If you’re not familiar with Formula 1, this is the perfect opportunity to jump in and join the excitement.
Following the action-packed conclusion to the 2021 season, in which Max Verstappen won his first world championship in controversial fashion on the penultimate lap of the final race, there is a significant amount of anticipation around the 2022 season. Once again, Verstappen is battling for supremacy, but this time it is Ferrari rather than Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton who are posing the greatest obstacle for him to overcome.
The racing industry is gearing up for another exciting year of competition thanks to the introduction of brand-new vehicles and rules that will result in increased excitement and more closely contested competition by bringing about a revolution in the aerodynamics around the vehicles.
OKBET Racing provides comprehensive responses to the most important issues that any F1 novice may have.
How Does Formula 1 Work?
Formula 1, sometimes known as “The World Championship of Driving,” is the premier single-seater racing series in the world. The Formula 1 championship uses open-wheeled race cars and takes place on both permanent race tracks and temporary street circuits. Every season, Formula 1 travels to well-known locations for motorsports competitions including the United Kingdom, Monaco, Italy, and Belgium. More lately, the sport has expanded into uncharted countries like Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Azerbaijan.
Formula 1 is a racing series that features a competition format that includes ten teams, each of which has two drivers. The system is very similar to that of a league table, with points being accumulated throughout the course of the season (more on that later).
In 1950, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) was established as the governing body for what is now known as the world championship. The FIA establishes the rules and standards for the sport, and the teams each design their own unique vehicles to compete in it. This gives the sport its distinctive character. They frequently design automobiles that have fast cornering speeds. On the straightaways, Formula 1 vehicles can reach high speeds of around 320 kilometers per hour (nearly 200 miles per hour), on average.
Formula 1 has a history of seven decades, and over that time it has earned a reputation as a high-risk sport because the drivers put their lives on the line every time they compete. Modifications made to automobiles in recent decades, such as the installation of a halo over the driver’s compartment, have contributed significantly to an increase in driving safety.
What Exactly is Formula 2?
Formula 2 is the feeder series for Formula 1, and it serves as the last step for junior drivers to compete in before moving on to F1. Because every competitor in the series utilizes the same cars, tyres, and engines, the onus of success is placed squarely on the shoulders of the drivers.
F2 competes alongside F1 at Grand Prix weekends and serves as its backup series for the course of the three days of the event. In the year 2022, F2 will stage a total of 14 rounds and will typically hold two races per race weekend.
On Saturday afternoon, following the F1 qualifying session, there is a sprint race. The top 10 drivers in F2 qualifying will start in the opposite order, and the race will go from lights to flag. The main event, which is the race, takes place first thing on Sunday morning. The grid for the F2 race is determined by the results of qualifying, and pit stops are required of all competitors.
F2 has been instrumental in the development of young, talented drivers who have gone on to tremendous success in F1. In 2006, Lewis Hamilton was a participant in the series and ended up winning what was back then called the GP2 Series. Lando Norris, Alex Albon, Nicholas Latifi, Yuki Tsunoda, and Guanyu Zhou are just some of the drivers that have competed in the F2 category. Other notable drivers include Charles Leclerc, George Russell, and Mick Schumacher, who have all won the F2 title in the past.
| Team | Driver 1 | Driver 2 |
| Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport | Lewis Hamilton | George Russell |
| Oracle Red Bull Racing | Max Verstappen | Sergio Perez |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | Carlos Sainz |
| McLaren F1 Team | Lando Norris | Daniel Ricciardo |
| BWT Alpine F1 Team | Fernando Alonso | Esteban Ocon |
| Scuderia AlphaTauri | Pierre Gasly | Yuki Tsunoda |
| Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant | Sebastian Vettel | Lance Stroll |
| Williams Racing | Nicholas Latifi | Alexander Albon |
| Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen | Valtteri Bottas | Guanyu Zhou |
| Haas F1 Team | Mick Schumacher | Kevin Magnussen |
How much do Formula 1 Drivers Get Paid?
In addition to the massive salary they receive for their driving jobs, Formula 1 drivers also profit from endorsement deals. The annual fees for the current batch of contracts range from half a million to fifty million dollars.
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will tie for the title of highest-paid driver on the grid in 2022, with an estimated annual income of approximately $50 million for both of them. Recently, Verstappen agreed to new terms with Red Bull that will keep him at the team through the end of the 2028 season. It is believed that his contract is the most lucrative in the history of the sport.
In comparison, Yuki Tsunoda, who was just starting out in the sport in 2021, earned a salary of just $500,000 from AlphaTauri. This made him the lowest-paid driver of the year.
How many Formula 1 races are scheduled for the year 2022?
During the 2022 Formula 1 season, races will take place on a total of 23 different courses across a likely total of 22 different nations. As of right now, there will be 22 races held in 21 different nations, with the exception of the Russian Grand Prix, which has been postponed due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There is no word yet on which race will take its place.
