F1 Technology

Whether you’re a fan of Formula 1 or not, its positive impact on road car technology can’t be denied. Like some insane school science competition that’s gone way to far, the ultra competitive sport is a hot bed for innovation. With cars cornering at huge speed and regularly hitting over 200mph on the straight for around 50 laps performance, reliability and safety must all be considered. Where a fraction of a second per lap can be the difference between victory and defeat, the teams work constantly on both incremental improvements and new ideas and much of the cutting edge prototype tech finds its way onto our roads. Traction control is a great example, though it was quickly banned in the sport.

The teams are always looking to exploit some loophole in the strict regulations, and the most recent crop of regulations seem to have been set out with the automotive industry in mind. Hybrid engines, energy recovery and a strict fuel limit all bode well for improvements in the next generation of road cars.