F1GP Manual PDF
F1GP Manual PDF
F1GP Manual PDF
http://www.theunderdogs.org/
gives at-a-glance information for all keys used in the game. Designed
to stand upright next to your computer screen.
Understand and learn all cockpit controls until everything becomes second
nature to you. Get used to looking in both mirrors and being aware of what is going
on behind you.
You must find out how your car behaves on each circuit with various set-ups for
wings, tyres, brakes and gears. Don’t be afraid to experiment! As you improve and
hone your driving skills, you will appreciate the value of such things as the correct
wing downforce.
Diagram 1
A/Z = Controller-
Accelerate/Brake
</
> = Controller-steer
Left/Steer Right
Spacebar= Selector
G R A N D PRIX 14 G R A N D PRIX
QUICKSTART DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS
Loading
When you think you are familiar with the Monza circuit and the basic
car controls, practise driving into The Pits. The Pits are where all repairs
are carried out and where you are fitted with new tyres.
You will have noticed the Yellow Dotted Line just before the main grandstand
straight. This is the line leading to the Pit Lane.
Drive a complete circuit, during which at any time, you may press ‘Return’ to
inform your pit crew of your intention to stop. You will see the pit signal on your
instrument panel light up in yellow. This enables you to enter the pit lane when
you see the dotted line. Drive slowly into the Pit Lane. You may see several pit
crews waiting. As you continue forward motion aim the car towards the Pit bays.
The programme will direct you into the correct bay but you must brake just in
front of the crewman directly ahead of you.
You will be jacked up and a sign placed in front of the car telling you to keep
your brakes on. A selection of tyre types appears on the digital display but don’t
worry about this for now. Press the Selector and you will be jacked down. You can
now drive away from the Pits, weave through the Pit lane, then carefully re-join the
circuit.
c”\ You will find yourself on the Starting Grid at Monza with 25 other
cars. If you have achieved a reasonable lap time you will be placed
relative to the other drivers’ performance. If you failed to get a time, got a bad time,
or have just jumped in at this stage, then you will begin from the rear of the grid.
Wherever you are, you will see the starting gantry: a bank of 3 red lights and a
bank of 3 green lights. None should be illuminated.
Wait for the red lights to come on. That is the warning that the start will take place
within 4 to 7 seconds. Hold the car on the ‘clutch’ with 1st gear engaged (see earlier).
When the green lights come on, accelerate!
Try to keep out of trouble for the first bend until the cars sort themselves out.
Race around the circuit for the number of laps shown on the display but keep an
eye o n the Pits Indicator (bottom right in the cockpit). If it turns yellow you are
being called by radio to go into the Pits to change tyres, or repair damage. Drive into
QUICKSTART DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS
the Pits as soon as possible, you will lose performance if you don’t change your tyres.
The pit stop will be timed! If you do not wish to pit, inform the pit crew by pressing
‘Return’, which cancels the pit signal.
Complete the required number of laps. When the race is over you will lose power
and then you will be shown the results screen. If you wish to retire early from the
face then press ‘ESC’. The race will then be completed for the other drivers in
Accelerated Time.
The back pages of any computer simulation manual are sometimes seen as
unimportant to the winning of the game but it is recommended that you read all of
the manual. It will give you a complete understanding of attitude, general
approach to races and other drivers on the circuit plus numerous hints and tips
to help you win. Remember that MicroProse Formula One Grand Prix is a
simulation not just a racing game.
The sound of the Formula One engine is very important in the simulation
for, as in real racing, it is a good indication of when to change gear.
Sound (+/-)
Turn the sound level up and down with the +/- keys.
Gear Change: Up
The sequence is Reverse-Neutral-lst-2nd-3rd-4th-5th-6th
Start in Neutral. Accelerate with the Controller and press the Selector once, the
red gear indicator will show 1 and the car will begin to move. Accelerate again until
the red power band is between 11 and 12 then while still accelerating, press the
Selector. You will have now changed gear, the indicator shows the number 2 and
the tone of the engine changes. Accelerate again and increase the power, then press
the Selector again. You have now changed up into third gear!
Gear Change: Down
The sequence is 6th-5th-4th-3rd-2nd-lst-Power Turn-Neutral-Reverse.
With the Controller not accelerating, press the Selector. The number on the Gear
Indicator will change down.
You can only change down into this gear. If you have not implemented Function
Key F3 or are racing at a Level that does not allow you to use it, you may recover
from any spin by changing down to this gear. The red indicator will show;
To straighten out a spin, accelerate from rest, steering momentarily in the opposite
direction to where you want to turn, before steering in the desired direction,
keeping the accelerator depressed throughout, but change up to first gear as soon as
you are facing in the right direction.
You must change down into Reverse. Once the R appears on the gear indicator
accelerate with the Controller, as in a real car, to move backwards.
Before you start any race, qualifying lap, or practice session you must familiarise
yourself with the MicroProse Formula One car cockpit. You must be able to take in
all information presented to you at a glance, because at the speeds you will be
travelling on circuits such as Monza, a lost second is all it takes to make the
difference between a devastating shunt and a brilliant overtaking manoeuvre. At
200 mph the car will travel 90 metres in that second!
It’s very important to know who is behind you and who is trying to overtake.
Some cars may weave from side to side looking for an opening at a crucial corner,
be conscious of their presence. They will try to pass, if you show any weakness or
leave a gap where they might dart past. Whilst not advocating a breach of Racing
Etiquette it is not unusual for drivers to ‘shut the door’ on other cars behind them.
