Why do F1 drivers zig-zag the car around the track?
ANYONE who watches Formula One regularly will be familiar with the sight of drivers wiggling their car from left to right and right to left around the track.
With F1 cars costing tens of millions, you would think that vehicles could drive in a straight line!
But don't worry, there is a very good technical reason why drivers do this.
Why do drivers zig-zag from right to left?
Formula One drivers can be seen veering from left to right, then right to left - and quite often this is behind a safety car.
The reason they do this is to keep the car's tyres at an optimum temperature.
Read more F1
It is almost like massaging heat from friction into each of the tyres - which in itself makes them more grippy - and therefore faster.
The reason they do this when a safety car is out, or in the formation lap, is because the race is not in motion at that point.
The other part of this is that a hot tyre during the start of the race will lead to a faster start.
This is a simply crucial part of the race and can lead to huge gains in race position from the off.
Formula One 2022
Everything you need to know about F1 this season
F1 2022 calendar: Race schedule, tracks and results
How does F1 point scoring work?
What is the halo and how does it work?
How does the F1 safety car work?
Who is Max Verstappen’s girlfriend Kelly Piquet?
Who has Lewis Hamilton dated?
F1 driver salaries: Who tops the list?
Who is Charles Leclerc’s girlfriend Charlotte Sine?
Who is F1 star Lando Norris’ girlfriend Luisinha Oliveira?
Why do F1 drivers zig-zag on track?
Most read in Motorsport
What is the optimum temperature for an F1 car tyre?
Drivers are looking for a temperature of 100-110C for their perfect race tyre.
This also explains why F1 teams keep their rubber Pirellis wrapped in blankets before the cars go out on the track.
This will soon be a thing of the past though as F1 looks to become more environmentally friendly.
The plan is to get rid of tyre blankers altogether in upcoming seasons.