New to Formula 1? Here's a comprehensive guide to understanding the sport, from race formats to team dynamics.
Welcome to Formula 1! Whether you discovered the sport through Netflix's Drive to Survive or caught a race at a friend's house, this guide will help you understand what's happening on and off the track.
What is Formula 1?
Formula 1 is the highest class of international racing for single-seater formula racing cars. It's a global championship that visits circuits around the world, combining cutting-edge technology with elite driving skill.
Race Weekend Structure
A typical race weekend spans three days:
Friday & Saturday — Practice
A standard weekend has three one-hour practice sessions; a Sprint weekend has just one.
- FP1 (Free Practice 1): First on-track session, Friday. Teams test setups, tire compounds, and gather data.
- FP2 (Free Practice 2): Friday. More data gathering, race simulations, and long runs.
- FP3 (Free Practice 3): Saturday morning. A final tune-up before qualifying.
Saturday — Qualifying
With 22 cars on the 2026 grid, qualifying is a three-part knockout:
- Q1: All 22 drivers compete. The slowest 7 are eliminated, leaving 15.
- Q2: The remaining 15 drivers run again. The slowest 5 are eliminated, leaving 10.
- Q3: The top-10 shootout for pole position.
(The cut numbers shifted when the grid grew: with the old 20-car field, Q1 and Q2 each dropped 5. A 22-car grid drops 7 in Q1 and 5 in Q2 to land on the same top-10 Q3.)
Sunday — Race
The main event. Drivers complete a set number of laps (usually around 300km total distance). Points are awarded to the top 10 finishers.
Points System
| Position | Points |
|---|---|
| 1st | 25 |
| 2nd | 18 |
| 3rd | 15 |
| 4th | 12 |
| 5th | 10 |
| 6th | 8 |
| 7th | 6 |
| 8th | 4 |
| 9th | 2 |
| 10th | 1 |
An additional point is awarded for the fastest lap (if the driver finishes in the top 10).
The Teams
For 2026, Formula 1 has 11 teams, each running two cars — that's 22 drivers on the grid, up from 20, after Cadillac joined as the eleventh team. Each team designs and builds its own car within the technical regulations.
Key Terms
- Active Aero & Overtake Mode — For 2026, the cars use active front and rear wings that change shape to cut drag on the straights and add downforce in the corners. A driver chasing a rival can deploy Overtake Mode — a burst of extra electrical power with the rear wing opened — to help complete a pass. This system replaced DRS (the Drag Reduction System), the movable rear-wing flap used from 2011 to 2025. You'll still hear commentators say "DRS" out of habit and in historical clips, so don't be thrown — on a 2026 car, the modern equivalent is Overtake Mode
- Pit Stop — When a car comes into the pit lane to change tires or make adjustments
- Undercut/Overcut — Strategic pit stop timing to gain track position
- Safety Car — Deployed when conditions are dangerous, bunches the field together
- Grid Penalty — Position penalties for rule infractions or component changes
How to Watch
- F1 TV — Official streaming service with live races and replays
- Sky Sports F1 — Premium live coverage with expert commentary
- ESPN — US broadcast coverage
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