Every Formula 1 car race is run with cars that are very high performance and have certain standards set down for them by the FIA, or the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile. The FIA sets many rules for every Formula 1 car racing team. There are several reasons for these rules. First and foremost is the need for safety measures. Also, while some margin of flexibility is given to the team constructors to optimize the car for performance, there is also a need for some uniformity in the performance and design of every car, from every team.

The Formula 1 cars have a single seat and an open cockpit. The sports auto chassis is made largely from a carbon fiber composite, which allows for strength and stiffness, while still remaining light. The regulations and car guides set down by the FIA state that the combination of car and driver cannot exceed 600 kg. This includes the engine and any fluids added to it, such as fuel and water.

All of the Formula 1 car race vehicles have one thing in common. They are all close to aerodynamic perfection. Rollovers are prevented by the addition of spoilers, or “wings,” which are added strategically to the body of the car. These spoilers force the air passing over the car to push the car towards the roadway and provide stabilization. Recently, car racing teams have been gradually adding additional small wings to the body to further improve the cars performance both on the straightaway and in the curves. Because the car is very light, there is a great chance for it to lift up if air gets under it. For this reason, all of the cars have bodies or frames that sit very near to the ground.

All racing teams have guidelines that they must follow when putting tires on their car for a Formula 1 car race. The tires are manufactured specifically for the Formula 1 racing circuit. Before 1998, a team was required to use what is called a slick tire, which had no tread at all. In 1998, the FIA banned slick tires and made the teams switch to a grooved tire. These grooved tires have four grooves and were made specifically for the purpose of limiting the turning speeds of the cars. However, this will change again in the 2009 racing season, as slick tires will once again be legal in the Formula 1 car racing sports circuit.