Races take place all over the globe, and fans from all corners of the earth tune in to watch their favourite drivers battle for supremacy.
But how long is a Formula 1 race last?
Let’s find out!
How Long is an F1 Race?
More than 4 million people watch F1 races live on track, but have you ever piqued your curiosity to find out exactly how long a Grand Prix race lasts?
Well, the length and time of F1 races seem to vary dramatically. So, a few factors lead to that, like rain suspension or an F1 car crash.
However, an interesting F1 fact is that all the Grand Prix races can NOT be longer than 305km and must be finished in NO longer than 2 hours.
But, in the case of a suspension, that time is prolonged to 3 hours.
What is the Shortest and Longest F1 Race?
The Shortest F1 Race
The shortest F1 race happened in 2021 at the Belgium Grand Prix. Believe it or not, the F1 race lasted only 3 minutes and 27 seconds, and it’s officially the shortest race in F1 history.
The race started three hours after the scheduled time because of torrential rain. But after only four minutes, the red flag was immediately brought out.
Max Verstappen was declared the winner, but the top 10 drivers were only awarded half the points for this race.
Related: Why do F1 drivers get weighed after a race?
The Longest F1 Race
The longest F1 race occurred in 2011 at the Canadian Grand Prix and lasted four hours and four minutes.
Due to a lengthy red-flag period, Jenson Button won the race at an average speed of 74.864km/h. It is now the new record for the slowest average winning speed in a Grand Prix.
How Many Laps In An F1 Race?
The table of races below lists the different Formula 1 tracks, the length of the F1 circuit in kilometres, race distance, and the number of laps in each Grand Prix.
So, let’s take a look!
Also read: What is an F1 super license?
How Many Races in an F1 Season?
The official number of F1 Grand Prix races is 22. But, before the best F1 drivers can get in the car and race, they go through hundreds of practises and qualifiers on all the above-mentioned F1 racing circuits.
The races that count towards the Championship are known as Grand Prix races.
Related: Do Formula 1 drivers wear diapers?
How Many Races Occur Per F1 Race Week?
Although Grand Prix races occur only once per week, the drivers face each other during an F1 week more than once.
Before each Grand Prix, there is a qualifying round. It determines which drivers will start the following week’s final race from their assigned starting positions.
How Many Grands Prix Occur In An F1 Season?
There are 22 Grand Prix races in an F1 season. It means that 20 drivers selected for Formula 1 have a chance to compete in a Grand Prix at one of the 22 locations around the globe every week during the race season.
Related: How fast are F1 Cars?
How are the points measured in an F1 season?
Drivers earn points based on their position at the end of the race, overall time, and who holds the fastest single lap time.
The top three places finish in “pole position.” The first, second, and third places are known as “P1,” “P2,” and “P3.“
How Does F1 Qualifying Work?
Each F1 driver gets to have two practice runs two days before the Grand Prix Race. However, the qualifying race always happens a day before the race, which leads to championship points.
So how does it work?
The first 20 minutes of the race have all 20 drivers trying to get the quickest lap time around the track, and the slowest five cars will begin the Grand Prix from the 16 to 20 position.
The same process happens 15 minutes later as the other five slowest cars are organised from the 11 to the 15th. The final 10 minutes of qualifying determine the grid positions of the top 10 drivers from all qualification rounds.
Related: What is DRS in F1?
Conclusion
So, how long is a Formula 1 race?
The F1 race is a thrilling experience lasting NO longer than two hours.
If you’re looking for a heart-pounding and exciting event to attend, check out an upcoming F1 race near you!