Formula One has always been a sport that blends machine and human performance. While the drivers get the glory, behind the scenes, a team of tech whizzes and engineers crunch the data, which informs everything from driving strategy to car design. 

F1 teams are now so dependent on data that Christian Horner, the CEO of Red Bull Racing, said that data is in the team’s lifeblood. Red Bull uses data to rate drivers, and it’s a big reason why their cars have been so successful in recent years. 

F1 Cars Are Decked Out In 300+ Sensors

A Formula One car lives and dies by its aerodynamics. Scientists are constantly trying to figure out the best design based on how the airflow interacts with the car as it moves around the track. This scientific field is known as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and is a key aspect of F1.

F1 cars are equipped with 300+ sensors, which can send 3 GB of race data. The sensors collect data throughout the race and even in practice sessions. 

CFD, combined with data analysis, has transformed F1 races. Fans almost universally wanted more wheel-to-wheel racing where drivers are almost touching each other on every corner and constantly overtaking one another.

F1 engineers realized that the current car designs were preventing this close wheel-to-wheel racing. The modern cars were creating turbulence behind their careers, which was acting as a barrier and preventing rival drivers from closing the distance.

The F1 came together with the governing body, the FIA, and leveraged a huge pile of data provided by Amazon Web Services to figure out what adaptions needed to be made to the cars. Ultimately, teams were able to reduce turbulence by altering the underbody of the car and creating a ground effect where the air sucks the car down towards the track.

Computational fluid dynamics is a very specialized field that requires a team of high-flying and highly paid-scientists to conduct the simulations. Also, no matter how good the scientists are, they need access to large amounts of data and computing power.

However, computational fluid dynamics has become a critical part of Formula One racing. It’s used extensively in the design process of new cars and to analyze the performance of new add-ons to existing vehicles. CFD can also quickly identify problems and help teams get back in the race by making the necessary adaptations.

Simulations and Virtual Racing Radically Enhance Driving Skill

AI-powered simulations have become the Holy Grail for Formula One teams. F1 teams now run billions of simulations on races to identify all the potential variables and come up with solutions on how to interact with them during the event. 

The simulations are only possible thanks to the incredible data they have access to from Oracle, Amazon, and Dell. Simulations have taken a lot of guesswork out of racing. Teams now have an accurate idea of how everything from the track condition to crashes to pit stops to the weather will impact their driver and to what extent. They can even accurately predict, for example, how likely a crash is on a certain corner.

Simulations have also decreased the price of testing, which can be blown extremely quickly in Formula One. Instead of spending hours and hours on the track, simulations are used to test new designs and assess just how well the car will handle the intensity of an F1 race. Engineers can quickly identify issues before they’re discovered on the track. 

All this high-tech data has only recently been used to its full potential, thanks to AI. F1 teams are constantly tweaking things from race to race. The only way to crunch the data and come up with usable insights is through AI-powered models, which can run millions of simulations in the blink of an eye.

The AI-powered models and simulations aren’t just for engineers. They’re an incredible training tool for drivers who can race around the track over and over again without risk of injury, ruining very expensive cars, or placing their bodies under stress. Drivers study the AI-generated insights and incorporate them into their racing strategy. Drivers have a clear strategy on how to navigate certain aspects of the race, from straights to corners to pit stops, all thanks to hours spent on simulations.

Read more: Robots on the Court? AI Ball Machine Heats Up Tennis Training

George Russell and Max Verstappen are demanding F1 cars be raised to protect drivers’ safety. Currently, Formula One cars have a front ride height of 30 to 35 millimeters and a rear ride height of 75 to 80 millimeters. Russell said the impact drivers feel when cars hit bumps is a risk to drivers’ health. He called the current F1 car heights “unsustainable.”

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen spoke to the governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), after winning the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. He advised the FIA that the low car heights were causing distress to drivers’ spines which face compression when cars hit bumps at high speeds.

The Dutch driver cited impacts being too high as he demanded that the F1 alter the drive heights and add the changes to the new regulations set to debut in 2026.

However, he’s worried that the FIA won’t do anything about car heights in the latest rule changes, scheduled to be finalized in June. Verstappen said, “We still run very low but I don’t think the 2026 car is going to be any different.”

Is this the First Time We’ve Seen F1 Car Height Issues?

We first started hearing drivers complaining about car heights in 2022, when rule changes reinstated Venturi underfloors. The underfloors create a ground effect, generating increased downforce and grip. The result is the car and driver are pulled down to the track.

Venturi underfloors feature a special inverted wing design that creates a low-pressure area under the car. The downforce is created by expanding the airflow as it goes rearward. To optimally create downforce, F1 cars must be very low to the ground and feature stiff suspension.

The downforce increases as F1 cars reach maximum speed down straights, literally pulling the car closer and closer to the track. During these phases of the race, drivers can feel serious discomfort in their spines. Russell considers it “unsustainable to keep running the cars like this” and is one of many drivers airing that concern with F1.

