Option tyres – The softer of the two Bridgestone Potenza tyres available during a race weekend. These tyres are distinguished by a green stripe on the sidewall.
Oversteer – When a driver turns into a corner but the car turns more than planned, with the rear of the car trying to overtake the front as a result of his rear wheels losing grip.
Prime tyres – The harder of the two Bridgestone Potenza tyres available during a race weekend. These tyres have no green stripe on the sidewalls.
Ride height - How high the car is above the ground
Rubbered in – When tyre rubber is left on the track surface, providing additional grip.
Set-up evaluation – Comparing different wing/suspension/ride height settings to work out the best.
Slipstream – The area immediately behind a car travelling at speed, where air pressure and drag is reduced, allowing a following car to travel slightly faster.
Snap oversteer – Sudden oversteer, usually on the exit of a corner and requiring rapid correction from the driver.
Stability – How the car feels around corners; does it feel stable or nervous?
Tethers – The safety device which is designed to keep wheels attached to the car in the event of an accident.
Torque - The amount of turning force generated by an engine. This force is transmitted through the camshaft, axle and wheels to drive the car forward.
Track evolution – How the track conditions change, usually for the better, during a session/day. As more cars drive on the track, more rubber is left behind on the surface, which then provides more grip so lap times naturally improve during a session/day.
Track drop off – When track conditions get worse during a session/day/weekend. This can be caused by dirt/dust/debris on the racing line, a fall in track temperatures or even degradation of the track surface itself. The result is slower lap times.
Turning vane – An aerodynamic device which channels air into the most effective areas to generate downforce or reduce drag.
Understeer – When a driver turns into a corner but the car turns less than planned as a result of his front wheels losing grip.
V8 engine – An engine made up of eight cylinders, mounted in two opposing banks of four which make a V angle in cross-section.
Warm-up – Tyres give the most grip within an ideal temperature window but a driver/car must raise their temperature on the track to reach this ideal level. This is normally achieved on an out-lap by occasional aggressive use of the tyres (weaving the car, spinning the wheels on launch etc). But if this cannot be achieved, the tyres will not perform at their peak level, giving less grip.
Weight distribution – How the weight of the car is distributed. F1 cars naturally have a very rearward weight distribution due to the engine and gearbox location but ballast is used at the front of the car to balance this.
Winglet – A small wing mounted to the car to aid aerodynamic performance.
photo:Toyota
Oversteer – When a driver turns into a corner but the car turns more than planned, with the rear of the car trying to overtake the front as a result of his rear wheels losing grip.
Prime tyres – The harder of the two Bridgestone Potenza tyres available during a race weekend. These tyres have no green stripe on the sidewalls.
Ride height - How high the car is above the ground
Rubbered in – When tyre rubber is left on the track surface, providing additional grip.
Set-up evaluation – Comparing different wing/suspension/ride height settings to work out the best.
Slipstream – The area immediately behind a car travelling at speed, where air pressure and drag is reduced, allowing a following car to travel slightly faster.
Snap oversteer – Sudden oversteer, usually on the exit of a corner and requiring rapid correction from the driver.
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Stability – How the car feels around corners; does it feel stable or nervous?
Tethers – The safety device which is designed to keep wheels attached to the car in the event of an accident.
Torque - The amount of turning force generated by an engine. This force is transmitted through the camshaft, axle and wheels to drive the car forward.
Track evolution – How the track conditions change, usually for the better, during a session/day. As more cars drive on the track, more rubber is left behind on the surface, which then provides more grip so lap times naturally improve during a session/day.
Track drop off – When track conditions get worse during a session/day/weekend. This can be caused by dirt/dust/debris on the racing line, a fall in track temperatures or even degradation of the track surface itself. The result is slower lap times.
Turning vane – An aerodynamic device which channels air into the most effective areas to generate downforce or reduce drag.
Understeer – When a driver turns into a corner but the car turns less than planned as a result of his front wheels losing grip.
V8 engine – An engine made up of eight cylinders, mounted in two opposing banks of four which make a V angle in cross-section.
Warm-up – Tyres give the most grip within an ideal temperature window but a driver/car must raise their temperature on the track to reach this ideal level. This is normally achieved on an out-lap by occasional aggressive use of the tyres (weaving the car, spinning the wheels on launch etc). But if this cannot be achieved, the tyres will not perform at their peak level, giving less grip.
Weight distribution – How the weight of the car is distributed. F1 cars naturally have a very rearward weight distribution due to the engine and gearbox location but ballast is used at the front of the car to balance this.
Winglet – A small wing mounted to the car to aid aerodynamic performance.
photo:Toyota