See the Science

• Machined parts measured to within 0.002mm
  Every component on the car is designed to push the limits of precision engineering. From suspension mounts to gearbox housings, every one of the car’s machined components is measured to 2µm (0.002mm) – less than the size of a red blood cell – to ensure a flawless fit. Under the extreme loads and speeds generated by an F1 car, even the smallest deviation can affect aerodynamics, weight distribution and mechanical reliability. A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) is used to measure the exact dimensions of machined parts. The CMM has a highly sensitive probe (typically a laser) to scan the surface of the part and map thousands of points in 3D. The 3D map of the part is then compared with the original CAD model for the part. Any deviations are identified so engineers can adjust the manufacturing process or reject out-of-tolerance parts.
• F1 tyres inflated with dry nitrogen
  F1 tyres must withstand temperatures of up to 120°C. At top speed, they rotate up to 2,800 times per minute and endure extreme forces during braking, acceleration, and cornering. They’re inflated with dry nitrogen (N2) instead of air to ensure consistent performance. Unlike regular air, nitrogen doesn’t contain moisture, which can fluctuate with local weather conditions, nor does it contain oxygen, which can react with high tyre temperatures and reduce tyre pressure. Tyre pressure is a key variable the team must manage at a race weekend. Higher pressure reduces rolling resistance and boosts straight-line speed but lowers grip; lower pressure improves grip but can increase tyre temperature and rate of wear. Tyres have an optimal window of operating temperature – around 100°C. If they’re too cold, graining occurs. This is where the rubber is not sticky enough to provide grip and the car slides. This sliding increases the temperature of the top layer of the tyre but not the inside. The top layer then separates from the rest of the tyre and marbles form, which reduce grip because the tyre no longer has direct contact with the track surface. When a tyre gets too hot, it blisters: the rubber sticks too easily to the track surface and tears away from the tyre. Constructed from synthetic rubber, carbon black, and chemical additives, under the surface of the tyre are layers of synthetic fibres and steel belts, built for strength and lightness. After layering, tyres are moulded and cured at high temperature to achieve their final shape and performance.
• 300ms for data to travel from track
  It takes 300 milliseconds for data to travel from an F1 car on the track at Australia’s Albert Circuit to the AMR Technology Campus in Silverstone. An F1 car has around 300 sensors, relaying data in real time to our team trackside and in Mission Control at the AMR Technology Campus – within tens of milliseconds from European circuits and hundreds of milliseconds from further afield. Over a race weekend, these sensors produce 1,500 gigabytes of data, and they monitor a myriad of metrics such as pressure and temperature, and components like the gearbox and ERS, through to sending a high-definition video to the garage. F1 teams use software called ATLAS to analyse the data. AI and machine learning have become vital tools to expedite the analytical process, working through gigabytes of data in a matter of seconds to provide useful reports and insights that our engineers can apply directly to the car’s setup and development.
• Monocoque torsional stiffness >25,000Nm/deg
  The carbon fibre monocoque of an F1 car is designed to resist twisting under cornering and acceleration. When the car corners at high speed, large forces try to twist the chassis. With a torsional stiffness of 25,000Nm/deg, it takes 25,000 Newton-metres of twisting force to rotate the chassis by just one degree, which means an F1 chassis barely twists under extreme loads. This helps to ensure that the suspension behaves predictably, the tyres maintain consistent contact with the track, and the driver experiences stable handling
• Brakes that withstand >1,200°C
  When a driver presses the brake pedal of an F1 car, at a force of around 100kg, a tandem master brake cylinder sends compressed hydraulic fluid to the car’s brake callipers. Using the fluid pressure, pistons inside the brake calliper push the brake pad against the brake disc, and friction slows the car down, generating temperatures of more than 1,200°C and a stopping force of more than 5G. In a sport where every tenth of a second counts, the brake assembly must also be super lightweight. The brake calliper, the discs, and the pads weigh less than 5kg in total.
• Generating >1,000kg of downforce
  Accelerated air rushing over the wings creates a pressure difference. High pressure above, low pressure below. The car is pressed into the track at up to 6.5 times the force of gravity. At 150km/h, an F1 car can generate downforce greater than its own weight. Creating a sufficient vacuum beneath it that exceeds the force of gravity, the car could drive inverted – upside down. At 320km/h this downward force equates to 1,000kg.