Formula 1 is all about details, and this approach applies to post-race procedures.
The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) play a crucial role during a Grand Prix weekend, ensuring cars are compliant through a process called “scrutineering.”
The Sporting News takes a closer look at one of their many important steps – weighing drivers.
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There are two main reasons drivers hop on the scales post-race: car weight limits and driver health.
F1 cars have a minimum weight, which is established in an attempt to create an even playing field.
Without fuel, cars must weigh at least 740kg (1,631lbs).
Cars are weighed throughout a Grand Prix weekend to ensure they are compliant.
Drivers must be weighed after a race because they are included as part of the minimum car weight.
In 2019, a minimum driver weight of 80kg (176lbs) was introduced.
This figure includes all safety equipment such as the helmet, head restraint, overalls, gloves and shoes.
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Most drivers do not hit this mark, so a weighted ballast is applied to the cockpit of the cars.
The ballast cannot be fixed anywhere else in car to achieve a speed advantage.
If teams do not reach the minimum car weights – which includes a driver’s weight – they could face a penalty, including disqualification.
Motorsport is a demanding craft, and F1, in particular, pushes drivers to the limit.
In fact, drivers can lose between 2-4kgs (4.5-9lbs) through sweat loss during a race.
This is due to several factors, including the sheer physicality and G-force, the length of a race, high temperatures inside the car, wearing a thick race suit and external weather conditions.
In hot and humid climates (e.g. Singapore) drivers can lose a dangerous amount of weight.
By performing a weigh-in at the end of a race, medical staff can make important health assessments.
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The exact cost of an F1 car is hard to confirm, but they come to a sum of approximately US$15 million (€15.8 million) each, according to Red Bull.
For the 2024 season, teams are allowed to spend a maximum of $135 million (€128m) on materials and activities related to car performance.
This cost cap has been introduced in an attempt to level the playing field, allowing smaller teams to potentially challenge race-winning constructors.
Before 2021, up to $400 million (€379m) was spent on the construction and development of a top-level F1 car, per Motorsport Magazine.
The cost cap was then reduced significantly to $145 million (€137.5m) in 2021 and $140 million (€132.7m) in 2022.
With a cap still in place, FIA scrutineering ensures teams are competing legally each race weekend.