How do you start an F1 car?

Do you start an F1 car with keys? A button? We take a look into the process of starting a Formula 1 car.

----- Follow WTF1 -----

----- Music provided by -----

Epidemic Sound

[lightningbot]

“Lets take a look at the power unit first!”

That’s when the family members at the dinner table stop paying attention. They will ask the same exact question next year.


Great video, these are so informative for the short video length!

[dabee]

Ah yes, thank you for this wonderful tutorial. I shall now proceed to follow this tutorial with my non-existent F1 car used in my non-existent F1 career

Edit: So many salty people in the replies LMAO guys it’s a joke

[Finkelfunk]

You should have explained the pre-heating reasons in more detail:
An F1 engine is so precisely manufactured, that it literally will not move when it is cold due to the metals actually being stuck together. Through warming the engine up the seals on the pistons are able to move because they soften up just enough. And since F1 engines are meant to run at several hundred degrees there is no point in having this any other way.

[fotokosmos]

Just imagine that a team can’t race an F1 Weekend because they have lost their car keys

[mtpruden]

Another purpose of preheating the engine is that the tolerances the internal combustion engine is built to are quite extreme, and when cold, won’t even turn over. The heat in the motor keeps the parts from rubbing on one another- and the tolerances are designed to be optimal at 80C.

[Boxingdiehard]

I really enjoy these informative short videos. They satisfy my never ending desire to learn more about these amazing cars. Appreciate it so much y’all! Much love from the US

[SmileyXY]

How do you start a F1 car?
"A short view back to the past..."

[actualtoaster]

Thanks for the tips 👍 imma try this out tommorow

[BUTHERECOMESSEBASTIANVETTEL]

I wouldn’t be surprised is the Haas just uses a key though

[LegendarySkip]

Frick my dyslexic brain! I read ICE as IEC and instantly thought “ah yes, internal explosion… wait a minute”

[Sir_Uncle_Ned]

The engine tolerances are so small and measured at operating temperature, so when it's cold, it seizes solid and won't so much as twitch, which is why they need to get the engine warmed up before starting because they literally cannot start it cold. The car basically needs to be on life support before it can perform.

Didn't mention that when the engine is cold it really can't be turned over because the tolerance on the pistons and cylinder walls is so tight that it's basically seized. When they warm the engine everything expands to the proper size and they can spin it over easily.

[marshallgaddis]

Gentlemen. A short view to the past. Thirty years ago, Nicki Laura told us “take a trained monkey, place him into the cockpit of a car and he is able to drive the car”. Thirty years later, Sebastian told us “I have to start my car like a computer, it’s very complicated” and Nico Rosberg said that during the race - I don’t remember what race - he pressed the wrong button on the wheel. Question for you both. Is formula one today too complicated with 20 or more buttons on the wheel, are you too much under effort, under pressure? What are your wishes for the future concerning the technical program during the race? Less buttons, more? Or less and more communication with your engineers?

[lifbout]

With a key

Edit: Matt said it wasn’t keys, so I’m gonna guess it is a fancy button

Edit 2: it wasn’t fancy button, I give up on guessing

[ConstantTuna]

These short videos are amazing. Thanks for making them

[michaelmely]

I literally googled this a week ago looking for a wtf1 video on how an f1 car starts but I couldn’t find one. And then today they post this! Thanks

[cutlass]

This also answers the question of why you cant put an f1 engine in a street car

[k_]

re: preheating or not,

depends on the food, if you're heating up something that's already cooked then yeah just throw it in there while it's heating up. but if you're COOKING something you gotta wait till it's heated up to the right temp first.

[Murphy-ksvi]

Knowing this definitely make me more appreciate the engineers and crews for all the hard work they have in the garage.

[TheMediocrityalt]

I already know ❄️ice ice baby❄️ is going to be stuck in my head for the coming week...

(awesome vid btw, very useful for my very existant f1 career)