As the European sport takes America by storm, featuring intense speed and the beautiful sound of a V6 engine, many can not help but find themselves intrigued with this incredible sport. If you are just starting to get into Formula 1 you may need clarification on the sport. Finding out where to start and what you need to know can prove overwhelming. Never fear, this article will explain the basics of Formula 1.
Let’s start with the basics.
There are 10 teams and 20 drives. Formula 1 can only have up to 12 teams and 24 drivers.
Vocabulary:
- Drivers Championships: An award to the individual driver who accumulates the most points throughout a season. Points are earned based on the driver’s finishing positions in each race, with higher placements garnering more points.
- Constructors’ Championships: An award to the team that accumulates the most points throughout a season based on the performance of both its cars. Points are awarded based on the finishing positions of each team’s drivers in each race, with the Constructors’ Championship recognizing the team’s collective effort in designing, building, and racing their cars.
- Team Principal: The leader and decision-maker of a racing team, overseeing all aspects of its operations, from technical developments to driver management and sponsor relations. They set the team’s strategic direction, manage budgets, and foster a competitive environment to achieve success on and off the track.
- Race Engineers: They optimize the race car’s performance during practice sessions, qualifying, and the race. They analyze data, communicate with the driver, and make real-time adjustments to enhance speed, handling, and reliability, aiming for the best possible results on the track.
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing
- First Entry: 2005, founded by Dietrich Mateschitz
- Headquarters: Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
- Current Car: RB20
Team Stats:
- First Entry: 2005 Australian Grand Prix
- Race Wins: 117
- Podiums (top 3 drivers in each race): 272
- Drivers Championships: 7
- Constructors’ Championships: 6
- Race Entered: 374
The Team:
- Team Principal: Christian Horner (2005-Present)
- Race Engineers:
- Gianpiero Lambiase for Verstappen: 2015-present (Total years in F1: 18)
- Hugh Bird for Perez: 2021- present (Total years in F1: 11)
- 2024 Driver: Max Verstappen (2015-present)
- From: Holland, Netherlands
- Born: 30 September, 1997, Age: 26
- Number: 1
- First Entry: 2015
- Wins: 58
- Championships: 3
- 2024 Driver: Sergio Perez (2021-present)
- From: Guadalajara, Mexico
- Born: January 26, 1990, Age: 34 years
- Number: 11
- First Entry: 2011
- Wins: 6
- Championships: 0
Ferrari
Ferrari
- First Entry: 1950, founded by Enzo Ferrari
- Headquarters: Maranello, Italy
- Current Car: SF-24
Team Stats:
- First Entry: 1950 Monaco Grand Prix
- Race Wins: 245
- Podiums (top 3 drivers in each race): 807
- Drivers Championships: 15
- Constructors’ Championships: 16
- Race Entered: 1081
The Team:
- Team Principal: Frédéric Vasseur (2023-Present)
- Race Engineers:
- Xavier Marcos Padros for Leclerc: 2019-present (Total years in F1: 13)
- Riccardo Adami for Sainz: 2021-present (Total years in F1: 21)
- 2024 Driver: Charles Leclerc (2019-present)
- From: Monte Carlo, Monaco
- Born: October 16, 1997, Age: 26
- Number: 16
- First Entry: 2018
- Wins: 5
- Championships: 0
- 2024 Driver: Carlos Sainz Jr. (2021-present)
- From: Madrid, Spain
- Born: September 1, 1994, Age: 29 years
- Number: 55
- First Entry: 2015
- Wins: 3
- Championships: 0
