What happens in the hour before the race start? 

60 Minutes out…

The pit laneThe Pit lane is a 3.5m wide access lane that runs parallel to the race track that the cars use... There's more... opens for teams to start their pre-race preparation. They begin the process of shifting all the equipment needed to complete the car set-up and start the race, including tool boxes, generators, tyresToday's F1 cars are running 18-inch wheels (up from 13 inches in recent years) with the widths unchanged - 305mm... There's more... and computer stations.

The team in the garageAn F1 garage is just that. A secure area for teams to set up their equipment and work on their... There's more... spend this time completing their set-up and running through their pre-race checks, including radio checks and confirming that the telemetrynoun: telemetry the process of recording and transmitting the readings of an instrument. "Data will be transferred by radio telemetry... There's more... is working. 

40 Minutes out… 

The light at the end of the pitlane goes green, indicating that the track is open. Cars leave their garage on a used set of tyres and carry out installation laps on their way to the gridThe grid is a reference to the starting order of the race is typically determined by qualifying, however, with the... There's more....

Depending on the track, they may have the opportunity to pass through the pitsThe Pits refers to the area immediately outside a team's garage where they are able to work on the car,... There's more... to do more than one lap to check the car and gather data from last-minute setup changes.  There may be an opportunity for a practice start at the pit lane exit. 

Cars pull up to the back of the grid and are lifted onto trolleys for the pit crew to roll them through the throng of teams, media and others.

30 Minutes out…

The pit lane closes, and anyone not on track at that time must start from the pit lane.

On the grid, the driverOK, so we all know what the driver is, right. I've always liked the description that F1 drivers are like... There's more... exits the car to run through their prestart ritual. This might include a bathroom stop, a last-minute briefing with the engineerRace Engineers are a team of experts who manage all aspects of the race and communicate with the driver when... There's more..., focus and reflex work as well as hydrating and keeping cool. 

The car is in parc ferme, so there is very little that can be done on the car. Tyre pressures can be adjusted, and electronic settings like the engine mapEngine mapping is a predetermined set of engine mode settings that can be selected as required.  Engine mapping allows the... There's more... can be altered. The engineers will run through final checklists, carry out fire-ups to run the fluids and place custom fansThe fans are the life-blood of F1, without us the sport wouldn't be what it is today.  From the 300,000... There's more... around the car to keep specific components cool. 

17 Minutes out…

Around the 17-minute mark, the drivers will assemble at the front of the grid for the national anthem of the host country. 

10 Minutes out…

The driver will don his helmetFormula 1 racing helmets are extremely strong and durable safety devices custom-fitted to the driver's head.  They undergo compulsory FIA-approved... There's more... and get into the car to be securely strapped in, and a final test fire-up may be carried out. 

5 Minutes out…

Race tyres, still in the tyre blanketsTyre blankets, or tyre warmers, are used to pre-heat the tyre before it is put onto the car. Tyres need... There's more..., are fitted, and the team begin to disperse as only eight are allowed to stay on the grid from this point. They take as much equipment as possible with them. 

1 Minute out…

With a minute to go the engine is fired-up. The blankets left on the car until the last possible instant are now removed.

30 seconds to go…

The crew move off the grid and with 15 seconds to go, they have to have their feet behind the white lines marking the edge of the track. 

Formation lap

The grid sets off on a single lap to prepare the car while the crews remove everything trackside. The drivers spend the lap warming the brakesF1 car brakes are similar to normal road cars, only they are made with different materials and operate under considerably... There's more... and tyres, cooling the engine, learning various gears, and preparing the clutchAll cars with a gearbox use a clutch to engage the engine and deliver power to the transmission. F1 cars... There's more....

The last part of the formation lapThe formation lap in F1, also known as the warmup lap, is the slow lap drivers take before the start... There's more..., after the last cornerIn formula 1, a corner is much more than a turn on the track, it is a considered and deliberate... There's more..., is critical and when drivers test the bite-point with their clutch control and do a sequence of burnouts to get heat into the rear tyres. 

The cars line up in their grid positions and once the last car is in a marshal signals to the starter by crossing the rear of the grid with a green flagThe green flag signals that the track is clear and drivers can race. The flag is used at the pit... There's more.... 

Lights on…

The start sequenceStart Sequence The start sequence is the procedure by which a grand prix is started. Once the grid has formed... There's more... is initiated, and the five lights over the start line come on progressively, followed by a short hold before they go out and… “It’s lights out and away we go…”