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Formula One racing features the most expensive racing cars. Each Formula One car is designed and manufactured individually by automobile manufacturers. The cars are built according to a formula (set of specifications) drawn by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The formula limits the engine size and determines overall body design. Formula One cars are also called Grand Prix (pronounced grahn PREE) cars. The French term Grand Prix means large prize and is the name of the series of races in which the cars compete. Prizes are very little of the driver's income because drivers get paid racing for the team.
These race cars are designed on some of the same principles as airplanes. Like the fuselage (body) of an airplane, a Formula One car has a monocoque construction. In this type of construction, the car's central structure is a tube-shaped shell made of aluminum, carbon fiber, or other durable, lightweight material. This structure, sometimes called the tub, provides the connecting point for the engine, suspension system, and other parts of the car and bears the mechanical stresses. A Formula One car has front and rear wings. The flow of air over and under the wings produces a downward force that presses the car to the ground. This downforce holds the car to the road, which enables it to go faster through turns. Formula One cars have only one seat, an open cockpit, and open wheels - that is, no fenders. The engine of a Formula One is in the rear. Continued!
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