F1 Cars Are Millimeters from the Ground

As F1 cars pick up speed, they get lower and lower. Russell explained that the difference in height between the start and end of a straight: the length of an AA battery at the beginning decreases to just the size of a chickpea by the end. Even a minuscule bump sends a shockwave through a driver’s body, setting their teeth rattling, and having a strong compression effect on their backs. 

F1 brought in the rule changes because it believed that overtaking maneuvers would become more frequent due to the increased downforce. The idea was that the pack of drivers would be closer by controlling aerodynamic wake.

Mercedes’ technical director James Allison was never convinced about the theory of controlling aerodynamic wake. He believes that the car heights should be increased as it won’t impact races. A slight boost to ride heights and body roll won’t suddenly make F1 races uncompetitive; drivers will still be able to follow each other, and there’ll be regular overtaking maneuvers.

Allison said, “I don’t think it’s sensible to have cars that hug the ground in the way these cars hug it, and I think the idea that you get good racing by controlling wakes while ignoring tires (is flawed).”

Allison believes ground-effect floors have their place in F1 racing and can make races more exciting. However, the current designs that rely on an ultra-low rear ride height are placing the drivers in unnecessary danger without adding too much to the racing. Allison is adamant that the current ground-effect floors should be redesigned and have no place in the new rules in 2026.

Drivers Feel the Strain

The FIA has apparently become obsessed with the idea of wake management, to the detriment of other aspects of racing, like tires. Drivers are looking for a more balanced approach and are not against ground-effect floors. 

At the moment, the FIA hasn’t publicly commented on the issue. We’ll have to wait to see if they take the drivers’ criticism onboard and lift the car heights. However, it seems to have its heart set on maximizing ground effects with ultra-low car heights. 

Read More: Former MMA Legend Returns to the Cage

Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen won a record of 19 of 22 races last season and looked to be in a different league when compared to his fellow drivers. It’s 2024, and a new season has rolled around – Verstappen is expecting more from his fellow competitors in the upcoming racing events. 

The 26-year-old said, “Realistically, of course, it can’t be much better than what we’ve achieved. But I think it’s not always about trying to win 20 races. It’s also about just trying to find improvements within yourself, within the car.” 

Verstappen believes that in 2023, many teams tried out new strategies, and this year, they’ll be ready to compete. He is already quieting expectations and said, “If that means next year, we have improved the car, and we can fight for the championship again, but we only win 10 races, that’s also fine.” Verstappen believes a lot of his domination last year was thanks to the other teams’ inconsistent performances. Redbull will likely face a bigger challenge from Mercedes and Ferrari and the season will be quite a bit closer.

Sergio Perez Is Gunning for His Teammate

Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez finished second in last year’s drivers’ standings. However, the Mexican driver scored 285 points, which was miles behind Verstappen, who finished on 575 points.

The 34-year-old did manage to win two races throughout the season and secure some pole positions. Unfortunately for Perez, as the season progressed, the gap between him and Verstappen only continued to widen.

Perez understands just how difficult it’ll be to overcome his teammate, who is in unprecedented form. But the Mexican driver, who’s now in his fourth year with Red Bull, is quietly optimistic. He said, “My main interest is to do one better. I’m aware of the challenge that it is, we’ve got to really take this winter time to try to start the season on a high and be able to maintain that level of consistency throughout the season.”

Perez also has the benefit of being up close and personal with Verstappen and seeing exactly what works. He believes he can put together a strategy that will challenge the Dutchman and identify his weaknesses. The Mexican driver isn’t afraid to spy on his teammate and at the same time said he’s a very open-minded driver. If something works, he’ll keep doing it – but if he finds a superior strategy, he’ll switch.

However, if Perez is going to seriously threaten Verstappen this season he can’t just himself into a second-rate copy of the Dutch driver especially when they’re driving almost the same car. He’ll need to uncover some new strategies with his team or simply improve his driving skills. Perez will have to find another gear or two if he wants to overtake Verstappen this year, but don’t count out the Mexican just yet. As last season shows, he’s capable of winning races.

Lewis Hamilton Believes He Can Beat Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton has come out with fighting words, claiming he’s the only Formula One driver who can challenge Verstappen in 2024.

At the same time, the seven-time world champion believes he has the driving skills to overcome the 26-year-old, who’s keenly aware of the limitations of Mercedes. Hamilton also called out his team saying the pit stops weren’t good enough. The British driver is confident that if Mercedes can deliver the whole package, then he can credibly challenge Verstappen this season.

Mercedes is clearly behind Red Bull and hasn’t been able to field a competitive car over the last few years. However, with the new regulations, even Adrian Newey, chief technology officer of Red Bull, is expecting Mercedes to be a much bigger challenge this year.

Former Formula One driver, Christijan Albers, also believes that Hamilton is the only driver that can challenge Verstappen this year, but only if Mercedes can figure out their car. Albers said the other drivers in the field are only able to challenge Verstappen on occasion at individual races. He thinks Hamilton is the only driver who consistently pressures Verstappen throughout the season. 

Let’s hope that the 2024 F1 season is more competitive than last year’s. It’d be great to see Lewis Hamilton return to winning form in his final with Mercedes before he switches to Ferrari.

The 2024 F1 season flags off on Saturday, March 2, with the Bahrain GP.