S
Soft
Maximum grip, shorter lifespan.
Best for a single fast lap or a short, aggressive stint.
2026 Season
The Race
Where Speed Meets Strategy
Format
Race Weekend
Practice
Teams use practice to learn the circuit conditions, evaluate set-up changes and gather tyre data. Nothing is scored, but the information collected here shapes qualifying and race decisions.
Sprint weekends: selected rounds use a Sprint format, which can include additional sessions — a shorter race and its own separate qualifying session — replacing part of the usual practice running.
Compounds
Tyre Strategy
M
Medium
Balanced grip and durability.
The usual compromise compound for a flexible race stint.
H
Hard
Lower grip, longer lifespan.
Slower to warm up, but able to carry a long stint to the end.
Under the Bodywork
Technology
DRS
Drag Reduction System
DRS opens a flap in the rear wing, reducing drag so the car reaches a higher top speed on a straight. Drivers may only activate it in designated detection zones when they are within one second of the car ahead, and it closes again as soon as they brake.
ERS
Energy Recovery Systems
ERS harvests energy that would otherwise be wasted — mainly under braking and from the exhaust turbine — stores it in a battery, and returns it as electrical power to the drivetrain. That deployment adds significant performance, so managing how and when it is used is part of the driver's job.
Aerodynamics
Downforce vs Drag
Wings and floor surfaces push the car towards the track, generating downforce that increases cornering grip. More downforce usually means more drag, which costs straight-line speed, so every circuit demands a different balance between the two.
Race Strategy
Make the Call
Choose an approach and see how the stints play out across the race distance.
One Stop
Race distanceMedium
Hard
Lap 11 pit stopFinish
One visit to the pit lane means less time lost stationary, but the driver must manage tyre wear across two long stints and may lack pace late on.
Questions
FAQ
A Grand Prix is a single round of the Formula 1 World Championship. It is a race held over a set distance at a circuit, and it forms the centrepiece of a weekend that also includes practice and qualifying.
Qualifying is run in three knockout segments. All cars run in the first segment and the slowest are eliminated; the process repeats in the second, and the remaining drivers set their fastest lap in the third to decide pole position and the front of the grid.
A pit stop is a scheduled visit to the team's garage area during the race, mainly to fit a fresh set of tyres. The crew works in a matter of seconds, because every moment stationary is time lost to cars still on track.
Softer compounds offer more grip but wear out faster, while harder compounds last longer with less outright pace. Choosing between them lets teams trade lap time against the number of pit stops they need.
When a driver is close enough to the car ahead at a detection point, they can open a flap in the rear wing along a designated straight. That reduces drag and raises top speed, making an overtake more achievable.