Portal:Formula One/Did you know (management)

Management of 'Did you knows'
One 'Did you know' is circulated from the list below onto the F1 portal every Wednesday.

If this has not been done, please:
 * 1) Cut the top 'Did you know' from the list below.
 * 2) Paste it at the top of the list here.
 * 3) Cut the bottom 'Did you know' from that list.
 * 4) And paste it back at the bottom of the list below.

Doing it this way means that all the 'Did you knows' get circulated through on a regular basis.

If the top 'Did you know' doesn't seem suitable (perhaps it is on the same topic as the current selected article or selected picture) then feel free to skip it and use the next one down.

If you have a new F1 'Did you know' the please add it directly to the top of the list below. You do not need to put it in the discussion section below first, unless you wish to. Again, if this means that it is too close to a similar 'Did you know', move it down the list so that it is further away. Please make sure to include all the appropriate wikilinks in your 'Did you know' and above all check that the 'Did you know' is accurate.

List of 'Did you knows'

 * ...that the fuel supply to the car during a pitstop is 12 litres per second?


 * ...that a Formula One car can accelerate from standstill to 200 km/h and back again in less than seven seconds?


 * ...that the highest speed a Formula One car can travel at is around 375 km/h? However, Monza is the only circuit where such speeds are likely to be touched.


 * ...that motor racing has been banned in Switzerland since 1955, but a Swiss GP was held in 1982 -- in France?


 * ...that, if Michael Schumacher had won just one more race, his final number of race wins would have been equal to that of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna (2nd and 3rd in the all-time standings) combined?


 * ...that, if Fernando Alonso hadn't won the 2005 Drivers' Championship, his victory in 2006 still would have made him the youngest ever champion?


 * ...that the first time an onboard camera was used in a Formula One race was the 1985 German Grand Prix, on François Hesnault's Renault?


 * ...that, when grooved tyres replaced slicks in 1998, front tyres had three grooves while rear tyres had four? For the following year, an additional groove was mandated on the front tyres in order to further slow the cars down.


 * ...that, when the Williams team used to be sponsored by various Saudi Arabia-based companies (most notably Saudia), its drivers were forbidden to pop champagne on the podium due to Islamic rules? And another of those companies belonged to the bin Laden family?


 * ...that, since the 1983 Race of Champions, no race with Formula One cars has been held which was not valid for the World Championship?


 * ...that the tactic of refueling during a race, in order to run at a lighter weight on average, was re-introduced by the Brabham team in 1982, not having been practiced since the 1950s? It was banned by the FIA shortly afterwards and reintroduced in 1994 to add excitement to races.


 * ...that Graham Hill's son Damon is the only son of a former F1 world champion to take the title himself? Damon won the title, while his father was champion in  and.


 * ...that in the numbering sequence for drivers the number 13 has not been used since ? For a possible reason see triskaidekaphobia.


 * ...that Bernie Ecclestone bought Brabham for approximately $120,000 at the end of but sold it for over $5 million at the end of ?


 * ...that constructors are given grid boxes, garages and paddock space according to their position in the previous year's Constructor's Championship (the no.1 constructor taking the box closest to the pit entrance)?


 * ...that the cars of Scuderia Ferrari have completed 436,411 racing kms in 741 Grands Prix since the team's debut in the World Championship? [as at 21/12/2006: The numbers will need to be updated if/when this one reaches the top of the list]


 * ...that the longest gap between Grand Prix starts is 10 years, three months and 22 days? Jan Lammers retired from the Dutch GP on July 3, 1982, and did not make another start until the Japanese GP on October 25, 1992.


 * ...that there once was a F1 team with the name of BS Fabrications? They raced customer Surtees, March and McLaren cars between 1976 and 1978.


 * ...that Keke Rosberg, Formula One World Champion in with Williams, scored no points at all with Fittipaldi the previous year?


 * ...that the Ferrari 640 was the first Formula One car to feature a semi-automatic, paddle-shift gearbox and the first to use seven speeds? The new technology was not always reliable, but it won on its debut in the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix.


 * ...F1 Racing estimates that RTL pays more for its F1 broadcast rights ($102 million) than any other company, followed by ITV ($51m) and RAI ($48m)?


