Engines scream, tires smoke, and every millisecond counts. Formula One isn’t only a sport, it’s a worldwide phenomenon. According to Blackbook Motorsport, its global fan base grew to over 820 million in 2024, which was an increase of almost 90 million. With that being said, it’s no surprise that Formula 1, or F1 for short, is taking the world by storm. If you’ve ever wondered why people get so excited to watch cars race around the world, here’s your guide to how it all works.
In F1 there are 10 teams, with each team having 2 drivers. Currently the teams are Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Red Bull, Racing Bulls, Kick Sauber, Alpine, Williams, and Haas. These teams compete in many different races, known as Grand Prix, across several different worldwide locations. The teams compete to win the Constructor’s Championship, which is given to the most successful constructor, or team that designs the cars. Ferrari have the most Constructor’s Championships of any active team with 16, followed by McLaren and Williams with 9, Mercedes with 8, and Red Bull with 6. Currently, McLaren are the reigning champions, as they won the 2024 edition, marking their first World Constructor’s Championship since 1998.
When you think about F1, you often think about not just the teams, but the individual drivers as well. Names such as Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Lando Norris can win any race on any given track. If you like individual brilliance, then you’re in luck. F1 also has a driver’s championship, which is given to the driver who scores the highest amount of points throughout the season. Lewis Hamilton and retired driver Michael Schumacher have the highest number of Driver’s Championships with 7, while Verstappen is the reigning champion.
But most of you must be wondering, “How does the season actually work?”
Well, the F1 season spans from March to December, with a summer break in mid-August. There are a total of 24 Grand Prix races, with six being sprint races. The typical Grand Prix takes place over the span of one weekend. There are three Free Practices, held to get the drivers acclimated to the track, followed by qualifying which decides the positions for the race. First place is known as “pole position”, which can be instrumental in helping a driver win the actual race. After the race ends, points are given to the top 10 drivers, with first place earning 25 points, second place earning 18 points, third earning 15 points, and the value decreasing until 10th place which earns just 1 point. If you want to learn more about the scoring system you can read this article. Sprint races work very similarly to Grand Prix races in terms of free practices and qualifying, however they are much shorter and generally do not involve pit stops, which can make them more challenging to succeed in.
Overall, Formula One is an extremely hard sport. Driving a F1 car would be almost impossible for anyone who isn’t a trained professional with the ability to make split-second decisions. The average person could easily be fatigued by the extremely high speeds of the cars and the physical demands that come with controlling such a vehicle. But despite this, F1 is more than just the fast cars. It’s also a dynamic mix of athleticism, engineering, and worldwide culture. Whether you’re a longtime fan, or you’re just beginning to get into it, Formula One, the pinnacle of motorsport, is always a good time.