How does car racing work?

Question

Cars don't all start at the same point - some are way behind others. They also pull off for pit stops - but they are expected to all finish at the same time correct? How do they compensate for start delays and side times? Even if side times are excluded - presumably a good car and pit crew can minimize pit stops - how do they at least compensate for the start?

Answer 1

They have a practice a few days before the race called qualifying whoever runs best starts at the front then all the way down to the one who runs worst starts in the back.

Everyone has to make pit stops for fuel and tires and sometimes more. So pit stops kind of even out. The sport is about how well the Driver can get the most out of the car and keep it in one piece. The other part of the sport is planning and a bit of luck. Racing involves a LOT of strategy and a LOT of preparation.

They couldn't all start at the same spot that's why it's so special if someone can play their cards right and get from the back to the front.

Hope this helps. The more you watch the more you'll understand

Answer 2

You don't compensate for the slight difference in start position. (Even if you could start all the cars side by side, there are differences between positions. The outside of the track is usually not as dirty as the inside, so there is more traction. The guy on the inside may get to the inside of the first corner, but the guy on the outside can turn the corner at a higher speed. This would be incredibly dangerous.) The fastest drivers start at the front - they have to win their position during qualifying. Those who are fast enough win a slight advantage over those in the rear. This is for safety, since putting the fastest cars at the back means that they would be trying to pass before the first corner, and there would be too many crashes during the first few corners. The idea is to have the cars spread out a little so that there are fewer accidents.

As for pit stops, all teams have to make them. Since racing is a team sport, the pit stop is an integral part of the race. Who can get the stop done faster? Is it better to make 2 fairly long stops, or 3 quick stops? When you leave the pits, do you have other cars close in front of you, or an empty track? Which team has the best strategy in terms of when to bring a car in for a stop? It also forces the drivers to conserve their tyres (so they don't have to stop for tyres as often), and to conserve their fuel (so they don't have to stop for fuel as often, and don't have to carry as much fuel with them - the weight of extra fuel can be significant it terms of lap times.) The time it takes to refuel is also a factor - F1 cars can often have the tyres changes in as little as 5 seconds - but the fuel doesn't flow that fast, so the car has to wait longer.

A race starts from where your position happens to be on the grid when the flag drops - to the finish line. You might not be the fastest car on the track, but if you conserve your tyres and fuelso you don't have to stop as often, you can still win (if your speed isn't too far behind that of the faster cars.) Its like "The Hare and the Tortoise" - going fast, and needing lots of stops, doesn't always give you the win.

Watch Le Mans sometime - it's often not the fastest car that wins, but the car that spends the least time in the pits for tyres, fuel and repairs - while still maintaining reasonable lap times.

Answer 3

WTF???