McLaren
McLaren
- First Entry: 1966, founded by Bruce McLaren
- Headquarters: Woking, England, United Kingdom
- Current Car: MCL38
Team Stats:
- First Entry: 1966 Monaco Grand Prix
- Race Wins: 183
- Podiums (top 3 drivers in each race): 504
- Drivers Championships: 12
- Constructors’ Championships: 8
- Race Entered: 955
The Team:
- Team Principal: Andrea Stella (2018-Present)
- Race Engineers:
- Will Joseph for Norris: 2019-present (Total years in F1: 13)
- Tom Stallard for Prastri: 2019-present (Total years in F1: 15)
- 2024 Driver: Lando Norris (2019-present)
- From: Bristol, United Kingdom
- Born: November 13, 1999, Age: 24
- Number: 4
- First Entry: 2019
- Wins: 1
- Championships: 0
- 2024 Driver: Oscar Piastri (2021-present)
- From: Melbourne, Australia
- Born: April 6, 2001, Age: 23 years
- Number: 81
- First Entry: 2023
- Wins: 0
- Championships: 0
Mercedes
Mercedes
- First Entry: 1954, founded by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher
- Headquarters: Brackley, United Kingdom
- Current Car: Mercedes-AMG F1 W15 E
Team Stats:
- First Entry: 1954 French Grand Prix
- Race Wins: 123
- Podiums (top 3 drivers in each race): 289
- Drivers Championships: 9
- Constructors’ Championships: 8
- Race Entered: 298
The Team:
- Team Principal: Toto Wolff (2013-Present)
- Race Engineers:
- Peter Bonnington for Hamilton: 2013-present (Total years in F1: 19)
- Marcus Dudley for Russell: 2023-present (Total years in F1: 17)
- 2024 Driver: Sir Lewis Hamilton (the GOAT) (2013-present)
- From: Stevenage, United Kingdom
- Born: January 7, 1985, Age: 39
- Number: 44
- First Entry: 2007
- Wins: 103
- Championships: 7
- 2024 Driver: George Russell (2022-present)
- From: King’s Lynn, United Kingdom
- Born: February 15, 1998, Age: 26 years
- Number: 63
- First Entry: 2019
- Wins: 1
- Championships: 0
Aston Martin
Aston Martin
- First Entry: 1922, founded by Lionel Martin
- Headquarters: Silverstone, United Kingdom
- Current Car: AMR24
Team Stats:
- First Entry: 1954 French Grand Prix
- Race Wins: ~5
- Podiums (top 3 drivers in each race): 0
- Drivers Championships: 0
- Constructors’ Championships: 0
- Race Entered: 77
The Team:
- Team Principal: Mike Krack (2022-Present)
- Race Engineers:
- Chris Cronin for Alonso: 2023-present (Total years in F1: unknown)
- Ben Michell for Stroll: 2021-present (Total years in F1: 10)
- 2024 Driver: Fernando Alonso (2023-present)
- From: Oviedo, Spain
- Born: July 29, 1981, Age: 45
- Number: 14
- First Entry: 2001
- Wins: 32
- Championships: 2
- 2024 Driver: Lance Stroll (2021-present)
- From: Montreal, Canada
- Born: October 29, 1998, Age: 25 years
- Number: 18
- First Entry: 2017
- Wins: 0
- Championships: 0
Visa Cash App RB
Visa Cash App RB
- First Entry: 1985, founded by Peter Bayer
- Headquarters: Faenza, Italy
- Current Car: VCARB 01
Team Stats:
- First Entry: 1985, race circuit unknown
- Race Wins: 0
- Podiums (top 3 drivers in each race): 0
- Drivers Championships: 0
- Constructors’ Championships: 0
- Race Entered: ~350
The Team:
- Team Principal: Laurent Mekies (2024-Present)
- Race Engineers:
- Mattia Spin for Tsunoda: 2021-present (Total years in F1: 12)
- Pierre Hamelin for Ricciardo: 2023-present (Total years in F1: 13)
- 2024 Driver: Yuki Tsunoda (2021-present)
- From: Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
- Born: May 11, 2000, Age: 23
- Number: 22
- First Entry: 2021
- Wins: 0
- Championships: 0
- 2024 Driver: Daniel Ricciardo (2021-present)
- From: Perth, Australia
- Born: July 1, 1989, Age: 34 years
- Number: 3
- First Entry: 2011
