Why do F1 drivers drive through the marbles at the end of the race?

Formula 1Formula 1 is the pinnacle of open-wheel,  single-seater car racing and arguably the highest level of any motorsport globally. Also... There's more... cars are finely tuned and constrained by a myriad of rules, one of which is minimum weight. The cars can be called to the weigh station at any time over the weekend and they risk penalties if found to be under the minimum weight.

When the cars start the race they have around 100kgs of fuelIn 2022 F1 cars run on 87 octane fuel which is 10% ethanol As part of their green strategy, Formula... There's more... and as the race progresses the weight reduces the performance of the car can go up, so there is an incentive to manage the fuel loadFuel Load - F1 cars have a minimum weight of 796kgs (down by 2kg from 2022 season) including the driver,... There's more... to a minimum.

In addition to this, as the tyresToday's F1 cars are running 18-inch wheels (up from 13 inches in recent years) with the widths unchanged - 305mm... There's more... degrade they shed rubber (marblesMarbles is the term used for the fragments of rubber that are shed from the tyre as it is exposed... There's more...) and therefore weight. Driving through the marbles, after crossing the finish line and before returning to 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..., with hot tyres so the marbles stick to the tyres is a way to add weight back to the car to help ensure the weight is within the required range.

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