has the lowest grip and slowest lap times. 

• Tire Compounds:

  Pirelli provides six dry tyre compounds, ranging from the hardest (C0) to the softest (C5), and selects three of these for each race weekend. 

Wet Weather Tires:

• Intermediate (Green):

  Designed for damp conditions, featuring grooves to help drain water and maintain grip.

• Full Wet (Blue):

  For heavy rain and standing water, featuring deeper grooves for maximum water drainage and grip. 
  

Class is done. You made it thru the wonky stuff! Hopefully I have given you the tools in this post to inform, educate and have fun with the wild world that is Formula One Racing! Just a reminder: I only got into F1 just over two years ago, and am now hooked. As I've said before, pretty easy to follow, with only 10 teams and 20 drivers, plus the info I provided here. I HIGHLY recommend you bookmark this post so you can refer back to it, if you get stumped while watching a race or reading about one! My F1 Threads family knows most of this stuff, so this is for the newbies. And I also recommend to get your get your feet wet, to a) have this post handy, and B) watch the Qualifying races, as they are shorter, and you can acclimate to the teams/drivers. Thanks for reading, and I'll end this post by saying I'll see you out there getting your zoom zoom on, just like Charles LeClerc in this pic!