- Wins: 8
- Championships: 0
Hass
Hass
- First Entry: 2016, founded by Gene Hass
- Headquarters: Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States
- Current Car: VF-24
Team Stats:
- First Entry: 2016 Australian Grand Prix
- Race Wins: 0
- Podiums (top 3 drivers in each race): 0
- Drivers Championships: 0
- Constructors’ Championships: 0
- Race Entered: 171
The Team:
- Team Principal: Ayao Komatsu (2024-Present)
- Race Engineers:
- Gary Gannon for Hulkenberg: 2023-present (Total years in F1: 12)
- Mark Slade for Magnussen: 2022-present (Total years in F1: 30)
- 2024 Driver: Nico Hulkenberg (2023-present)
- From: Emmerich, Germany
- Born: August 19, 1987, Age: 36
- Number: 27
- First Entry: 2010
- Wins: 0
- Championships: 0
- 2024 Driver: Kevin Magnussen (2022-present)
- From: Roskilde, Denmark
- Born: October 5, 1992, Age: 31 years
- Number: 20
- First Entry: 2014
- Wins: 0
- Championships: 0
Williams
Williams
- First Entry: 1977, founded by Sir Frank Williams and Sir Patrick Head
- Headquarters: Wantage, United Kingdom
- Current Car: FW46
Team Stats:
- First Entry: 1977 Spanish Grand Prix
- Race Wins: 114
- Podiums (top 3 drivers in each race): 313
- Drivers Championships: 7
- Constructors’ Championships: 9
- Race Entered: 819
The Team:
- Team Principal: James Vowles (2023-Present)
- Race Engineers:
- Gaetan Jego for Sargeant: 2023-present (Total years in F1: 4)
- James Urwin for Albon: 2022-present (Total years in F1: 9)
- 2024 Driver: Logan Sargeant (2023-present)
- From: Fort Lauderdale, USA
- Born: December 31, 2000, Age: 23
- Number: 2
- First Entry: 2023
- Wins: 0
- Championships: 0
- 2024 Driver: Alexander Albon (2023-present)
- From: London, United Kingdom
- Born: March 23, 1996, Age: 28 years
- Number: 23
- First Entry: 2021
- Wins: 0
- Championships: 0
Alpine
Alpine
- First Entry: 2021, founded (owned) by Groupe Renault
- Headquarters: Enstone, Oxfordshire, England
- Current Car: A524
Team Stats:
- First Entry: 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix
- Race Wins: 1
- Podiums (top 3 drivers in each race): 4
- Drivers Championships: 0
- Constructors’ Championships: 0
- Race Entered: 71
The Team:
- Team Principal: Bruno Famin (2024-Present)
- Race Engineers:
- John Howard for Gasly: 2024-present (Total years in F1: 13)
- Josh Peckett for Ocon: 2020-present (Total years in F1: 10)
- 2024 Driver: Pierre Gasly (2023-present)
- From: Rouen, France
- Born: September 17, 1996, Age: 27
- Number: 10
- First Entry: 2017
- Wins: 1
- Championships: 0
- 2024 Driver: Esteban Ocon (2023-present)
- From: Évreux, France
- Born: March 23, 1996, Age: 28 years
- Number: 31
- First Entry: 2016
- Wins: 1
- Championships: 0
Kick Sauber
Kick Sauber
- First Entry: 1993, founded by Peter Sauber
- Headquarters: Hinwil, Zürich, Switzerland
- Current Car: C44
Team Stats:
- First Entry: 1993 South African Grand Prix
- Race Wins: 1
- Podiums (top 3 drivers in each race): 27
- Drivers Championships: 0
- Constructors’ Championships: 0
- Race Entered: 470
The Team:
- Team Principal: Alessandro Alunni Bravi (2023-Present)
- Race Engineers:
- Alex Chan for Bottas: 2022-present (Total years in F1: 11)
- Andrea Benisi for Guanyu: 2024-present (Total years in F1: unknown)
- 2024 Driver: Valtteri Bottas (2022-present)
- From: Nastola, Finland
- Born: August 28, 1989, Age: 34
- Number: 77
- First Entry: 2013
- Wins: 10
- Championships: 0
- 2024 Driver: Zhou Guanyu (2022-present)
- From: Shanghai, China
- Born: May 30, 1999, Age: 24 years
- Number: 24
- First Entry: 2022
- Wins: 0
- Championships: 0