In F1, sparks are caused by a plank under the car that runs from the back of the car just in front of the front wheels. This cover is made of a wood material called Jabroc and has titanium pads to prevent damage to the cover and does not protrude more than 3mm.
Because F1 cars are so low, these titanium throttles often hit the ground when they “go down”, sending a shower of sparks behind the car. F1 introduced the dash in an attempt to reduce bottom aerodynamics and prevent the car from bottoming out on the straights and thus keeping the ride height within safe limits.
The further the car is pushed towards the ground, the more downforce is created, the more sparks are created, usually in fast corners, straights and elevation changes.
The 1980s and 1990s were the times when cars generated the most sparks because that was when these titanium brake pads were first used. However, the sparks returned in 2015 when titanium became mandatory, bringing back one of Formula 1’s most recognizable elements.
Sparks and F1: History
Sparks became an F1 series in the late 1980s as teams began to innovate more and more in aerodynamics, running their cars as close to the ground as possible to maximize downforce. The sparks were especially visible at the beginning of the race, when the cars were full of fuel. Also, the trails were bumpier back then, so there were almost always sparks.
This is why in the late 1980s and 1990s the light show created by the sparks became commonplace, creating some of F1’s most iconic moments, such as the battle between Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna at the 1991 Spanish GP. Mansell once said that he deliberately seeks bursts of speed to ignite sparks in his car and distract the drivers behind him.
If the bridge was worn more than 1 mm, the driver was disqualified from the race due to lowering the car.
It happened to Michael Schumacher at the 1994 Belgian GP, who was disqualified for driving too low after winning. The same thing happened to Jarno Trulli at the 2001 US GP, but his team successfully appealed the result.
In the 21st century, the sparks decreased significantly. Until 2015, Kevlar sliders were used to secure the board until the FIA mandated that it be titanium for safety and for more spark and more performance.
Before 2015, teams started using strong metals to strategically place on the axle so they could lower the cars so that they hit the bottom when they landed on the metal instead of the axle. The downside to this is that it was a safety hazard as the metal pieces could shatter and cause a puncture.
So the FIA decided to change them to titanium, as it is not only lighter and safer, but also wears out much faster, so that the teams do not take such a big risk by lowering the cars and still have plenty of spark.
Why is titanium used as brake pads in Formula 1 cars?
It is safer:
When titanium wears, it runs much smoother than tungsten. This means it won’t break into pieces, making it much safer to use than tungsten. As mentioned above, these tungsten pieces can pose a danger to drivers, especially at the high speeds of Formula 1 cars, so upgrading to titanium eliminates this risk.
Use faster:
Titanium wears much faster than tungsten. As a result, teams have to be careful about the speed of their cars, as the titanium will not last the whole race. Therefore, the protection is not always there, which means that the plank can wear below the legal limit if teams are not careful.
Produces more sparks:
A lot of F1 is about performance. Whether it’s life or TV, it should be fun and hilarious. The sparks flying from the back of the car are part of it and it can look amazing, especially at night races like Bahrain, UAE and Singapore.
