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Motorsport: fun facts and quiz
The essentials in 7 ideas, with fun facts, an illustrated story and a quiz to see how much you know.
The essentials
Formula One
Formula One is the top class of single-seater racing. Its championship began in 1950, with races on circuits and city streets around the world.
Key fact
The Monaco Grand Prix winds through the streets of Monte Carlo.
Built for Speed
F1 cars can top 350 km/h and brake so hard that drivers feel around 5 G. Their wings press them onto the track with “downforce”.
Key fact
In theory, an F1 car at speed makes enough downforce to drive upside down.
Champions
Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher share the record of seven F1 world championships. Ayrton Senna remains one of the most admired drivers ever.
Key fact
Hamilton has the most F1 race wins.
Le Mans & Indy
The 24 Hours of Le Mans tests endurance, with drivers sharing one car day and night. The Indianapolis 500 is a 500-mile oval race held since 1911.
Key fact
Indy 500 winners traditionally drink milk.
Pit Stops
In an F1 pit stop, a crew of around 20 changes all four tyres in about two seconds.
Key fact
The fastest F1 pit stops have taken under 2 seconds.
Bikes & Rallies
MotoGP races motorbikes at over 350 km/h, leaning at extreme angles. Rally drivers race on gravel, snow and forest roads, guided by a co-driver’s notes.
Key fact
Valentino Rossi won nine world titles across classes.
Electric Racing
Formula E, launched in 2014, races electric single-seaters, often through city streets. Motorsport has long tested ideas that reach road cars, like disc brakes.
Key fact
Disc brakes proved themselves at Le Mans in 1953.
Fun facts
An F1 steering wheel is packed with dozens of buttons and dials, and costs tens of thousands of euros.
F1 drivers can lose 2 to 3 kg in sweat during a hot race.
Max Verstappen became F1’s youngest ever race winner in 2016, aged 18.
Le Mans used to start with drivers sprinting across the track to jump into their cars.
In F1’s early decades, a pit stop could take over a minute.
In corners, MotoGP riders lean their bikes over at more than 60 degrees.
One of the first motor races, Paris–Rouen in 1894, saw a steam-powered car arrive first.
Story: The Mirror That Shook
The Mirror That Shook
30 May 1911, the first Indianapolis 500. Most drivers carry a riding mechanic beside them, to watch for cars coming up behind.
Ray Harroun drives alone, in a slim yellow car called the Marmon Wasp. Rivals call it unsafe, so he fits a small mirror above the dashboard.
He won the race, and is often credited with the first rear-view mirror on a car. He later admitted it shook so much it was almost useless.
True or false?
Tap your answer to see if you got it, and why.
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Question 1 of 10
The Monaco Grand Prix is raced on city streets.
Show the answer
True. Through Monte Carlo.
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Question 2 of 10
F1 cars use wings to press down onto the track.
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True. Like upside-down aeroplane wings.
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Question 3 of 10
Hamilton and Schumacher each won seven titles.
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True. A shared record.
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Question 4 of 10
Le Mans is a 24-hour race.
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True. Drivers take turns in one car.
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Question 5 of 10
A fast pit stop can win or lose a driver places.
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True. Every second counts.
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Question 6 of 10
Rally drivers are guided by a co-driver.
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True. Who reads out pace notes.
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Question 7 of 10
Formula E often races through city streets.
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True. With electric single-seaters.
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Question 8 of 10
Formula One cars have four seats.
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False. They’re single-seaters.
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Question 9 of 10
F1 cars top out at 100 km/h.
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False. They can top 350 km/h.
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Question 10 of 10
Ayrton Senna is largely forgotten in F1.
Show the answer
False. He remains one of the most admired drivers ever.
Keep going in the app
KnowSoda learns what you know and brings back what you’re about to forget. Motorsport has 6 more ideas at the Advanced and Expert levels.
Sources
- Formula 1 — History, records and technical explainers
- Automobile Club de l’Ouest — 24 Hours of Le Mans
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway — Indy 500 history and traditions
- MotoGP — Records
- FIA Formula E — About the championship
- Formula 1 — Tyres, halo and flags explained
- NASCAR — Daytona 500 history
- Dakar Rally — History