The difficulty level you have chosen is shown by five lights in a row on the left of
the steering wheel. If the lowest green light is shining then you are racing at Rookie
level, if the highest light is on then you are competing at Ace level. The levels are
related to and control the number of Driving Aids you can access.
The levels are: Ace
Pro
Semi-Pro
Amateur
Rookie
mm Damage Indicator
Below the Detail Adjust Indicator is the Damage Indicator operated
m m
m by Radio Telemetry from the Pits. This shows damage to front and/or
rear wings, and if lit, extreme caution is advised in driving. Returning
to the Pits will repair any damage.
Pits Indicator
Below the Damage Indicator is the Pits Indicator operated by Radio
Telemetry from the Pits.
The Driving Aids panel is the bank of 6 boxes directly below the Rev Counter.
Driving Aids correspond directly to the Difficulty Level you have chosen.
Fl Auto Brakes The computer applies braking functions
for you to suit the circuit, but will not
brake to avoid other cars.
m
F2 Auto Gears The computer changes all gears for you
when it thinks it is the appropriate moment.
Ri-
The Driving Aids Fl to F6 can be turned on at any time from the cockpit if you
are in Rookie Mode. However if you are racing at higher levels you will have less
help available to you.
Level of Difficulty/Driving Aids Available Summary
G R A N D PRIX 36 G R A N D PRIX
COCKPIT CONTROLS
G R A N D PRIX 37 G R A N D PRIX
C O C K P I T C O N T R O L S
When you are jacked up in the pits the top row on
the digital readout panel will change to:
A B C D (Q) W TYREs: A B C D Q W Move the Controller ~
left/right to select your choice of tyres from Wets,
e TYRE CHOICE II)
Compounds A (hard) to D (very soft) and Qualifyers.
Qualifying/Practice Display:
G R A N D PRIX 3 9 G R A N D PRIX
G R A N D PRIX 40 G R A N D PRIX
,
THE PITS
Each of the 16 circuits is unique so it’s necessary to Set-Up your Formula One car
with the correct combination of Wing, Gear Ratios, Brake Balance and Tyres. You
are advised to study the track layouts in this manual (pages 67 to 99) and take note
of all the track notes and summaries; these will give you an indication of the type of
car Set-Up required but there is no substitute for experience. Try a few laps with
various settings, get an idea of how the car is running through corners and along
straights. Compare your performance with other cars in practice, go into the pits
and adjust a setting then try again.
If you are having problems with your car Set-Up and are finding it difficult, for
example, to drive into corners please consult the Set-Up Problem Chart at the end
of this chapter.
i
THE PITS
G R A N D PRIX 42 G R A N D PRIX
THE PITS
Gear Ratios
You must set the gear ratios of your gearbox to suit each circuit. This is usually
done by Setting the 6th gear for the fastest possible speed along the longest straight;
then setting the lowest gear for the slowest corner. The rest of the gears are ranged
somewhere between the two.
Gear ratio selection is very important. Different cogs can be fitted to the gearbox
which can have a major effect on the car’s acceleration, performance in bends and
top speed.
Twisty circuits with few long straights and plenty of chicanes demand ‘short’
gearing for quick acceleration.
Other circuits with long straights require ‘long’ gearing to give the car the top
speed it will need to keep up with the opposition.
The gearbox has a range from 1 to 64. Move the slider to set the ratio for each
gear.
The nearer the cogs are to each other, the less work the lower gear has to do to
get to the higher gear (short gearing).
The further away the cogs are from each other the more work it has to do to get
up to the higher gears but the faster the speed at the top gear (long gearing).
You can choose from a variety of tyres when you are in racing trim and you can
choose qualifying tyres when you are participating in timed practice/qualifying and
when you are ready to do a ‘hot’ lap, otherwise you can use any of the other
compounds. Remember, you are limited to 4 sets of Qualifyers.
To change tyres, enter the pits during a race/practice when the Pits Indicator
signals that your tyres need changing, or press Return to indicate that you are
coming in. Or, if in practice mode, press Q to quit a timed lap immediately.
When you are jacked up, move the Controller left/right to make your tyre
selection.
‘D’ COMPOUND / VERY SOFT
Spongy tyres that give excellent dry condition grip but which wear out quite
rapidly and will not last the whole race.
'C' COMPOUND /SOFT
These provide slightly less grip than D’s but are harder wearing. You will probably
need to change these at least once during a normal race.
'B' COMPOUND /MEDIUM
These provide less grip than C’s on the track but they are quite hard wearing and
will usually last for the whole race without needing to be changed.
‘A’ COMPOUND /HARD
A hard tyre that will definitely last a complete race but with less grip in the
corners than B’s.
Good for approximately THREE laps, including the starting and slowing down
lap. Ultra sticky therefore they lack durability. You are limited to 4 sets per
qualifying period. It’s sometimes possible to squeeze an extra lap out of these tyres,
if you’re careful.
W-WETS
These tyres have tread for wet weather driving. If the race is in wet conditions,
Wets are already fitted.
Quit Session (ESC)
You can save the Set-Up you have chosen for your car when you are in the Pits,
by pulling back on the Controller, to access the Set-Up options.
I
The car does The car wants Other cars run Car does not
not want to to turn Into the much faster on grip in corners/
steer into the corners too the long other cars are
corners straights faster in
corners
r
Understeer Too much Not enough
downforce/Gear downforce/Too
ratio too high a speed
‘short’/not enough
speed through the
previous corner
Underbraking/Bra- Gearing
king too late
q (Left/Right Arrow)
You can view all the action centred on any car at any time during a race
by pressing the Left Arrow Key. The Right Arrow Key will return you to the cockpit.
(Help Key)
You can view any car from just behind and above the cockpit.