On March 20, 2022, the first race of the 2022 season, the Bahrain Grand Prix, was held at the Sakhir International Circuit. On November 20, the final race of the season will be held at the Yas Marina Circuit for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, much as it did during the previous season.
This was the first year that the Formula One event was held in Miami. On May 8, drivers competed in racing events at Hard Rock Stadium. After a two-year absence caused by COVID-19 restrictions, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and Japan are all set to make their comeback on the Formula 1calendar.
| Date | Grand Prix | Country | Track |
| March 20 | Bahrain Grand Prix | Bahrain | Sakhir International Circuit |
| March 27 | Saudi Arabian Grand Prix | Saudi Arabia | Jeddah Corniche Circuit |
| April 10 | Australian Grand Prix | Australia | Albert Park |
| April 24 | Emilia Romagna Grand Prix | Italy | Imola Circuit |
| May 8 | Miami Grand Prix | USA | Miami International Autodrome |
| May 22 | Spanish Grand Prix | Spain | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya |
| May 29 | Monaco Grand Prix | Monaco | Circuit de Monaco |
| June 12 | Azerbaijan Grand Prix | Azerbaijan | Baku City Circuit |
| June 19 | Canadian Grand Prix | Canada | Circuit Gilles Villeneuve |
| July 3 | British Grand Prix | United Kingdom | Silverstone Circuit |
| July 10 | Austrian Grand Prix | Austria | Red Bull Ring |
| July 24 | French Grand Prix | France | Circuit Paul Ricard |
| July 31 | Hungarian Grand Prix | Hungary | Hungaroring |
| Aug. 28 | Belgian Grand Prix | Belgium | Circuit de Spa Francorchamps |
| Sept. 4 | Dutch Grand Prix | Netherlands | Circuit Zandvoort |
| Sept. 11 | Italian Grand Prix | Italy | Monza Circuit |
| Oct. 2 | Singapore Grand Prix | Singapore | Marina Bay Street Circuit |
| Oct. 9 | Japanese Grand Prix | Japan | Suzuka Circuit |
| Oct. 23 | United States Grand Prix | USA | Circuit of the Americas |
| Oct. 30 | Mexico City Grand Prix | Mexico | Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez |
| Nov. 13 | Sao Paulo Grand Prix | Brazil | Interlagos Circuit |
| Nov. 20 | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | UAE | Yas Marina Circuit |
What Happens During an F1 Race Weekend?
The weekend of a race begins on Friday and continues through Sunday. There are three one-hour Free Practice sessions throughout the course of the weekend. Two of them take place on Friday (FP1 and FP2), and the third one takes place first thing on Saturday morning (FP3).
On Saturday afternoon, there will be a qualifying competition lasting one hour, which will be broken up into three separate sessions. This establishes the starting grid for the race on Sunday, which will follow the structure that is outlined further down.
The race is the primary event of the weekend, and it is during this competition that the teams and drivers are awarded points for their performances. Each driver competes against the other for 190 miles (305 kilometers) around the track, which generally takes two hours but can take up to four hours depending on the number of caution flags that are displayed (that is to say, the race needing to be suspended due to a crash).
Pit stops and fuel management are just two of the strategic variables that must be considered during the race. Incidents also have a significant effect; as a direct result of them, safety vehicles and virtual safety cars are implemented (meaning no overtakes and a limited speed).
What Precisely is an F1 Sprint?
Formula 1 suggested and tested a sprint format at three different race weekends in 2021, with the intention of making race weekends more entertaining; the format was successful enough that it will be utilized again in 2022. Sprints are intended to produce more racing activity and to reorganize the starting grid in preparation for Sunday by adding an additional, abbreviated race on Saturday.
The traditional qualifying, which is generally done on a Saturday and will determine who starts where in the sprint, will take place on Friday. The drivers will compete over a distance equivalent to one-third of the whole race, and those who finish in the top eight positions will gain points toward their championship standing. The driver who finishes first in qualifying for a sprint weekend will receive pole position, but the driver who finishes first in the sprint itself will gain the privilege to start the race from the front of the pack.
The sprint competitions for the year 2022 will be held at the Grand Prix of Emilia Romagna in Italy, the Grand Prix of Austria, and the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil respectively.
What are the Regulations for Pit Stops and Tyre Changes in Formula 1 Racing?
Pirelli is the company that provides the tyres and develops three different compounds for the teams to utilize throughout the course of the weekend. These compounds are referred to as softs, mediums, and hards.
The soft tyres are the quickest, but they also wear out the quickest, whilst the hard tyres are the slowest but have a longer durability. The teams will utilize the practice sessions to develop their strategies and get a feel for the tires they will use in the race. In order to achieve the quickest lap times during qualifying, the teams use the softest tyres possible.
Tyres classified as soft, medium, and hard are designed for use in dry, slippery conditions, whilst wets and intermediates are intended for use in wet environments. Everyone competing in a race held on dry terrain is required to utilize slick tires with at least two distinct compounds. They are allowed to use any compound they choose if it is raining.
