F1 Slang Explained

Sometimes when you watch F1, you may struggle to understand the commentary and the occasional joke, and that is perfectly fine! Here is a rookie guide to F1 slang…

(Image Credit to F1.com)

1. Overtake

This is one of the most crucial phrases. Often heard over the team radio, this refers to the action of surpassing the car in front of you.

Example: “The straight is coming up, try to overtake.”

2. Bottoming

This simply refers to when the underside of the car hits the track.

Example: “It was a pretty solid lap, but in the third sector the car was bottoming a bit.”

3. Polesitter

This refers to the person who has the fastest lap during qualifying and obtains pole position.

Example: “The polesitter starts at the front.”

4.Backmarker

The drivers driving completely at the back and are liable to be lapped by other cars.

Example: “If the backmarker didn't block me, he wouldn't have had the chance to close the gap.”

5. Flatspot

When the driver engages the front brakes too hard, it can cause one or both front tires to stop rotating and slide along the track instead of rolling, which results in a flat spot being worn into the tire surface.

Example: “I had to pit because of my flatspot, costing me a podium.”

6. Lift and Coast

When it seems like the driver is burning too much fuel to get to the end of the race, a strategy they may be told to do is ‘lift and coast’. This means they have to lift off the throttle and cruise into the braking zone which spares fuel. It is also referred to as LICO

Example: “Your going to have to lift and coast for these final few corners mate.”

7. DRS

One of the most widely used terms is DRS. This stands for drag reduction system which is a flap that when lifted reduces the drag acting on the car allowing the car to travel faster. This only becomes available at certain points in the race (DRS zones) and when the car in front is less than one second in front of you.

Example: “Watch out, he will most likely have DRS next lap.”

8. Box Box

Often barked over the radio, this is used to tell the driver that it's time to go into the pits.

Example: “Damage to the car, Box Box”

9.Oversteer/understeer

Oversteer occurs during cornering when the rear tires lose traction, causing the rear of the car to swing outward. In contrast, understeer happens when the front tires lose grip, making the car turn less sharply than the driver intends, resulting in a wider cornering line.

Example: "I heard he oversteered into the wall.”

10. Falling off the cliff

Used when the performance of the tyre drops sharply during the race rendering it uncompetitive.

Example: “During the second lap my tires fell off the cliff and I was forced to pit.”

Article written by Mia Pitzer