View any car from the front with all the action behind it.
(Pause/Replay (R))
The Pause button pauses the action and R replays the previous 20 seconds of
action. You can freely move the camera around during Replay. At the end of Replay
the game is left paused, ready to continue the race. At this point, you can on-pause
the game and the camera will return to its original position, and you will be back in
control of your car. Or, if you wish, press ‘R’ for another Replay with the camera
starting from its current position. There is no limit to the number of times you can
Replay an event on the track.
After receiving a message that a car is out of the race, then if the
action is still recent, you can see a replay of the event by pressing Pause then Insert.
This operates on a normal Replay, but the camera starts with the car in question. If
the event is not recent enough, then ‘Insert’ will have no effect.
You can watch a race in Demo Mode from any circuit by de-selecting
all drivers then entering any driving or race mode. It’s often a good way to see the
circuit; how fast it is, how twisty. It will also help if you have the manual open on
the circuit diagram; follow the car as it races through the straights and corners,
watch where most driven overtake and take note of such features as ‘slipstreaming’.
Press Esc to return to to the Main Menu.
G R A N D PRIX 51 G R A N D PRIX
G R A N D PRIX 52 G R A N D PRIX
WEATHER, CRASHES AND DISCIPLINE
Wet Weather
Some races in the Grand Prix season may take place in rainy conditions. The sky
will be grey and your car will already be fitted with wet tyres. If you want to survive
in the race you must drive carefully. You will be notified of impending danger by
marshals waving a yellow flag.
Spinning off
The most common spin causing you to leave the circuit occurs when you take a
bend too quickly. You will find this will happen quite often at first. If the circuit is
one with wide grassy areas and run-off strips then you can rejoin the race but you
will find it slow going trying to accelerate smooth Grand Prix tyres on slippy
surfaces. You are advised to drop to the spin recovery gear, straighten up, then
engage 1st gear. Watch out for faster cars crossing your path, and get back to the
track. Your tyres might feel strange for a while.
Crashes
Crashing into other cars on the circuit may damage both vehicles, one of you
may go into an uncontrollable spin. If you can still race then the damage will not
be serious enough to stop you competing but you may enter the Pits as soon as
possible for repairs. Crashing into walls or barriers will have a similar effect.
There are 3 levels of crash that will put you out of the race. If you have crashed,
you might be lifted off the track by the crane or pushed out of the way by the track
marshals.
G R A N D PRIX 54 G R A N D PRIX
THE MAIN MENU
The Main Menu is the screen you will see most often in the simulation. It is the
start/finish point of all races, practices, loads and saves. It presents the player with 8
options:
Driver/Team Selection
Load/Save Game
set up
Practise Any Circuit
Non-Championship Grand Prix Race
Grand Prix Championship Season
Game Options
Review Championship History
Choose from any of the eighteen teams shown on the screen. You can change
the names of the teams. For more information of the 1991 season Teams and
Drivers see pages 100 to 109.
G R A N D PRIX 55 G R A N D PRIX
THE MAIN MENU
Select Driver/ Enter New Driver
Choose from any of the listed drivers. Press Select and the driver number will
light up in the right-hand panel. To erase an existing driver highlight the name,
press the Selector, then press the Backspace Key and delete the name. Type in your
chosen name and press the Selector. You will see the chosen driver number change
colour. If you wish to change your mind you can Deselect or return to the Default
Name. You may want to choose more than one driver if you want to play Multi-
Driver Mode. Select Choose Another Team and you will return to the Team Menu.
For more details on Multi-Driver Mode see page 65.
When you have completed your selections you can exit back to the Main Menu.
Realism Level
Semi-Pro
Amateur
Rookie
The option that enables you to get to know all the circuits without
competing with other cars.
Select Driver Menu
The Select Driver Menu will appear lf you have not already chosen a driver and a team.
Circuit Select Menu
You are given a choice of the 16 Grand Prix circuits to practise on. You may
practise on all of them in any order. It is only when you start the World
Championship season that you will have to race each in turn in the pre-determined
order. Highlight your chosen track then press the Selector.
G R A N D PRIX 59 G R A N D PRIX
THE MAIN MENU
You will see a view of the circuit. You can choose to see Information about that
particular circuit, go to the Previous or Next circuit in the sequence, or get an
unobscured View.
Select OK when you have made your choice. You will then be put into the Pits in
the car of your choice.
Practice
Your car will appear in your Pits garage ready for you to make adjustments to the
car Set-Up or for you to practise with the current Set-Up on the circuit of your
choice. In this session, you will not be in a race and there will be no other drivers
practising on the same track. Return to the Pits by driving in or by pressing Q.
You start in the Pits and you are allowed one timed qualifying session per race. This
lasts for a maximum of 2 hours or minimum of 5 minutes. You can choose to go into
the Pits at any time if you feel you have achieved a good enough time. A Telemetric
Monitor will be placed above your cockpit panel and you can watch the times of
other drivers. If you notice that other drivers are improving on your lap times, then
you can go out again (as long as there is enough time remaining for practice).
You are limited to 4 sets of qualifying tyres per session.
You can Accelerate Time for the other drivers by moving the Controller forward
and letting go. This toggles accelerated time On/Off.
You may abandon the current qualifying lap by pressing Q. You will re-enter the
Pits. Esc returns you to the Main Menu.
If you manage to set a lap record in any race or qualifying session, the computer
will automatically save that information under your chosen driving name, if when
you exit the game you use the ‘Save’ option.