 * ...that the Brabham BT46B used a fan to create downforce by sucking air from beneath the car? It won on its debut, in the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix, after which the system was banned.


 * ...that Ralf Schumacher is the fourth brother of a Formula One world champion to qualify for a Grand Prix? The others were Jimmy Stewart, Ian Scheckter and Wilson Fittipaldi. Ralf is unusual in being the younger brother - the others were all older siblings.


 * ...that, although five women have entered Formula One Grands Prix (Maria Teresa de Filippis, Lella Lombardi, Divina Galica, Desiré Wilson and Giovanna Amati), only de Filippis and Lombardi actually raced in World Championship Grands Prix, the others having failed to qualify?


 * ...entering a new team in the F1 World Championship requires a US$48 million up-front payment to the FIA, which is then repaid to the team over the season? This, along with other financial benefits, means that new entrants often prefer to buy an existing team.


 * ...that all of the South African Grands Prix were raced whilst Apartheid was the law of the land there?


 * ...that Suzuka is not the only F1 circuit to have a layout with a bridge over itself? The Italian Grands Prix of 1955, 1956, 1960, and 1961 were raced on an alternative layout of Monza that included a high-speed oval crossing over the "normal" layout between Lesmo and Ascari (then called Vialone).


 * ...that when he retired in, Riccardo Patrese had competed in nearly half the Formula One Grands Prix that had ever been held?


 * ...that in the 1997 European Grand Prix, held at the Circuito Permanente de Jerez, the top three qualifiers had the exact same time? Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen established the time of 1:21.072, but the pole went to Villeneuve, because he was the first to make that time.


 * ...that Damon Hill played the guitar in the opening song of the Def Leppard album, Euphoria?


 * ...that Jack Brabham became the only man to win a Formula One World Championship in a car bearing his own name when he took the title? His former team mates Bruce McLaren and Dan Gurney share the honour of winning F1 world championship races in cars produced by their own respective teams.


 * ...that although Formula One has yet to gain a widespread following in the United States, it is bigger than IRL, Champ Car or NASCAR in terms of budgets and global TV audiences?


 * ...that Desiré Wilson is the only woman to have won a Formula One race? She finished first in the 1980 Brands Hatch round of the British Aurora AFX Formula One national championship in a Theodore-run Wolf WR3.


 * ...that, in 1970, Jochen Rindt became Formula One World Champion posthumously after being killed when his Lotus 72 crashed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza?


 * ...that the currently published 2008 FIA F1 regulations demand that engines be homologated over the period, which means that only limited FIA-approved changes will be allowed?


 * ...that Johnny Servoz-Gavin is the one and only driver to score a point in the World Championsip with a 4WD car?


 * ...that two Formula One drivers were named Jacques Villeneuve?


 * ...that, from 1950 to 1960, the Indianapolis 500 was a round of the World Drivers' Championship (now known as the Formula One World Championship)?


 * ...that, as of July 2007, this is the longest run in the history of the World Championship without a Formula One driver having been killed driving? The last drivers to die in F1 cars were Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.


 * ...that the McLaren MP4/1 in was the first Formula One car to have a chassis constructed entirely from carbon fibre composites? All F1 cars are now constructed from this material.


 * ...that, at the time of his retirement, Michael Schumacher had won over 10% of all Formula One world championship Grands Prix ever run?


 * ...that the first name of every driver who took pole position for a 1969 World Championship race starts with the letter 'J': Jochen Rindt, Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart and Jacky Ickx?


 * ...that at the 2007 European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring there were 75 pitstops in total, the most of any GP ever?


 * ...that Al Pease is the only F1 driver in history to be black flagged for going too slow?


 * ...that a driver has never won multiple world titles with Williams? Williams have had seven world drivers' champions: Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and most recently Jacques Villeneuve.


 * ...that Jenson Button's victory at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix was the first victory by a British driver for over three years? The previous British winner was David Coulthard at the 2003 Australian Grand Prix.


 * ...that, in 1989, Aguri Suzuki failed to pre-qualify for all 16 rounds of the championship in his Zakspeed? Suzuki later became head of the now defunct Super Aguri F1 team.


 * ...that the famous 22 km long Nürburgring Nordschleife used for the German Grand Prix until 1976 is not the longest track to ever hold a F1 World Championship race? This honor belongs to the Pescara circuit at 25 km. The circuit was used only once, in 1957.


