Insights, deep-dives & race intel
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F1 team orders: what 37,359 radio messages actually show
Team orders are the most argued-about thing in Formula 1 and among the rarest things you will ever hear on the radio. We counted every instance across eight seasons of our archive.
How Many Laps Is an F1 Race? Every 2026 Circuit
Monaco has the most laps of any race and the shortest distance. Spa has the fewest laps and one of the longest. One rule explains both, and here is every 2026 round.
F1's Heat Hazard Rule and the Cooling Vests Drivers Don't Want
Above 31°C the FIA declares a Heat Hazard and every car must carry a cooling system. Drivers can refuse to wear the vest, and the rule makes sure it costs them nothing.
F1 Tyre Blankets: The Ban That Keeps Not Happening
Tyre blankets have been about to be banned for years and are still legal in 2026. The rule that did change went the other way, and closed a cooling loophole.
How Long Is an F1 Race? Distance, Laps and the Time Limits
A Grand Prix is 305km, except at Monaco, and it is capped at two hours of racing. We timed 61 races to show how long one actually takes, and what makes the longest ones run past two hours.
Why Do F1 Cars Spark? The 10mm Rule Behind the Show
The sparks are burning titanium, and they come from a safety device fitted in 1994. Half a millimetre of wear on it has disqualified a driver from a Grand Prix.
What Happens When It Rains in F1, and Why Races Get Stopped
F1 does not stop for rain because the cars cannot grip. It stops because nobody can see. The wet tyres, the procedures, and the spray problem the sport has failed to solve.
Do F1 Cars Have Traction Control? The Ban, the Return, the Ban
F1 banned traction control, then brought it back because it could not catch anyone cheating, then banned it again with a standard ECU. The reason why is the interesting part.
F1 Super Licence Points: How a Driver Actually Qualifies
The FIA Super Licence explained, the hardest driving licence in the world, the 40-point system that gets you into F1, the junior ladder, the age rule Verstappen triggered, and the theory test.
The F1 Cost Cap Explained: How the Budget Limit Reshaped the Sport
The F1 cost cap explained in full, the spending war that bankrupted teams, the limit brought in for 2021, what counts and what doesn't, the aero-testing handicap that works alongside it, and how Red Bull got caught.
What Is Parc Fermé in F1? The Rule That Locks the Cars
Parc ferme explained, the closed-park rule that freezes an F1 car's setup from qualifying to the race, why it exists, how the FIA enforces it with 40,000 seals, and the new rain exception.
F1 Track Limits Explained: The White Line Rule and Why It's a Mess
F1 track limits explained, the white line rule, how race penalties escalate, why vast asphalt run-off caused the 2023 Austria chaos, the gravel debate, and the tech trying to police it.