Anyone who is interested in Formula One as a sport will know that it is very different from how it is often perceived in the general public’s eye. Because of this discrepancy between the two, there are many misunderstandings relating to Formula One which are important to understand, especially if you want to have a fuller appreciation of the sport itself. In this post, we are going to take a look at some of the most common misunderstandings around the sport, and what it is really like for fans of it who know what it’s about. This can lead to a greater appreciation of it in general.
There Is No Number 13 Car
In any Formula One race in the world, there is never a number 13 car. Although racers are not necessarily the most superstitious people in the world, nonetheless this is one thing that they do seem to agree on, and you will never find a racer who is happy using a number 13 car in any race. If someone places 13th in the previous race, they usually just get bumped up to 14th, with nobody taking the 13th position. Part of the reason for this superstition is that there is obviously some danger to it, although it might not be as dangerous as you might think on the whole, as we will see below.
It’s Not The Most Dangerous Sport
Now, Formula One is certainly a dangerous sport, and there are casualties and even the occasional death too. In fact, there have been 43 deaths in the entire history of the sport. But it is not the most dangerous sport in the world, nor the most dangerous form of transport even. All you’d need to do is ask a motorcycle accident attorney about how many such cases they deal with, and you would see how Formula One compares to that kind of transport. So while it is dangerous to a degree, there are more dangerous sports out there.
It’s Not Just A Man’s Sport
There are quite a few women in Formula One, although the sport is still largely populated by men. In fact, in recent years the sport has been moving away from being male only, and from a general old-style masculinity which is now rather outdated in many respects. That’s probably all well and good, and part of the result of that is that it opens up the way for more and more women to participate as they wish, which can only ever be a good thing as a sport tries to mature and become more and more interesting.
The Safety Precautions Are Strict
As you might hope and expect, the safety precautions for Formula One racing are very strict, and it is something which has to be adhered to completely if a racer wants to be able to continue racing. Even the slightest thing out of place or a rule not adhered to can mean that there is a ban for that driver and possibly even their whole team, so as you can see it’s something that is taken very seriously indeed, as it probably should be. With strict safety rules in place, everyone is much more likely to be kept safe on the whole.
The Largest Number Of Cars In A Crash Was 14
There have obviously been a lot of crashes in the history of Formula One racing, and some of the biggest have been some of the most momentous occasions of the sport’s history. However, the largest was during the Belgian Grand Prix in 1998, when an incredible 14 cars were involved in a single crash. It is rare that you see something of this size, but every now and then it does happen. Of course, there is no telling when that record might be beaten, but it is not the kind of record that people are purposefully trying to beat on this occasion.
The Youngest Winner Was 18
So far, the youngest person to ever win a Grand Prix was just 18. This was the Spanish Grand Prix, and the kid was in fact only 16 when it was announced that he would be racing in the race. So far that is the youngest, but who knows if it is going to get any younger in the future, as often happens with many other sports. There is always the possibility that this might happen, of course.
As you can see, there is a lot more to Formula One than a lot of people realise.