Pre-Race Practice
You will also have the option of Pre-Race Practice in full racing trim (fuel,
settings). This session has a time limit of 1 hour (or proportion of 1 hour). This is
your final chance to get to know how your car will perform in the race itself.
Beware, there may be a lot of other cars on the circuit.
Once you have practised, got to know the circuit,’ then qualified for a good grid
position, you can enter the face itself. If you have not achieved a good time, or any
time at all, you will still be on the starting grid but at the back.
You will be placed on the starting grid among all the other 25 cars waiting for the
Red and Green lights. After completing the specified amount of laps, you will be given
the Final Race Positions. The face will not count towards any Championship points.
Start from Phoenix in the American Grand Prix and drive through to Adelaide in
the sixteenth and final race using all the best car Set-Ups gleaned from Practice and
with all your acquired knowledge of the various circuits. If you are starting the
complete season, the first track will be displayed. If you are in the middle of a
season, the latest track will be displayed and you can load a saved season and
continue your Championship challenge.
Free Practice
Your car will appear in your Pits garage ready for you to make adjustments to the
set-up or race with the existing set-up on the circuit of your choice. You will have a
maximum of 120 minutes in Free Practice. You will always have the option to Quit
or Save.
G R A N D PRIX 62 G R A N D PRIX
THE MAIN MENU
Qualifying/Timed Practice
You start in the Pits and you are allowed one timed qualifying session per race. This
lasts for a maximum of 2 hours or minimum of 5 minutes. You can choose to go into
the Pits at any time if you feel you have achieved a good enough time. A Telemetric
Monitor will be placed above your cockpit panel and you can watch the times of
other drivers. If you notice that other drivers are improving on your lap times, then
you can go out again (as long as there is enough time remaining for practice).
You are limited to 4 sets of qualifying tyres per session.
You can accelerate time for the other drivers by moving the Controller forward
and letting go. This toggles accelerated time On/Off.
You may abandon the current qualifying lap by pressing Q. You will re-enter the
Pits. Esc returns you to the Main Menu.
If you manage to set a lap record in any race or qualifying session, the computer
will automatically save that information under your chosen driving name, if when
you exit the game you use the ‘Save’ option.
Pre-Race Practice
You will also have the option of Pre-Race Practice in full racing trim (fuel,
settings). This session has a time limit of 1 hour (or proportion of 1 hour). This is
your final chance to get to know how your car will perform in the race itself.
Beware, there may b e a lot of other cars on the circuit.
First Race of the Season
Once you have practised, got to know the circuit, then qualified for a good grid
position, you will enter the race itself and flnd yourself on the starting grid among
all the other 25 cars waiting for the Red and Green lights. After completing the race,
Before continuing a season you can study the points tables in a saved
Championship.
Driver Championship Positions
Look at what has happened in previous races, who won the points and who is
the most consistent driver.
Constructor Championship Positions
Summarises the points allocated to the teams and shows the leading constructors.
EFFERSONSTREET
CIRCUIT DATA
Circuit L e n g t h : 2 . 2 8 0 miles/3.668km
ce D i s t a n c e : 8 1 laps, 1 9 0 . 3 9 2 miles/306.342 km”
Location: Phoenix, USA
Phoenix is a street circuit, full of bumps, manholes Length of Circuit: ................... .2.28 miles/3.668 km
and a wide variety of different surfaces. Camber Number of Laps: ................................................ 81
changes can be quite difficult for the driver who is not
in top form. Most of the corners are 90 degree turns Total Distance: ................ 190.392miles/306.342km
and overtaking opportunities are few and far between, Lap Record (Qualifying): ................... 1 m.2 1 .434sec
especially if the driver in front wants to be difficult. It’s
Lap Record (Race): ............................ 1 m.26.758sec
one of those circuits that can be awkward when you’re
trying to make a fast qualifying time and you find
yourself blocked.
An an&clockwise circuit, the cars race along Jefferson Street flat out in sixth getting to 175mph before they try to
outbrake each other into the right-bander for Madison Street. Corners are always tricky on this track; the varying
surfaces give many levels of grip, especially in the first few laps, before rubber is laid down along the racing lines.
Through the second gear left-bander into Jackson Street, then a series of left and right 90 degree bends, the third
gear hairpin and then right and left again before you accelerate down Washington Street. This and Jefferson Street are
the two main overtaking straights. Out of the straight, then very quickly, right, left into Adam Street, left again, then
right into the fourth gear, 135mph double-apex left-bander before roaring out back into the finishing straight.
Most drivers agree that Phoenix is a very demanding circuit. It also takes a lot out of the cars. Tyres wear out quicker
than expected, engines and gearboxes also suffer, especially when it’s hot.
CURVA 4
SUSIDA
TH GEAR 200 MPH
START/FINISH ANTI-CLOCKWISE
CIRCUIT DATA /
Circuit Length: 2.668 miles/4.325km
ace Distance: 71 laps, 190.848 miles/307.075 k m
ANTICLOCKWISE
CIRCUIT DATA
Circuit Length: 3.132 miles/5.040km
From the grid, you roar towards Tamburello, a long, Length of Circuit:. ................... 3. 132miles/5.040km
fast sixth-gear left-bander that pushes you into speeds Number of Laps: .................................. ............ 61
in excess of 170mph. Accelerating into Rettifiolo, the
cars can reach 200mph before they brake for Tosa, an Total Distance:. ............... 191.075miIes/307.440km
off-camber tight left-bander that’s taken in second at Lap Record (Qualifying): ........................ 1 m.2 1 .877sec
60mph. Here, you have a good chance of getting on
Lap Record (Race):. ........................... 1m.26.531sec
the brakes late and overtaking but it’s not easy. Double-
back up the hill to a fast left at Piratella, flat-out in
fourth, then change into fifth just as you leave the bend.
