F1 Explains: lap count calculations, team size differences + the purpose of practice - with Laura Winter + Alex Brundle

Christian Hewgill (0:08)

Hello everybody, welcome to F1 Explains. This is the official Formula 1 podcast that exists to answer your questions on the sport we all love. My name is Christian Hewgill, this is one of our quick fire episodes. Here's how it works, you've been emailing in your numbers to f1explains at f1.com. We mop up all the questions that don't necessarily make a whole episode, but we feel that we should answer because we're good public service broadcasters. We like to be able to answer your questions. It would be a shame if we didn't on this podcast. And we put them all into a quick fire episode where I'm alongside usually to, not always, but usually to F1 experts. Let me introduce you to my experts today. Alongside me is the regular F1TV pundit and two time Le Mans podium finisher, Mr. Alex Brundle. Alex, welcome to F1 Explains.

Alex Brundle (0:54)

Thank you very much. It's good to be here. It would be rude to refuse to explain, wouldn't it?

Christian Hewgill (0:59)

On F1 Explains, especially.

Alex Brundle (1:00)

On F1 Explains, I mean, yeah, it would make, render the whole podcast moot, realistically.

Christian Hewgill (1:05)

It really helps us.

Alex Brundle (1:06)

I think, yeah, I think it's a good base to start from, for a podcast like this.

Christian Hewgill (1:11)

Yeah, you're very welcome, especially if you're willing to explain. We like that. And also alongside us, F1TV lead presenter, Laura Winter. Laura, it's the first appearance of the season for you. And since you were last on F1 Explains, quite a big thing has happened in your life.

Laura Winter (1:26)

Oh, it has. When I was last on F1 Explains, that was Austin last year, no? Yes, I think you're right. I was pregnant.

Christian Hewgill (1:32)

And now you're no longer pregnant.

Laura Winter (1:33)

I'm no longer pregnant because I've had my baby. Yay!

We can explain that that's what does happen when one gets pregnant. They have the baby.

Alex Brundle (1:40)

Explain a one for you there.

Laura Winter (1:41)

Yeah, I have a wonderful, gosh, five month old now called Alfie, who is the biggest joy and greatest sleep thief.

And it is, yeah, an absolute joy. I absolutely love it. It's been amazing to come back to work, but also continue being his mom to balance it all up and for F1 to allow him to come to some races so I can carry on feeding and being his mom and looking after him and being with my family. It's been the biggest joy and the hardest juggle, but so worth it.

Christian Hewgill (2:09)

And you say F1 have allowed him to come to some races. Does he have to like scan in through the gates and everything with a little paddock pass?

Laura Winter (2:14)

I wish he had a paddock pass. I'm campaigning for one. He doesn't yet have one because he's such a VIP. He just is swung through. He actually is in his little pram. The gates just open for him.

He doesn't even go through the turn, stars. But yeah, let's get Alfie a paddock pass.

Christian Hewgill (2:30)

He doesn't know how lucky he is.

Laura Winter (2:31)

He really doesn't. He's been to Canada, Monaco and Silverstone. And he's coming out to a few more as well. He does not know.

Christian Hewgill (2:39)

He's been to more Grand Prix's at five months than I've been to at the age of about 19 So yes, he's done very, very well. Oh, well, it's lovely to have you back in the paddock, Laura. Absolutely lovely. Let's crack on with some questions then. As I say, the email address, f1explains.f1.com. Do keep them coming in. We're here to the end of the season.

We've got a voice note to start with. How lovely.

SPEAKER_4 (2:57)

Hello, Christian Hewgill and F1 Explains listeners. I'm currently watching the F1 Barcelona race, and I'm just a little bit curious because I noticed that this particular race has 66 laps, whilst other races seem to have 70 something. I think Monaco or something else had about 50

What factors go into deciding how many laps at a circuit are going to take place? And is there anything else we kind of need to know that goes into determining how this is decided?

Christian Hewgill (3:31)

Thank you, Carly. And also a hello to Adam in Scotland, who has also asked the same question. Who would like to kick us off, Alex, Laura, with answering this lovely question from Carly and Adam?

Laura Winter (3:41)

I can kick things off, and I'm sure our resident actual expert, I call him the greatest, biggest nerd I know, and that's the ultimate compliment I can pay a pundit. So the Grand Prix distance is 305 kilometers or 190 miles. So effectively, the number of laps is whatever gets us to that distance depending on the lap lengths of said circuit.