 * ...that the last F1 World Championship race not to take place on a Sunday was the 1985 South African Grand Prix?


 * ...that Jody Scheckter and Damon Hill are the only drivers to have ever competed with car number zero in a World Championship race? While Hill raced #0 for two full seasons (1993 and 1994), Scheckter only used it for two races in 1973.


 * ...that the last win by a driver older than 40 years was in the 1994 Australian Grand Prix by Nigel Mansell?


 * ...that Alain Prost could have won the 1984 Formula One Season if he had finished second instead of first at the torrential Monaco Grand Prix? As the Frenchman was being tracked down by rookie Ayrton Senna, his pleas for the race to be halted were answered and half-points were awarded. However, had the race gone full distance and Senna had passed him, Prost would have taken the title from Niki Lauda by a single point.


 * ...that Leo Kinnunen was the last driver to race in F1 using an open-faced helmet? That was in 1974, at a time when full-face helmets had been in use in F1 for more than four years. Kinnunen was also the first Finn to start a Grand Prix.


 * ...that the oldest driver to compete in a Formula One World Championship race was 55 years and 292 days old?


 * ... that the most successful letter of the alphabet in terms of Formula One Drivers' Championships is 'S'. Five drivers whose surname starts with 'S' (Surtees, Stewart, Scheckter, Senna and Schumacher) have between them amassed 15 drivers' titles. The next most successful letter is 'H', which can claim 9 titles shared among 7 different drivers.


 * ...that, between the years of 2003 and 2005, Fernando Alonso became the youngest driver to take pole position, the youngest race winner, and the youngest World Champion? These records previously belonged to Rubens Barrichello, Bruce McLaren, and Emerson Fittipaldi respectively.


 * ...that, following Michael Schumacher's retirement, Rubens Barrichello is the only still-active F1 driver to have been racing when Ayrton Senna died, though he didn't take part in that race due to injury?


 * ...that the 1974 French Grand Prix marked the only occasion in which F1 saw qualifying times of less than one minute? Twelve drivers managed to do that during qualifying: pole sitter Niki Lauda, eventual winner Ronnie Peterson, Tom Pryce, Clay Regazzoni, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mike Hailwood, Jody Scheckter, Carlos Reutemann, Patrick Depailler, James Hunt, Denny Hulme, and Jean-Pierre Jarier. The unexpectedly short lap times led to the circuit being extended for subsequent F1 races.


 * ...that the 2009 Formula One season will be the 60th World Championship season?


 * ...that, even though Williams drivers won the World Championship on seven occasions, only three races in the entirety of F1 history were won by Williams cars bearing the number 1? Those were the 1981 United States Grand Prix West, the 1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix, and the 1983 Monaco Grand Prix -- all of them street races.


 * ...that during the Monaco Grand Prix, an average driver changes gear around 3,100 times?


 * ...that a Formula One car contains more than 1000 different parts?


 * ...that the 2002 German Grand Prix was the last race for which someone failed to qualify?


 * ...than no American driver has won a World Championship Grand Prix since 1978?


 * ...that slick tyres, poised to return in 2009 after being banned in 1998, were first used in F1 by Firestone in the 1971 Spanish Grand Prix? The other tyre supplier (Goodyear) soon followed suit.


 * ...that no French driver has won a World Championship Grand Prix since 1996?

Discussion
Please add any comments, questions or discussions here:

Suzuka and Monza crossover layouts
Although this information is correct, the Australian Grand Prix was held at Oran Park Raceway in 1974 and 1977. This track features a figure of 8 layout also. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oran_Park_Raceway


 * I don't think those were F1 races. In the Australian Grand Prix article the winners are listed as driving Lola-Chevrolets. Looks like Formula 5000. JCCyC (talk) 03:13, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

The Swiss ban on motor racing
I corrected an error in the 'Did you know' about the Swiss ban on Motor Racing. It was instated following the disaster at the 1955 Le Mans 24h (not 1954), when Pierre Levegh crashed into the crowd and 84 people were killed. Also, I found that this ban has recently been lifted and this information should probably get its own 'Did you now'. Unfortunately I am new and my editing takes a lot of time :) but maybe someone can use this info. PS There must be an easier way to link to Wikinews pages? Bobby Doorknobs 01:05, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

BT46B
It is worth noting that the 46B was not itself banned. After dialogue between FISA and Brabham, the team agreed not to enter the 46B again, and a ban on the technology was then put in place.

