All cars must be stationary before the automatic five red light sequence begins. When all the lights go out the race has begun.CarsFormula One cars may appear very similar, this is because they are constructed to tight restrictions and rules and regulations However, the cars are not the same. Take a closer look at the cars and they are all infinitely different from each other within their confined rules set up Identical Formula One cars are banned. They are constructed to operate at very high speed therefore their construction is much like a fighter plane but the wings are geared to force the cars down to the ground not into the air. Two main wings are attached, at the front on the nose and toward the rear. These are the most distinctive aspects of the cars along with their triangular radiator and air intake set up with one situated atop the car sloping backward and two either side the cockpit and engine cover.

From 2008 Formula One cars do not make use of driver aids and electronic gizmos such as Traction and Stability control to prevent wheel spin and ABS braking systems. They all now possess 7 speed gear boxes and run on Bridgestone tyres where there are 3 types and 2 compounds of each available More tyre information is available later. All Formula One cars must gain FIA approval for crash safety and various other regulations. They are constructed from Carbon Fibre honeycomb compound which is a very strong substance but also very lightweight.

Grand Prix cars weight around 600KG with the driver included.EnginesFormula One engines, and also their gearboxes are required to last the full weekend of four Grands Prix and development of the engines is frozen currently by the FIA meaning no increase in performance is allowed. Currently Formula One engines are limited to 2.4 litre V8 normally aspirated engines with no performance enhancing attachments allowed. Revs are limited to 19,000 RPM and these engines  generate around 600 BHP. The engines are positioned in the middle of the cars where the cars appear to slope backwards in a profile viewpoint All engines have twin exhausts. A Formula One V8 can accelerate a Grand Prix car to speeds in excess of 200MPH.TyresCurrently, Formula One operates only Bridgestone tyres. Formula One tyres since 1998 have four grooves cut into the tyre to reduce contact of the rubber with the tarmac. This does not make any difference to the performance of a car in a straight line but reduces grip in corners.

Of the 2 compounds available one is deemed soft and one is deemed hard. Soft tyres are recognisable on TV by a white strip on the tyre groove. These soft tyres in general give up better temperature more quickly and better grip to the harder compound but sacrifice durability Wear rates are higher on the softer tyres. Hard tyres take longer to come up to temperature but will last much longer. This is a very generalised view of tyres, even drivers and tyre manufacturers do not know the correct formula for tyre choice. At different tracks different compounds work better.

The better tyre is referred to as prime with the other compound known as the option tyre. As well as these dry grooved tyres, Bridgestone offer an intermediate tyre which is used usually in light rain or moist conditions and an extreme wet tyre for monsoon conditions. Tyres can be changed in pit stops which can be made by drivers at any point during qualifying and racing provided the pit lane is open.OvertakingOvertaking in Formula One is a difficult task yet not impossible as some will have you believe. Because of the construction of some circuits and some corners following and getting close to another car is difficult. The ideal sequence for a successful overtaking maneuver in Formula One is to have a long fast straight or sweeping corner sequence followed by a tight slow corner and a heavy braking zone.