Next, down the hill into the long left-bander towards the Acque Minerale chicane. The approach is off-camber and
blind; you have no view of the ‘s’ until you are in it, in second at 50mph. Here, there is a tendency to bounce from one
side of the track to the other and many drivers spin off on this corner.
Then flat-out through the small chicane at Variante Alfa and down towards two bumpy left-handers, Rivazza, that
shake the car so much you can hardly see where you are going.
Back in fifth gear, you approach Bassa, a right-hand chicane that leaves you a bit blind with no idea where the
apex is, then weave through Traguardo and back into the finishing straight.
ANTONY NOGHES
CIRCUIT DATA
C i r c u i t L e n g t h : 2 . 0 6 8 mi/es/3.328km
R a c e D i s t a n c e : 7 8 l a p s , 1 6 1 . 3 3 2 miles/259.584 km
Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco
ART/FINISH CLOCKWISE
ISLAND HAIRPIN 1ST GEAR 45 MPH
CIRCUIT DATA
Circuit Length: 2.753 miles/4.430km
Race Distance: 69 laps, 169.975 miles/305.670
Location: Circuit Gil/es Villeneuve, Montreal. Ca nada
CIRCUIT DATA
C i r c u i t L e n g t h : 2 . 7 4 7 miles/4.421km
ce D i s t a n c e : 6 9 l a p s , 1 8 9 . 5 6 4 mi/es/305.049
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
G R A N D PRIX 8 0 G R A N D PRIX
THE CIRCUITS
PIT LANE
____
6TH GEAR 185MPH 3RD GEAR
CIRCUIT DATA
L o c a t i o n : North
START/FINI
CLOCKWIS
OPELKURVE
CIRCUIT DATA
Circuit Length: 4.227 miles/6.802km
ce Distance: 45 laps, 190.236 miles/306.090 km
Location: Heidelberg, Germany
2nd GEAR
G R A N D PRIX 86 G R A N D PRIX
THE CIRCUITS
Roaring away from the start, downhill, flat out in Total Distance:. ........ ...... 189.85 11 miles/305.536km
sixth at 185mph, the pit straight is the main overtaking Lap Record (Qualifying):. .................. 1m.1 16.147sec
point on the course. Then through the first of several
Lap Record (Race):. ........................... 1m. 211.547sec
constant radius corners at 130mph in fourth, a short
back straight, then a double-apex left-bander leading to
a long sweeping right. Accelerate to 165mph in fifth, sweep left then go into another double-apex bend. Slow down
for the second gear chicane, then drive hard into a whole series of fast corners before the constant radius Pit Lane
bend throws you out into the long finishing straight.
The twisting up and down nature of the track means that average speeds are quite low, about 105-110mph, and
tyres wear out quickly as the drivers lose patience and try to exit corners faster than the tyres will allow. Most teams
find that drivers come in for a tyre change much earlier than planned, if only to get away from the queues that
develop on this circuit.
CIRCUIT DATA
Circuit Lenoth: 4.313 miles/6.940km
CURVA DE VIALONE
CIRCUIT DATA
C i r c u i t L e n g t h : 3 . 6 0 4 miles/5.800km
R a c e D i s t a n c e : 5 3 l a p s , 1 9 1 . 0 0 9 miles/307.400 km
Location: Milan, Italy
THE CIRCUITS
CIRCUIT DATA
C i r c u i t L e n g t h : 2 . 7 0 3 miles/4.350km
a c e D i s t a n c e : 7 1 laps, 1 9 1 . 9 5 1 miles/308.850 km
L o c a t i o n : Autodromo d o Estoril, P o r t u g a l
G R A N D PRIX 92 G R A N D PRIX
THE CIRCUITS
BANCSABADEL NISSAN
C I R C-___
UIT D_____
ATA
C i r c u i t L e n g t h : 2 . 9 5 0 miles/4.747km
ce d i s 6.x I>“C ,(I, 7fir) mi,.za/?“9 ZZT
CASIO CHICANE
HAIRPIN CURVE
A
1ST GEAR 40-45MPH
SPOONCURVE
CIRCUIT DATA
C i r c u i t L e n g t h : 3.641 miles/5.859km
ce Distance: 53 laps, 192.952 miles/310.527
L o c a t i o n : Shiroko, Japan
G R A N D PRlX 97 G R A N D PRIX
FLINDERS STREET
JONES STRAIGHT
4TH GEAR 140 MPH
ASHAM STRAIGHT
CIRCUIT DATA
Circuit Length: 2.349 miles/3.780km
ce Distance: 81 laps, 190.292 miles/306.180 km’
Location: Adelaide, A u s t r a l i a
.A
BASED IN WOKING.
Originally set up by New Zealander Bruce McLaren in 1963 and then SURREY, BRITAIN
continued by Teddy Mayer after McLaren’s death in 1970. They were
amalgamated with the Project 4 team in the 1980s at the insistence of sponsors Marlboro. Engines: Honda RA 121E
With the use of the latest Honda engine technology, the, team has not looked back and has V12
gone from strength to strength. Drivers: (1) Ayrton Senna
The thinners of the last three Driver and Constructos' Championships the McLaren team Aged 3 1, Brazilian
are aiming high yet again. They have a new Honda V12 engine sitting on the latest MP4/6 (2) Gerhard Berger
chassis which was completed only a couple of weeks before the start of the 1991 season. The Aged 31, Austrian
team boasts probably the best set of drivers in the Championship in Senna and Berger.
