The Hindu Business Line : On the F-1 track

THE location: The Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia. Nearly 2 lakh people have come from all over the world to witness the likes of Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard and Juan-Pablo Montoya burn rubber at the second leg of the Formula One racesA few people who have travelled from various parts of India are taking in the scene. Among them are Happy Singh and Swamy. Happy is a first-timer to the race while. He knows nothing about F-1. On the contrary, Swamy is a passionate follower of F-1. He sports a bright red Ferrari T-shirt and a hat and has come here to see his favourite, Schumacher, win.

Swamy is serving some gyan to Happy.

Happy: Arey yaar, Swamy, tell me when did this F1 start?

Swamy: The F1 World Championship was created in 1950 by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It is so popular that more than 300 million people worldwide follow the sport, and more than 650 journalists and photographers cover each event.

Happy: So what is this championship title about?

Swamy: . The drivers and their team strive for two championship titles. One is the driver's title, which is the original one, awarded every year since 1950. Another title called the constructors title was created in 1958 for the best team.

Happy: Is there a timeframe for the race? Swamy: Yes, there is a timeframe. Normally, a race lasts for about 2 hours and the total distance for the race should not exceed 305 km.

Happy: I have a driving licence. So can I race?

Swamy: No, you cannot race just because you have a driving licence. To take part,one must have a Super Licence. This is awarded on the basis of performance in the junior formulae and if the driver has a contract with a F1 team which has entered the World Championship.

Happy: Are there any specifications for the car.

Swamy: There are a lot of specifications that the FIA has stipulated for a car in terms of safety and aerodynamics. The weight of the car should not exceed 600 kg. This includes the weight of the driver and his racing equipment.

Happy: Arey Swamy before you play a game you need to warm up. So is there warm-up session for cars too.

Swamy: Yes, the warm-up is important. It helps the team test the cars in racing conditions. It's a free session that takes place on the morning of the race and lasts for half an hour. It should take place four and a half hours before the start of the main race.

Happy: I noticed that the cars were standing in the start line in a particular order. How is the order determined?

Swamy: The position in the start line is always determined by the time taken by a driver to complete one lap of the race track in the qualifying round. The driver who clocks the fastest time will take the first position in the start line called the pole position. The drivers take their position half an hour before the start of the race. Fifteen minutes before the startthe pit gates are closed. If a driver fails to get out of the pits by then he has to start the race from there. In case a driver fails to reach the start line five minutes before the race and is stranded between the starting point and the pits exit gate, then too he has to start the race from the pits.

Happy: I know for sure that the chequered flag denotes the end of the race and the red flag is for stopping the race. Are there any other signals which we should know about?

Swamy: Well, yes. There are a few signals you could keep in mind while watching a race. If you see a yellow flag being raised then it is to denote danger and a driver cannot overtake while the flag is up. A green flag denotes end of danger and overtaking is permitted. The blue flag indicates that a car is being penalised for obstruction and the car following can overtake. A flag with white triangle, a black box and a car number denotes warning for unsporting behaviour. A flag with red and yellow stripes indicates a slippery track, and a black flag with orange disc denotes that the driver has mechanical problems and should return to the pits. Finally, a black flag with the car number is to tell the driver that he is disqualified from the race.

The next F1 race in Bahrain is just around the corner, this weekend. It's going to be held there for the first time. Whether you are at the racetrack or at home watching the idiot box, just keep these things in mind. Happy racing.