F1 for beginners

Exploring the basics of Formula One

High-speed races, dangerous crashes and an exhilarating battle for the championship title — this is the world of Formula One. Allow me to break down the world of F1 in a way most beginners will understand.  

Twenty-two drivers are racing for their spot as the 2026 World Driver Champion (WDC), all while the 11 teams are fighting for their spot as the constructor champion. 

Drivers receive points for each race they win, with positions one through 10 receiving points. First place gets 25, second gets 18, third gets 15, fourth gets 12, then down two points until tenth gets one point.  

At the end of the season, the driver with the most points wins the WDC, and the team with the most points wins the constructors. While the drivers are all racing together, teammates also must make decisions to better their team’s chances for the constructors. 

The current teams and drivers are: 

• Mercedes: George Russell and Kimi Antonelli 

• McLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri 

• Ferrari: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc 

• Red Bull Racing: Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar 

• Haas: Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon 

• Alpine: Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto 

• Racing Bulls: Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad 

• Audi: Niko Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto 

• Williams: Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon 

• Cadillac: Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas 

• Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll 

This season has a total of 22 races across the world and six sprint races. Each race weekend consists of three free practices, qualifying and the race itself. 

The practices allow the team to analyze the track and tire-wear, as well as change the set-up of the car without the pressure of qualifying. 

Then, qualifying determines the starting formation, or “grid” for the Sunday race. It is a three-session knockout starting with Q1, Q2 then Q3, with the fastest driver in Q3 securing the starting position (pole position).  

The Sunday race then starts with the order determined from the qualifying sessions.  

For sprint races, Friday has free practice, then sprint qualifying. Saturday has the sprint race and qualifying for the Sunday race, and the Grand Prix on Sunday. The points are also only given to positions one through eight, going from eight points down to one. 

Success isn’t just about raw speed. The drivers also must also manage their strategies, tire-wear and pit at least once during the race for fresh tires.  

There are five different tires for each race. For dry weather, drivers can choose between softs, mediums or hards, and for wet weather, there are intermediate and full wet. 

Soft tires are the fastest tire to warm up, but they have the quickest wear and tear. Hard tires take longer to warm up but are more durable.  

During races there is also a flag system in case of accidents, animals on the track (yes, that has happened) or signaling the end of the race.  

Yellow flags mean there is danger, and a driver cannot overtake (pass) which usually results in a safety car. Red flags pause the race completely due to danger, so all drivers must return to the pit lane until the conditions are safe. The iconic checkered flag signifies the end of the race. 

 From here, you know the basics of Formula One and can gain more information at formula1.com. You can also watch the races on the Formula One app, ESPN+ or Apple TV.