Why must F1 riders lie while driving?

Have you ever wondered, why F1 racing athletes often lie while driving Formula 1 racing? Is there any reason why they and racing car manufacturers have to do so?

Formula 1, also known as F1, is the top racing event. This sport uses primarily racing cars that have been minimized and improved engines. Each race is also known as the Grand Prix and in each tournament, riders will travel around the track in the fastest time possible.

In each race, the athlete will have to control the vehicle in a lying position. This is a rather special way of driving but there is a scientific reason behind racing car manufacturers designing such seating positions. That's how to reduce air resistance and maintain a low center of gravity.

In each race, the athlete will have to control the vehicle in a lying position.

What is the resistance here?

According to Scienceabc , resistance relates to air resistance facing any moving object. It is also F1 racing car. The majority of teams design the car so that it is very compact to reduce air resistance and accelerate better. In other words, F1 teams always design cars to achieve higher aerodynamics by reducing air resistance.

Air resistance involves airborne particles repelling a moving object. The level of air resistance is determined by two factors: the speed of the moving vehicle and the area of ​​the contact area. The larger the cutting speed or section area, the greater the air resistance.

F1 cars cannot sacrifice speed, so they have to reduce the cross-sectional area, which is the height and width of the racing head. As you can see, the height of a F1 racing car is very low and the cross-sectional area is much lower than that of a conventional car. As a result, F1 racing cars have a much faster movement speed.

The person lying in the driver will help keep the vehicle moving smoothly on the ground

When traveling at such fast speeds, racing cars tend to pick up and bounce high. This is due to the pressure difference below and above the vehicle. The lifting force for a moving object is the result of a pressure difference due to the fast air flow.

Posture is popular when driving F1 drivers.

To prevent the vehicle from being lifted off the ground, F1 teams have devised many solutions, including the design of the seating position that allows the athlete to lie down while driving.The low height of the vehicle will help to create less lift and keep the car always touching the ground when accelerating.

In addition, the race car also uses larger and more front and rear to create sound lift (descending). This force can be 3.5 times heavier than the weight of the vehicle, thus keeping the car stable when traveling at high speeds.

Keep car focus stable

In addition to providing aerodynamic efficiency, another reason racing cars can maintain stability on the ground, is the focus of equal distribution. The driver's position closer to the ground helps the car balance the gravity better when cornering, braking or accelerating.

Be aware when you drive normally, you tend to rush forward when braking or leaning after sudden acceleration. This is inertia when you sit on a vehicle with an uneven distribution center.

In addition, the time wasted when the vehicle is wobbled up and down while moving will be eliminated by the suspension system (the part which reduces the vibration frequency of the car, ensuring smoothness when traveling. on the road) placed very low.

Nearly every chair is designed to match the shape and size of the driver.

Since the car has a lower center of gravity, it can change the direction even at high speeds and allow the driver to complete the race faster. This is especially necessary because F1 tracks are often long, twisted and require riders to handle quickly at high speeds if they want to win.

Although it is designed for the driver to lie down while driving, the inside of the racing car is still quite spacious to comfortably pedal the accelerator. Nearly every chair is designed to match the shape and size of the driver.

Because the driver is in a lying position, the driver only sees part of the track. However, most riders are able to forge reflective skills on the track even though the viewing angle is quite narrow.

F1 racing is a sport and also a money-making business. In addition to human factors, the racing teams are all very focused on research, improving the power of racing cars because it is an important factor to decide to win or lose.

For example, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 has won most of the Constructors Cup and is one of the best F1 teams from 2014 to 2018, although they have replaced many different racers. That is to say the importance of designing the car with the highest speed and aerodynamics will determine how to win or lose.