BASED AT DIDCOT, Frank Williams built up the team through the early sixties and seventies
OXON, B R I T A I N when Piers Courage drove for him but he was to suffer a series of setbacks:
Piers was killed in the Dutch Grand Prix in 1970 and the company went
Engines: Renault RS3 V1 0 into liquidation in 1976. Resilient as ever the new team stormed to their first Grand
Drivers: (5) Nigel Mansell Prix victory in 1979 and its first World Championship in 1980. The last decade has
Aged 36, British seen consistent success for the team and even though Frank Williams suffered a
terrible accident in 1986, they feature prominently as 1991 championship contenders.
(6) Ricardo Patrese In 1991 Nigel Mansell came back to Williams. Running on a new FW14 chassis, powered
Aged 36, Italian by the latest Renault V10, he is seen as a good championship prospect. Patrese is an excellent
number two for the team, a relaxed and mature driver who has spirit and lacks pretension.
BASED AT GODALMING,
SURREY, BRITAIN which won the 1980 European Championship. In 1984 it was bought by
Benetton, the millionaire Italian knitwear family and in 1987 the
Engines: Ford-Cosworth HB V8 renamed Benetton Formula became the Ford-works Formula One team.
Drivers: (19) Michael Schumacher With the veteran Nelson Piquet leading the team and the prospect of a new car
Aged 25, German appearing in the early part of the season the team will be ready to take advantage
(20) Nelson Piquet, of any failure among the V12's and V10's.
Aged 38, Brazilian
Jack Brabham was the first and only driver to win a Championship in BASED AT
a car bearing his name. He had wins in 1959, 1960 and 1966 and then CHESSINGTON,
Denny Hulme followed up his success by winning the championship in a Brabham SURREY, BRITAIN
in 1967. After Brabham’s retirement in 1970, the company was sold twice in Engines: Yamaha VI 2
succession but prospered once again as Nelson Piquet won the Championship for Drivers: (7) Martin Brundle,
them in 1981 and 1983. Brabham has since passed through various hands and is
currently controlled by the Japanese Middlebridge Group. The team is hoping for
great things in 1991 from its drivers and the new Yamaha engine. Blundell is new to
Formula One but he has vast experience as a Williams test driver.
From Formula 2 roots, Giancarlo Minardi set up the Fl team in 1985. BASED AT FAENZA,
Using a variety of engines all unsuccessful, the team only scored its first ITALY
point in Detroit, 1988 on the Ford Cosworth VS. Still in the ‘promising’ phase the Engines: Ferrari VI 2
team hopes to achieve great things with the new Ferrari V12 engines installed on
Drivers: (23) Pierluigi Martini,
the Ml91 chassis.
Aqed 30, Italian
(24) Gianni Morbidelli.
Aged 23, Italian
Founded by Colin Chapman in 1954, Lotus were seen as technical BASED AT WYMONDHAM.
innovators on the Fl scene. Jim Clark raced them into the limelight NORFOLK, BRITAIN
from 1962 until his death in 1968. In 1965 Clark won the Indianapolis 500 and in Engines: Judd EV V8
the 70’s the radical Lotus 72 made a startling impact. In recent years they have Drivers: (11) Mika Hakkinen,
experienced bad luck, with Donnelly’s accident in Spain 1990, and a lack of success Aged 22, Finnish
with the 1990 Lamborghini engine.
( 12) Johnny Herbert
Aged 25. British
BASED AT MILTON
Originally, the Arrows Team which was founded by a group of KEYNES, BUCKS, BRITAIN
disgruntled Shadow team personnel. They were never consistent enough
over any particular season with their best showing a fourth place in the Engines: Porsche VI 2
Constructors’ Championship of 1988. By 1990, they were controlled by the Drivers: (9) Michael Arboreto,
Japanese Footwork Corporation who invested heavily in the team. The team has Aged 34, Italian
still to win a Grand Prix race and the new Al2 chassis will not be ready until after (1 0) Stefan Johansson
the season begins. Aged 34, Swedish
BASED AT SILVERSTONE, From 1982, Eddie Jordan has built up the team from a small Formula
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, 3 concern to one of the fastest growing set ups in Fl, a bright prospect
BRITAIN for the future. The team has helped the likes of Martin Brundle and Jean Alesi win
Engines: Ford-Cosworth HB V8 their way through Formula 3000 to senior racing. Now it has a major sponsor with
Drivers: (32) Alessandro Zanardi the Pepsi-Cola 7-Up brand and looks well set for success.
Aged 25, Italian
(33) Andrea de Cesaris,
Aged 3 1, Italian
BASED AT BRESCIA,
ITALY
have an exclusive deal for the Judd V10's from which they hope to profit Engines: Judd GV V10
in the future. However, in the Fl ‘pond’ they are still ‘small fish’.
Drivers: (2 1) ) Emanuele Pirro,
Aged 29, Italian
(22) JJ. Lehto,
Aged 25, Finnish
BASED AT MODENA. The Italian car manufacturer and Patrucco’s Modena team joined
ITALY forces under the auspices of Japanese millionaire businessman
Engines: tamborghini 35 12 V12 Yoshitoshi Doi but they still have much to prove on the Fl front. They might make
an interesting comparison with the Ligier team on the Grand Prix circuit for both
Drivers: (34) Nicola tarini. cars carry the same engine.
Aged 25, Italian
(35) Eric van de Poele,
Aged 29, Belgian
This team just has not got the finance or the technological depth to live
with the ‘big boys’ and always has a struggle to get on to the starting grid. TRASIMENTO, ITALY
Starting Flag
This is usually the national flag of the country hosting the Grand
Prix but it must not be similar to any other flag used by the
marshals. The starting signal must be given by lowering the flag.
