| | If you are a new Formula One convert, here are some interesting information about the sport for you: |
| Drivers have to compete in 18 different circuits in 17 different countries around the world. In each Grand Prix, points are given to the drivers in the 8 top places according to the scale shown below: |
 | 1st place: 10 points | | 2nd place: 8 points | | 3rd place: 6 points | | 4th place: 5 points | | 5th place: 4 points | | 6th place: 3 points | | 7th place: 2 points | | 8th place: 1 point |
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At the end of the season, the driver with the most points is declared the Champion.
There is also a constructor’s championship. Each team will have 2 cars in the race. The points scored by the drivers of both cars will go towards the constructors’ championship. The constructor with the most points at the end of the season is declared the constructors’ champion. |
| How much fuel load should the car carry during final qualifying as it has to use the remaining fuel load on the race day? Should the car make two or three pit stops instead of just one? This is what race strategists have to grapple with. For each pit-stop, the car loses thirty or so seconds. However, with more pit stops, the car can run significantly faster with a lower fuel load. Tyre changes used to play a strategic role in winning races, though this has become less significant with the introduction of a single tyre supplier in 2007 , which gives teams a narrower range of tyres to work with. |
| The fuel used for the Formula One car is very similar to those used by ordinary cars. The FIA allows only tiny quantities of ‘non-hydrocarbon’ compounds. Each fuel blend must be submitted to the FIA for prior approval. During a typical season, a Formula One team can use up to 50 slightly different blends of fuel that are formulated for different circuits or even different weather conditions. |
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