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Welcome! Formula 1 (F1) is the highest level of open-wheel motorsport: fast cars, elite drivers, and lots of strategy. Here's everything you need to follow along without feeling overwhelmed. At least– that's the goal.
Season length: roughly March → early December
Two championships:
Teams: each team (or constructor) has 2 drivers
Goal on race day: finish as high as possible (and score points)
F1 races around the world, and the calendar changes each year. Sometimes races happen on back-to-back weekends (a double-header or triple-header), and sometimes there's a weekend or two off. Boo. But we suppose they need a break. There's usually a summer break and a fall break, often around 3-4 weeks each, where we all have to go back to our normal lives.
In 2026, there are 11 teams (constructors) totaling 22 drivers, and 24 race weekends.
McLaren - Lando Norris (1), Oscar Piastri (81)
Mercedes - George Russell (63), Kimi Antonelli (12)
Red Bull - Max Verstappen (3), Isack Hadjar (6)
Ferrari - Charles Leclerc (16), Lewis Hamilton (44)
Williams - Alex Albon (23), Carlos Sainz (55)
Racing Bulls - Liam Lawson (30), Arvid Lindblad (41)
Aston Martin - Fernando Alonso (14), Lance Stroll (18)
Haas - Esteban Ocon (31), Ollie Bearman (87)
Audi - Nico Hulkenberg (27), Gabriel Bortoleto (5)
Alpine - Pierre Gasly (10), Franco Colapinto (43)
Cadillac (brand new team)- Valtteri Bottas (77), Sergio Perez (11)
Top 10 drivers score:
Top 8 drivers score:
Thursday - Media day
Press conferences + interviews.
Friday - Practice
*(Practice times are fun to analyze but can be misleading- teams may not be running at full speed yet.)*
Saturday - Practice + Qualifying
Sunday - Race day
Qualifying is three short sessions where drivers try to set the fastest lap time.
Important note: Drivers don't always start exactly where they qualified. Grid positions can change due to:
Sprint weekends add an extra, shorter race. There are typically 6 sprints per season at alternating tracks.
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
On paper: first driver to cross the finish line wins.
In reality: tires, rules, pit stops, and safety situations can change everything.
Jumping the start or being out of position can mean a penalty.
If a driver makes a move that pushes another driver off the racing surface, stewards may penalize it.
Drivers can be penalized if they cause a crash or contact that didn't need to happen.
Drivers must keep at least one wheel inside the white lines.
Drivers must not speed in the pit lane. For obvious reasons.
In practice/qualifying, slower cars should get out of the way of fast laps-blocking can earn penalties.
Once qualifying begins, teams can't make major setup changes.
Cars must meet *FIA* (F1 governing body) rules; breaking them can mean penalties or disqualification.
Flags are how officials communicate with drivers during sessions and races.
Served at the next pit stop (crew waits 5 seconds before touching the car), or added to final race time if they don't pit again.
Same idea, just bigger consequences.
Must drive through the pit lane (at pit-lane speed) within two laps of being told.
Like a drive-through, but they also stop in their pit box and wait 10 seconds.
Their next qualifying result gets moved back (often 3, 5, or 10 places).
Removed from results, no points.
For most of the 2025 season the grid was so tight (the drivers were all running at times so close together) that even a 5-second penalty could have a big impact on a driver's finish and points.
2026 brings a reset to all teams with the new F1-mandated changes to the cars. Will penalties still be game changers? We will watch and see.
Yes- crashes happen. Modern F1 safety is very strong, but it's still a high-risk sport.
If there's debris or danger:
Everyone must slow down and keep to a controlled pace.
Safety Car (SC)
A real safety car goes on track and the leader follows it. No overtaking until the safety car leaves and racing resumes. Safety cars can be a driver's best friend or worst nightmare. They can disrupt strategy and erase significant leads and gap times.
Teams choose tires strategically, and it can decide the race.
Key rule: In a dry race, drivers must use at least two different dry compounds (for example: Medium + Hard).
Sometimes it's pure driving skill. Often, it's timing.
If Driver A has newer tires, they *usually* have better grip and speed, making passes easier.
When a driver is within one second of the car ahead, they can deploy extra power to help make a pass- so timing becomes even more important.
That's the fun part- there are no wrong answers.
F1 fandom can be less "tribal" than some sports because drivers' personalities are so visible and teams are international. Try:
Our advice is to watch races, watch interviews, and see who you naturally gravitate towards. It doesn't really matter because you'll likely end up loving them all on some level- even if it's just that you love to hate them.