During the course of the race, each team is required to make at least one pit stop in order to change its tires. During this stop, all 23 of the team’s mechanics work together to make any necessary adjustments to the vehicle in an average of less than three seconds. The record for the fastest pit stop ever completed in Formula 1 was set by Red Bull Racing at the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. Red Bull Racing was able to complete a pit stop in 1.82 seconds.
Free practice sessions are used by Formula 1 teams to obtain a feel for the tyres and evaluate the level of tyre degradation on their vehicle. However, the number of pit stops that an F1 team choose to do is entirely up to that team. During each of the three sessions, the teams will conduct simulations of the race in order to determine their best course of action for the competition, which may include making one stop, two stops, or even all three stops. The strategy that a team employs during a race may need to be adjusted as the event progresses due to factors such as accidents, safety cars, and red flags.
In the event of an accident in which the driver may do damage to the tyres, the mechanics are able to replace them with a fresh pair of tyres. In the event that the front wing sustains damage, they are able to replace it in fewer than eight seconds. When a Formula 1 car sustains damage to its rear wing, suspension, or engine, among other components, additional repairs in the garage are required. As a result, F1 teams typically decide to retire the vehicle after an event of this nature.
How Much Does it Cost to Buy a Formula 1 Car?
The cost of driving an F1 car is extremely high. They require an annual investment of millions of dollars to produce, develop, and race. In Formula 1, race vehicles are frequently designed to compete in only one season. Throughout the course of the year, the cars receive enhancements and new parts in order to keep their maximum performance and remain competitive with the rest of the field.
The price of a Formula 1 car can vary from team to team depending on how much money they have to spend on construction and the research and development of new parts. For instance, the chassis alone of a Formula 1 car can cost up to $700,00, yet the halo that surrounds the driver only costs about $17,000. The engine, on the other hand, is by far the most expensive component of the vehicle. The total cost of a brand-new engine for a Formula 1 car, including all of its component parts, can reach up to $18 million.
An average Formula 1 car will run its owner approximately $20 million over the course of a season.
How Exactly Does the Point Scoring Work in Formula 1?
The top ten finishers in a Grand Prix are each given a certain number of points. The person who comes in first earns 25 points, the person who comes in second receives 18 points, and the person who comes in third receives 15 points.
| Position | Points Scored |
| 1 | 25 |
| 2 | 18 |
| 3 | 15 |
| 4 | 12 |
| 5 | 10 |
| 6 | 8 |
| 7 | 6 |
| 8 | 4 |
| 9 | 2 |
| 10 | 1 |
| 11-20 | 0 |
The driver who finishes in the top 10 places is eligible to collect an additional point for having the quickest lap, but in order to collect that point, the driver must first place in the race.
Additional points will be awarded to the top eight drivers that compete in the sprint, with the winner receiving an additional point for their victory. P2 through P8 will each receive seven points, followed by six, five, four, three, two, and finally one point.
For the year 2022, a new points system will be implemented for races that have to be stopped during the Grand Prix due to an incident, poor weather, or another circumstance in which a race can’t take place. This was a response to the fact that the Belgian Grand Prix in 2021 had to be called off after just two laps due to heavy rain, and that the competitors were given half points for their efforts.
If a minimum of two laps have not been completed under green flag conditions, then no points will be awarded.
If less than 25 percent of the race has been finished, points will be awarded to the top five finishers in the following order: 6–4–3–2–1
If between 25 and 50 percent of the race has been finished, point distribution will take place according to the following scale: 13–10–8–6–5–4–3–2–1 for the top nine finishers.
If between fifty and seventy-five percent of the race has been finished, the top ten finishers will receive points according to the following scale: 19–14–12–9–8–6–5–3–2–1.
Full points will be awarded to the top 10 finishers in the race if more than 75% of the distance that was planned to be covered is actually covered.
Throughout the course of the season, the points are accumulated, and the totals are then applied toward the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. At the end of the season, the driver and team that finished with the most points are awarded the title of champion.
Who Has the Most Victories at the Formula 1 World Championship?
There have been thirty-four different drivers who have won the Formula 1 World Championship. Legends Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton are tied for the most wins in the annals of Formula 1 history with seven victories each.
After winning championships with Benetton in 1994 and 1995, Michael Schumacher moved on to Ferrari and won five championships in a row there between the years 2000 and 2004.
In 2008, while driving for McLaren, Hamilton won the title for the first time. In 2013, he switched to Mercedes and won again. He went on to win championships in six of the following seven seasons after that.
2021 was the year that Max Verstappen won his first title. There are just two other drivers on the grid who have won championships, and their names are Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. Both Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso have won four consecutive races, however Alonso did it with Renault in 2005 and 2006 while Vettel did it with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013.
Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina held the record for the most titles with five a long time before Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton were on the scene. In the early years of Formula 1, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957 were the years that he won them. Ayrton Senna of Brazil, who won three titles during that time period, and Alain Prost of France, who won four titles between the 1980s and 1990s, had an iconic rivalry with one another.
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