How to Recognize Formula One Cars

Formula One race cars are built to adhere to a strict set of criteria, making them easily recognizable to those familiar with the sport. For new fans of Formula One racing, a brief tutorial is all it takes to begin identifying these specialized automobiles. It's important to note that while all Formula One cars are open-wheel vehicles, not all open-wheel vehicles are Formula One cars. What makes a Formula One car unique is the set of rules by which it is constructed.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Recognize a Formula One Race Car

1. Look for the open-wheel design on a Formula One car, as it will differ from other types of race cars in two ways. First, its wheels are placed outside the body of the car. Second, unlike stock or touring cars, open-wheel cars are built exclusively for racing.
2. Learn to recognize the substantial front and rear wings that distinguish Formula One cars from Formula Three and other Formula cars. Some non-Formula One cars have wings, but they are less prominent, attaching to the suspension not the chassis.
3. Familiarize yourself with the single seat, open-cockpit feature on a Formula One car. As with virtually all parts of a Formula One auto, the cockpit is designed to keep the overall weight as low as possible. The cockpit houses the driver's body--her head sticks out above the vehicle's frame.
4. Check out a Formula One racing magazine on the Internet or in print. Formula One Magazine, PITPASS and F1 Magazine are authoritative print sources for Formula One information, while Autosport has both a print and an online version (See Resources below).
5. Attend a Formula One race. Some ticket brokers offer packages that include attendance at all 3 days of a Grand Prix race. Don't skip out on the Friday, free-practice days. You may recognize your favorite team's cars and drivers as they spend a few hours feeling out the track.

Tips & Warnings

• See a scaled-down version of a Formula One car in person by attending a kart race in your area. Although karts do not have to be built according to the same formula as Formula One, many of them look exactly like compact versions of the real thing. Furthermore, while tickets to a Grand Prix race can be prohibitively expensive, kart-race ticket prices are often less than the cost of a movie.