Red Flag
Indicates that the race has been stopped by the
Clerk of the Course. It is displayed motionless.
All drivers must stop racing immediately and
proceed to the pits. The chequered flag waved by the
clerk of the course; the traditional
symbol to mark the end of a
Grand Prix race.
Black and White Flag ( divided diagonally into black and whit
Shown motionless with a white number on a blackboard. This is a
warning to the driver of unsportsmanlike behaviour.
Black Flag
Shown motionless, together with a white number on a black
signalling board. Informs the driver of the car that he must stop at
his pits on the next lap.
Yellow Flag
The signal of danger or a situation of danger. Slow down, prepare to stop.
Keep your position and do not overtake until you see the Green Flag.
Green Flag
All clear. This is used at the end of a danger area
controlled by the yellow flags.
White Flag
Slow-moving vehicle on the track. This tells the
drivers that they are about to overtake a vehicle
which is travelling on the track at a much
slower speed than the competing cars.
Most cars are set up with more brake bias at the front than the rear
because of the transfer of weight in a car under heavy braking.
At rest the weight of a car is split between front and rear wheels but when in
motion a Formula One car suffers many changes in balance. The weight on the
front is lessened by fast acceleration and pushed to the rear but during braking the
reverse happens and weight transfers to the front. Each car cockpit also has a
manual brake balance lever that lets the driver shift brake bias according to the
demands of the race and the levels of grip on the track.
When it is raining, the settings should be much softer because grip is lessened by
rain and the car should have more downforce from the front and rear wings.
Perfect brake balance should be set up with high-speed deceleration in mind but
this may mean that it will not be as efficient at slower speeds.
Top gear is usually set up first. This should be chosen so that the engine
can work flat out at the top of its power curve to achieve the maximum
speed on the fastest part of the circuit with no spare revs available.
The next gear to be decided upon is First. The lowest gear is the least used and its
only function is at the start and tight hairpins.
The remainder of the four or five gears must be spread out between top and bottom,
with a minimum difference of about 250rpm between cogs. Gearing should be as
tight as possible, so that the engine works between maximum torque and peak
power.
A driver must try to use all the available space on the track, even the
‘rumble strip’- the run off area on the edge of the tarmac. In a typical
corner, for example a right-hander, the driver arrives on the left side of the track,
brakes, changes down, checks for his turning-in reference point then steers the car
towards the clipping point on the inside of the bend. Once past, he eases back to
the other side smoothly and exits the corner. Driver priority must be to get power
back on as soon as possible to achieve maximum speed into the straight.
90 Degree Turn.
There are many different ways to turn into this type of
comer depending on whether the driver is about to overtake,
but the classic approach is to turn in late at A, pass the apex
again late at B, and accelerate fast from that point to get a
good clean exit at C.
Double-Apex Comer
Hairpin
The car stays wide so that the driver can touch the
apex extremely late at B, then brake, select a lower gear,
cross the track following the curve of the bend and get a
good clean exit at C.
m WET LINE
An understeering car means that although the rear wheels have got good
grip, the front wheels have lost all adhesion and will not react to the driver turning the
wheel. Since Fl cars are rear-wheel driven, the vehicle will begin to move towards the
outside of the track. The driver in
such a situation can do one of two
things: ease up on the accelerator,
making the driving wheels push less,
giving the front wheels a better
chance to grip; if the car still does not
respond, brake lightly without
locking the wheels. The car will slow
down enough to give good grip to
the front.
Oversteer
An oversteering car means that although the front wheels maintain grip on the track,
the rear set have lost all traction, possibly because of too much power. The rear wheel spin
makes the back end of the car slip out towards the outside of the comer. The consequence
might be the car spinning off altogether!
To counter oversteer a driver can do
one of two thiigs: opposite lock on the
steering wheel might just establish the
car’s balance; otherwise easing up on
the accelerator will slow down the car
and give the rear wheels a chance to
grip. There are also certain times when
drivers might accelerate, but knowing
when to do this comes with
experience.
Neutral Handling
The ideal situation, as the sideways drift of the rear wheels is matched by those of the
front. All four wheels slide in the same way. The driver sets up the car on entry to the
corner, so the front wheels are straight and the driver doesn't have to steer.
To set up the ideal racing line on a Formula One circuit you must find as
many markers as possible to use as reference points. The individual tracks
provide 300, 200, 100 metre boards before a bend but these are too general for most
drivers; many rely on advertising boards, bumps in the track, certain trees or bushes for
turn-in points, braking zones or accelerating areas.
In fact, the driver must know every square metre of the circuit and the markers, once
memorised, allow the driver to think ahead, to anticipate the next comer.
Imagine you are accelerating through a fast straight. When you see
the marker for the braking zone into a bend, your mind will be
already thinking about the next marker for the turn-in point. As this
is passed, you are thinking about the apex marker and finally the exit
point. Think ahead. Look out for the next marker. Don’t wait until
you see it to react.
In Formula One the driver aims to keep his foot down on the accelerator as
long as possible. When he gets to a comer, he will wait until the last moment before
braking and then brake as hard as possible over the shortest possible distance. The only
reason to brake should be to achieve the best speed for entering a bend and the only
reason for removing your foot from the accelerator must be to ‘jump’ to the brake pedal.
Ideally, there should be no compromises with braking.
