Drivers

The drivers are, without doubt, the central focus for almost everyone in Formula One. Without the drivers there�d be no racing, and without the great battles, the psychological wars, and the fact that a few of the drivers dislike one another, there�d be no interest in following each twist and turn of a Formula One racing season.
The best-paid drivers these days earn money that many of us can only dream about, but they definitely work hard for it. They not only have to take massive risks in driving Formula One cars at 200 mph, but they also have to work with the team to get the last tenths of a second out of the car, deal with the media, and attend promotional events for their sponsors.
For some drivers, the stress of being a successful Formula One star proves too much; they turn their back on the sport and find something a little bit more relaxing to do. For those who can cope with all the pressures and risks � and become the very best by regularly winning races � the rewards can be mighty. Although the money, attention, and the thrill of driving fast cars are ample rewards for being a good Formula One driver, nothing is better than actually winning. Some aces claim that winning gives them the best rush of excitement they have ever experienced in their lives � but you can make up your own mind by looking at Chapter 11, which explains what happens after a win and how winning a race doesn�t signal the end of the driver�s day.

People in Formula 1 Team

Like most hugely successful sports, Formula One is jammed pack full with superstar names. Just like David Beckham in soccer or Tiger Woods in golf, the big name drivers in Formula One have millions of fans around the world worshipping their every move and hoping that their man can triumph each time out.

But the drivers aren�t the only big names in Formula One. Many of the team bosses are personalities in themselves. Some � like Renault boss Flavio Briatore � are almost as well known for their appearances in celebrity gossip columns as they are for the great work they�ve done for their teams. But it is not just the drivers and team bosses who are famous � because even the bosses of the series have their own slice of fame. Bernie Ecclestone, who runs the commercial side of Formula One, is a well-known figure in most households and is well renowned for being one of the richest men in Britain. Max Mosley, president of motor racing�s governing body, the FIA, is also widely known.

Introduction

Formula One racing is, as its name suggests, the pinnacle of motor racing around the world. Small children don�t dream about growing up to race in lesser series � above all else, they want to be a winning Formula One driver. These days, the sport is a truly global circus.

At almost every race on the calendar, more than 120,000 spectators cram into the grandstands and spectator banking, all vying for a view of the millionaire superstar drivers. At that same time, in 150 countries worldwide, more than 300 million people tune in to watch the fight for glory in the comfort of their front rooms. It is this sort of global following that has attracted huge sponsorship and left television stations around the world falling all over themselves to broadcast the races.

The huge marketing drives put on by the sponsors have whipped up even more interest in the sport. Nowadays, only the Olympic Games and the football World Cup can boast the kind of viewership, backing, and interest that Formula One has � and those events only take place every four years

[rF] Sachsenring F1 55

The Death of Ayrton Senna

At Imola San Marino Grand Prix on May 1, 1994 it was a dark day for Formula 1. Prior to the race there were many accidents that occured. First it was Barrichello who nearly died in Friday practice session. It was a worst case scenario for the Formula 1 community. Then it got worst, as Roland Ratzenberger crashed heavily in the Villeneuve corner of the track and died.

It was a terrifying scene because the car bounced off the wall, and you can see Roland's head was just hanging off the left side part of the cockpit as the car skidded back on to the track. It was one of the major fatality in F1 in a long time. It schocked the drivers as well as the fans. Senna predicted after the 1993 season that there will be a lot of crashes because the FIA banned all the drivers aid. Drivers aids a like traction control, active suspension, and other equipment that helped improved safety.

As it happened on that faithfull day in San Marino Grand Prix when Senna's FW16 plunged into the Tamburello corner. At first glanced it look like any other accidents in any motor racing. You would have thought that after the crash Senna would just have walked away from the huge crash, but unfortunately it was not to be. A piece of suspension turned into a dangerous shraphnel and it pierced through Ayrton's helmet. It's amazing when you're a racing driver it seems that every race there is a probability that you might die.

Ayrton Senna lived to race and he never back down from it. It was as if it was the only thing that mattered to him, winning and racing. It was an apocalyptic schocked to everyone from the Formula 1 drivers to the media and the fans as well. Ayrton's death brought about the safety level of the F1 car to a higher level. His death also brought about the change in the Tamburello corner. Today its a chicane rather than a fast left hander corner. This incident left many in a somber state and Formula 1 will never be the same again.

Viper ACR track video

Here is a sweet video of a couple of the track special Viper ACRs going at it on a road course. Nice.

[rF] VLN Mod by DeDios - 1.1 coming soon!