BS Fabrications
If anyone feels like writing the article on this team, here's some sources. JCCyC 18:54, 24 October 2006 (UTC)


 * http://www.chicanef1.com/indiv.pl?name=BS%20Fabrications&type=A
 * http://forums.autosport-atlas.com/showthread.php?s=b4093754c2e79e384b4e5aca16e30ca7&threadid=24069
 * http://glibs.ssmmdd.co.uk/glibs/teaminfo.php?lang=usa&iset=,./:mdy&team=226
 * http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/BS_Fabrications (Swedish Wikipedia)


 * I don't think it's appropriate to have a DYK with a red link on the F1 Portal, so I'll leave it on the list until the article is created.--Diniz 11:29, 25 October 2006 (UTC)


 * No longer red! :) JCCyC 21:42, 6 March 2007 (UTC)

Jimmy Stewart
Regarding the current "Did You know?" regarding brothers of world champions, as there something in the criteria that excludes Jimmy and Jackie Stewart being the fourth brothers. --Ryan86 00:15, 30 May 2006 (UTC)
 * My error - I thought Jimmy hadn't actually taken part in an F1GP, but it appears that he did - albeit only one (1953 British Grand Prix)! I've amended to take account of this. 4u1e

FIA bond
I've edited the amount new teams are required to lodge with the FIA, as according to the regulations it's $48m, so having a sterling amount doesn't make sense. It's on page 6 of the 2006 sporting regs--Don Speekingleesh 20:34, 3 June 2006 (UTC) Actually - it's a bit simplistic to say the reason new entrants prefer to buy existing outfits is purely to avoid the bond. There's also the fact that new teams don't get travel money, or TV money for their first year or two (and I think there may be voting restrictions on new teams too), and by purchasing an existing team the new entrant avoids losing out.--Don Speekingleesh 22:19, 3 June 2006 (UTC)


 * OK - so how about: "...entering a new team in the F1 World Championship requires a US$48 million up-front payment to the FIA, which is then repaid to the team over the season. This, along with other financial benefits, means new entrants often prefer to buy an existing team."? 4u1e 18:31, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

Sounds good to me! --Don Speekingleesh 21:39, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

Done 4u1e 18:20, 5 June 2006 (UTC)

Damon Hill
After doing some of the work for the Damon Hill article...I thought we could have this:

"...Damon Hill is the only son of a Formula One world champion (Graham Hill) to become world champion himself..." --Skully Collins 15:05, 10 June 2006 (UTC)
 * On there at the top of the list, mate! (Well, it was the top of the list until I moved up JCCyC's contributions from below :-) - don't want a damon 'did you know' appearing while he's also the featured article!)4u1e 01:19, 11 June 2006 (UTC)


 * "...Damon Hill played the guitar in the opening song of the Def Leppard album, Euphoria...", I did also come across this Damon Hill, a script writer? for a Vh1 show? must be a writer with the same name? Also, there is a category called "Motorcyclists who have driven an F1 car", is Hill elligable to be in that category? --Skully Collins 13:58, 21 June 2006 (UTC)


 * Guitar playing sounds good, stick it in the list, but try and keep it away from other D or G Hill ones, so they don't end up on the portal at the same time. Not sure what we can do with the VH1 writer, which I assume is a coincidence (I used to know a Graham Hill as well, although he didn't have a moustache). 4u1e


 * Damon Hill did indeed race motorcycles before transferring to cars. He was also a motorcycle courier. Todays horse 04:04, 27 June 2007 (UTC)

Other contributions
My contributions:
 * ...that, in 1970, Jochen Rindt became Formula One World Champion after his own death?


 * ...that the tactic of refueling during a race, in order to run with a lighter can on average, was introduced by the Brabham team in 1982?
 * Reintroduced... But not introduced see History of Formula One Ericd 20:50, 31 July 2006 (UTC)


 * ...that, up until 1960, the Indianapolis 500 was considered part of the Formula One World Championship?