Wheel Lock
Braking hard can present the Fl driver with another problem; that
of locking wheels. It’s possible to lock up one, two, or even all four
wheels if you brake too hard in a given situation. A locked wheel is
no good to anybody. The tyre wears out excessively on the locked
patch and this creates a ‘flat spot’ which will feel like violent bumps
when the wheel is turning again. The tyre will be out of balance and
the car almost impossible to control. To avoid wheel lock the driver
must besensitive enough to brake hard and to detect the first signs of
I lock-up.
The effects of braking too hard
and locking up the inside front
wheel. The point of contact burns
away for a split second creating a
'flat spot'.
Changing down into a lower gear must always accompany the act of
braking. One without the other is not good Formula One driving. The aim is
to brake to the ideal speed for the approaching corner then change down in order to be in
the right gear for the moment you need to accelerate again. Changing down is done as
you brake. Any earlier and the car will still be at full speed; any later and the driver has too
much to do in mid-corner.
Braking and changing down means that the driver must double-declutch because there
are no synchro-mesh gears in Fl cars. It is also less damaging on the gearbox and
transmission.
Double-declutch. The right foot comes off the accelerator onto the brake, then the left
foot declutches. The driver slips into neutral and releases the clutch. Meanwhile, the right
foot still applies the brake but at the same time ‘blips’ the accelerator to keep up engine
revs. Once again the left foot declutches, the correct gear is selected and the left foot comes
off the clutch. The right foot still presses on the brake to achieve the best speed for entry to
the bend and then returns to the accelerator.
If you’re not at the front of the grid in every race then chances are that you
will need to overtake other cars at some point. Overtaking is not just a matter
of more power in your engine. It usually boils down to three factors. Can you take a
corner better than a rival? Can you exit a corner faster and enter a slight at a greater
speed? Or, can you brake later than a rival at the end of a straight?
To overtake successfully, especially against a determined rival, you must be aware of the
driver ahead. Where is he slowest? Where does he brake earlier? On what part of the circuit
is he the least confident? Eventually, you will have a good picture of his strengths and
weaknesses. You must make his worst manoeuvre your best, wait for
the right moment then make your challenge.
All the above assumes that the driver ahead will not make a
mistake; but all drivers make mistakes during a two hour race, such as
changing up into the wrong gear, (fifth instead of third), so take every
opportunity offered to you and wait for that error!
This is possibly the most common way a driver can ruin his engine and put
himself out of the race.
Most Formula One cars now have built-in rev-limiters to stop a driver going past a pre-
set limits but it is still possible to overrev the engine. Changing down too early before
braking sufficiently is quite common among inexperienced drivers. A driver must be a
third of the way into the braking zone before changing down. It is quite tricky to get this
right in short braking bends but in longer braking areas you can use
markers for gear change points.
A second common way to overrev is by exiting a corner and not
changing up at the right time; quite easy to do if you’re busy
controlling the car through a difficult bend.
The modern Formula One car designer is part of a test team that runs many
research and development projects, some of which may be quite long term. The
end result, the car on the grid, looks very like all the other cars so you can be
forgiven for asking what does a designer do?
Designers are always looking for clever ways to
make the car go faster. However, they must always
work with one hand on the rule book, the FIA
regulations, that make sure cars are built to stringent
specifications. The agreement between the sport’s
governing body and the constructors is that teams
should be given two years notice before any chassis
modifications are implemented, but FIA can insist
that any changes involving the safety of drivers
should be acted upon immediately. This does not
make for a pleasant design environment when
something that has been worked on for over a year
has to be scrapped or amended at the last minute.
Designers have been greatly helped by the tremendous growth in Fl technology
over the last ten years. Now the top teams all have specialists in such fields as
aerodynamics, transmission, suspension, carbon-fibre composites and model-
making. Modern CAD facilities can give designers a 3-D view of their planned
chassis layout before any materials have actually been cut. Various configurations
In the past motor racing was a rich man’s sport. Powerful cars
were bought, transported to various European circuits and raced.
If you were not wealthy, you did not compete. However, by the
1950’s there was a radical shift in Grand Prix racing as Mercedes-
Benz, Ferrari and Maserati all sought to re-establish their pre-war
status as car manufacturers and financed their own cars on the
circuit. BRM and Vanwalls made similar efforts with British cars.
Although this was a boost to Grand Prix racing, the sport was still
not self-financing.
In the 1960’s with the production and easy availability of the
The Williams pit crew in action at the Coventry-Climax engine there was an influx of new blood into Fl
Brazilian Grand Prix. Nigel Mansell racing. Lotus and Cooper developed the rear-engined chassis and a new breed of
would expect to have a new set of
tyres fitted in just over 6 seconds.
Aerodynamics The force that comes into play when the car has
picked up speed. Wings mounted upside down
give negative lift, and hold the car down.
Angle of slip The angle between the direction of the wheels
(front and rear) and the direction of travel.
Anti-Roll Bars Adjustable parts of the front suspension. A car
should have minimum chassis roll and maximum
grip.
Apex or Clipping Point The nearest point a car gets to the inside of a
curve in an ideal racing line.
Camber Slight upward curve to the centre of race track.
Camber Angle Camber angle is designed to make a tyre work as
effectively as possible when a car is going through
a corner. Negative camber is applied so that when
fully stressed a tyre will be as close to
perpendicular as possible.
castor Angle Castor gives greater responsiveness and stability to
the front wheels. The larger the castor angle, the
heavier the steering and more stable the front end.
Chicane A barrier placed before a dangerous corner to
reduce speeds by allowing drivers through in
single file.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Increase the Lock For some tight hairpins, such as Loews in Monaco,
the car steering lock is increased to take the bends
faster albeit to the detriment of the tyres.
Paddock The parking area behind the pits where all the
equipment, trucks, spare cars are kept by the
teams.