F1 Gap Visualizer: Formula 1 session gaps to scale, by Formula Dream
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 Race gaps, drawn to scale
In race for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024, Kevin Magnussen (Haas F1 Team) set the reference lap of 1:25.637. Lewis Hamilton was +1.641 behind, which is 142.2 m of track at the speed the leader crossed the line. The table below lists every classified driver, the gap in seconds and the same gap converted to metres.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Lap | Gap | Gap in metres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas F1 Team | 1:25.637 | reference | 0 m |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:27.278 | +1.641 | 142.2 m |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:27.438 | +1.801 | 156.1 m |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:27.690 | +2.053 | 177.9 m |
| 5 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 1:27.765 | +2.128 | 184.4 m |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:27.765 | +2.128 | 184.4 m |
| 7 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:27.948 | +2.311 | 200.3 m |
| 8 | Zhou Guanyu | Kick Sauber | 1:27.982 | +2.345 | 203.2 m |
| 9 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:28.018 | +2.381 | 206.4 m |
| 10 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:28.195 | +2.558 | 221.7 m |
| 11 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:28.604 | +2.967 | 257.1 m |
| 12 | Liam Lawson | RB | 1:28.751 | +3.114 | 269.9 m |
| 13 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | 1:29.121 | +3.484 | 301.9 m |
| 14 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas F1 Team | 1:29.152 | +3.515 | 304.6 m |
| 15 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB | 1:29.200 | +3.563 | 308.8 m |
| 16 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:29.212 | +3.575 | 309.8 m |
| 17 | Franco Colapinto | Williams | 1:29.411 | +3.774 | 327.1 m |
| 18 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:29.438 | +3.801 | 329.4 m |
| 19 | Valtteri Bottas | Kick Sauber | 1:29.482 | +3.845 | 333.2 m |
Gaps and proportions are real, taken from session timing. The track drawn in the tool is illustrative.
The Gap Visualizer
A tenth of a second, in metres.
A qualifying gap on the timing screen is a number like +0.175s, and nobody can actually feel a tenth of a second. The Gap Visualizer converts that time gap into the one unit everyone has an instinct for: distance. It draws each car to scale on a straight ruled in metres, so a gap you could not feel becomes a stretch of track you can picture.
What is a "gap" in F1?
In Formula 1 a gap is the time difference between two cars, measured as they cross the same point on the track. In qualifying it is how far behind pole each driver ended up; in a race it is the time between two cars running on track. It is always given in seconds, which is precise but hard to picture, that is the problem this tool solves.
How it works
- Pick a session. Choose a race and qualifying session.
- The gaps convert to distance. Each time gap is multiplied by the pole car's speed as it crosses the line to give a distance in metres. At the roughly 300 km/h an F1 car carries across the line, about eight metres per tenth of a second.
- The grid is drawn to scale. Cars are placed back from the line by their own gap, on a straight ruled off in metres, so you can see how close or spread out the field really was.
A worked example
A gap of +0.175s sounds tiny. Converted, it is about 14 metres, roughly three car lengths. A pole-to-sixth spread of half a second, which reads as almost nothing on the screen, becomes something like 40 to 50 metres of empty track. Same facts, but now you can feel them.
How the numbers are worked out, honestly
The formula is distance in metres = gap in seconds x (speed in km/h / 3.6). The speed used is the pole car's measured speed at the line on its fastest lap, one speed for the whole grid, not a top speed or a lap average. Because of that, the drawing is a freeze-frame at line speed: the gaps and proportions are real, and the track is illustrative. It is most accurate near the line, where the cars are flat out, which is exactly why it is drawn on a straight rather than wrapped around the corners.
Frequently asked questions
What does the gap mean in F1 qualifying?
It is how far behind pole, in time, each driver qualified. +0.175s means that driver was 0.175 seconds slower than pole over their best lap.
How many metres is a tenth of a second in F1?
At about 300 km/h across the line, a tenth of a second is roughly eight metres of track. The exact figure depends on the car's speed at that point.
Is the car's position on the track exactly where it was?
No, and the tool is honest about that. It expresses the gap as distance at the reference car's line speed, drawn to scale on a straight. The gaps and proportions are real; the track shape is illustrative.
Which sessions can I visualise?
Every qualifying, sprint and race from the 2024, 2025 and 2026 Formula 1 seasons. Pick any weekend and session and the grid loads at its real gaps.
Is the data real?
Yes. It’s built from official Formula 1 timing, the same lap times and gaps shown on the world feed.
Can I compare specific drivers?
Yes. Choose any set of drivers and the view re-scales to the gaps between exactly the ones you picked.
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