 * ...that, as of June 2005, this is the longest run ever without a Formula One driver having been killed in action? (since May 1, 1994)

Ooops, forgot to sign the above. JCCyC 00:31, 11 June 2006 (UTC)
 * I've tweaked and added these to the main list. Cheers! 4u1e 01:19, 11 June 2006 (UTC)
 * More where those came from, as you can see above. ;) JCCyC 22:19, 14 July 2006 (UTC)

Here are my Non-Hill contributions:
 * ...that Al Pease is the only F1 Driver in history to be black flagged for going to slow?

More to come some...hopefully! --Skully Collins 13:28, 10 July 2006 (UTC)
 * You're joking! That's a fantastic one - Poor guy. Where did you find that out? I've put it in the list.


 * ...that the McLaren MP4/1 was the first Formula One car to have a carbon fibre construction? Alexj2002 17:04, 12 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Alex, I've re-worded slightly and put it in the list (I've been doing some research on Brabham who also made early use of Carbon Fibre).


 * ...that Leo Kinnunen was the last driver to race in F1 using open-faced helmet?
 * I believe that one deserves to be on the list, even more so due to the anachronism -- Kinnunen raced F1 in 1974, while full helmets were in use since 1970, if not before. I'm putting it in. 02:32, 14 April 2008 (UTC)


 * ...that Jenson Button's win at the Hungoring has made him the first British driver to win a grand prix since David Coulthard won in the Australian Grand Prix of 2003-65 races ago.


 * ...and the first English driver to win since Johnny Herbert at the 1999 European Grand Prix -- which means he's the first Englishman to win in the 21st century! JCCyC 19:34, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * ...that Jenson Button is the first English winner of a Grand Prix since Johnny Herbert won the European Grand Prix of 1999- 119 races ago.


 * Duh. I'm blind. Wrote the above completely oblivious to this. Sorry. JCCyC 19:48, 25 August 2006 (UTC)


 * ...that over 12000 tonnes of stone was used for the construction of the Sakhir Circuit.


 * ...that during his time at Lotus, Ayrton Senna used a have a sandwich for breakfast known as the "Senna Sandwich"? The sandwich is composed of Baguette, Ham, Cheese and Jam.
 * Doesn't belong in the Senna article, too trvial. Hopefully it's okay for F1 DYK.--Skully Collins Edits 08:12, 13 November 2006 (UTC)


 * ...that the Ferrari 035/5 was the first Formula One car to feature a paddle change gearbox?
 * Probably needs spelling corrections and a wiki-link to the article, if there is one. Thanks to 4u1e, who told me about this, but I just wanted to put a year on this fact.--Skully Collins Edits 09:23, 13 November 2006 (UTC)
 * 1989 in case anyone was wondering: the first of the 641 series. It was F1's first ever 7-speed as well, long before it became de rigueur! Mansell won on the car's debut in Mexico, but it was a recalcitrant so-and-so on a frequent basis. If memory serves me, no other team raced with a semi-auto until '91. That year's MP4-6 was fitted with it late in the season, I think. Adrian M. H. 23:45, 17 January 2007 (UTC)
 * (Checked a book today and the designation was 640) I'll re-write the fact accordingly and move it up to the list above. Adrian M. H. 16:46, 18 January 2007 (UTC)


 * Here are a few others I've found for this weekend's Italian Grand Prix:
 * ...that the Italian Grand Prix has seen seven drivers score maiden victories?
 * ...that the Italians call Monza "La Pista Magica", or "the magical track"?
 * ...that Monza is the third permanent racing track ever to be built? The first being Brooklands in England and the second being the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the United States.
 * --Skully Collins Review Me! Please? 12:41, 8 September 2006 (UTC)


 * ...that during the 1999 Spanish Grand Prix there was only one registered overtaking maneuverer? --Phill talk Edits Review this GA review! 13:28, 20 March 2008 (UTC)

Jackie Stewart
I question the statement that Jackie Stewart is the only F1 World Champion not to have driven for Lotus, Williams, Ferrari or McLaren. Jack Brabham certainly drove a Lotus in F1, but he never drove for (Team) Lotus (or any of the other three). DH85868993 11:01, 23 July 2007 (UTC)
 * No-one has responded to this for over a year, so I've removed the DYK.-- Diniz  (talk)  17:12, 2 October 2008 (UTC)