What is the spec of a 2024 F1 car? Weight, height, engine size
All the crucial details you need to know about Formula 1 cars' dimensions.
What sort of regulations are F1 cars bound by?
The early part of the calendar year is always an exciting time for F1 fans and participants, as it signifies the launch of brand new cars.
Ten teams in total devote a day in the calendar to releasing their new machinery, which they hope will take them to success in the upcoming season.
Designing an F1 car is a mammoth process and is a real tester for those at the forefront of the operation. The sport is heavily regulated in terms of the car specifications, to ensure that there are no overwhelming discrepancies between the teams at the top and teams the bottom.
While there will always be standout cars, such as the Red Bull which has taken Max Verstappen to multiple championship successes, all cars have to adhere to certain criteria to be allowed to race.
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RadioTimes.com will take a closer look at what those are.
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How heavy can an F1 car be?
Ahead of 2023, the regulations were slightly adjusted so the car is lighter than 2022 and previous years. Every car on the grid must weigh a minimum of 796kg, meaning designers will be scouring across their machinery to try and shave off as much unnecessary weight as possible.
The figure of 796kg is minus the fuel allocation, which can take a car to above 900kg if filled to the brim.
Over the years, F1 cars have become more lightweight yet stronger as the technology has increased. Most of the bodywork is made of carbon fibre which is both extremely strong and also light.
What is the height and width of an F1 car?
Formula One cars must be no longer than 200cm wide and 95cm tall. While there is theoretically no maximum length, several rules set indirect limits on those dimensions, meaning every F1 car looks very similar.
In terms of the ride height, cars were generally 30-35mm off the ground in 2022 under new regulations to create “ground effect” – meaning the centre of gravity of a car was lowered to give better grip around corners.
However, a common theme of the 2022 season was “porpoising” – where a car would visibly bounce up and down when driving on long straights in particular.
To combat that, cars were raised by 15mm in 2023.
How big can F1 engines be?
All cars in 2024 must be fitted with 1.6l V6 turbocharged hybrid engines from the manufacturer of their choice. This is a reduction from the V8 2.6l engines used between 2006-13 and 3l V10s that were used pre-2006. This is why cars are nowhere near as loud as they used to be.
The reduction in engine size is part of the sport’s drive to be more carbon neutral and use less emissions.
Engines produced between 750 and 1,000bhp (brake horsepower) and anywhere between 130 to 145 litres of fuel are burned during the race. Refuelling is not allowed during the race so cars tend to be much slower in terms of race pace compared to qualifying as they are carrying a heavy load.
What else is new?
A number of minor regulation changes have been brought in to make the sport safer and more competitive.
In terms of safety, all roll hoops must have a rounded top to lessen the chances of car digging into the ground if it overturns.
This is introduced followed a scary crash involving Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu at the British Grand Prix where it took a considerable amount of time to extract him from the car.
The reflective surface of wing mirrors is being extended from 150mm to 200mm to give drivers more visibility during races.
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