How F1 lap times are recorded

07/04/24 • 31 min

1 Listener

In F1, every thousandth of a second is crucial. Drivers' performances are often separated by less than the blink of an eye, so how are F1 cars timed so accurately?
To find out, Christian and Katie speak to James Clarke, a highly-trained F1 timekeeper. James explains the technology on cars and at circuits which make the timing system work, how lap times and race positions are accurately recorded, and what happens if two drivers set identical times.
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Find the answer in our previous episodes

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What F1 drivers eat - with Oscar Piastri's nutritionist, Dr Dan Martin
How F1 helmets are made - with Bell Racing
Ask a Formula 1 Driver – Liam Lawson answers your questions
Inside the FIA Safety Car - with driver, Bernd Mayländer
How F1 video games are so realistic - with EA SPORTS F124
LIVE in Miami with Guenther Steiner + F1 Explains listeners
Car setup with Fernando Alonso + Aston Martin
F1 race suits, boots, gloves + underwear - with PUMA
F1 brakes - technology + technique - with Brembo + Jack Doohan
The job of an F1 Team Principal - with Aston Martin's Mike Krack

Previous Episode

What F1 drivers eat - with Oscar Piastri's nutritionist, Dr Dan Martin

As high-performance athletes, F1 drivers have to eat the right things at the right times. Everything they eat and drink, plus the timing of their meals, is carefully planned by expert nutritionists like Dr Dan Martin from Combine Performance. Dan works with McLaren's Oscar Piastri.
Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne find out what an F1 driver's diet is and how it helps them perform at their best. We also get the story behind the banana smoothie which interrupted a previous F1 Explains interview with Piastri...
Get your F1 question answered by an expert
Record it as a voice note or write it in an email and send it to F1Explains@F1.com
Learn more about F1 with our previous episodes:

Next Episode

Mika Hakkinen on high-speed tracks + driver contract negotiations - LIVE at the British GP

A double F1 World Champion and three F1 Explains listeners joined Christian Hewgill live on stage at the 2024 British Grand Prix.
F1 Explains listeners Sophie from Rugby, Ryan from London and Alex from Atlanta Georgia asked Mika Hakkinen about how Formula 1 has changed since his final season in 2001 and how it feels to drive high-speed corners. The 1998 and 1999 World Champion also explains what is involved in contract negotiations between drivers and teams.
Special thanks to Ella Clarke, Jordan Henley and Tham Islam at F1, Nicki Seifert at Silverstone and the team at The Driver's Inn Stage.
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F1 Explains will be coming to the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas in October 2024, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November 2024. More details coming soon.
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