All you want to know about F1 mid-season break

Here's why the Formula One fraternity takes its mid-season break

All you want to know about F1 mid-season break

Here's why the Formula One fraternity takes its mid-season break

The Formula One fraternity is enjoying a well-deserved break -- having participated in 11 races this season, visiting 10 countries, five of those outside Europe. Add to that the pandemonium that involves flying time, and being reminded of varying time zones.

The Red Bull Racing engineers at work in the paddock during the
British GP recently. PIC/Getty Images

Not to forget the time spent in practice, qualifying and in the race, on each of those 11 race weekends. The drivers have clocked approximately 77 hours of on-track time. Even media persons covering Formula 1 have bustling schedules. It requires them to take those short or long flights to get to each of those 11 race weekends. They have to run around the 24 manic F1 drivers pre and post race for their interviews / bytes and then filing news stories for every small or big incident happening on the F1 circuit.

The F1 team personnel have probably been through more than the drivers. They have a lot on their table. Will the cars and other equipment reach the GP venue on time? Will the cars be ready on time? Sponsor, hospitality and guest relations at almost every GP weekend, followed by performance reviews in the numerous team meetings and the flights they need to board every fifth day to either get back to their respective offices or get to the next GP venue; life in the fast lane is certainly hectic.

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel is current leading the F1 drivers'
championship with 234 points

Finally, even the F1 fan deserve a breather, having witnessed epic domination by Sebastian Vettel-Red Bull Racing in the first half of the season, only to see Ferrari and McLaren fight back in the latter half of the mid-season. They have seen 24 drivers fight on track for a total of 14,560 laps. They have witnessed 698 pit stops and still aren't bored!

Come August every year and F1 enters its customary mid-season break. The break started when the chequered flag dropped at the 2011 Hungarian GP last month and will end on 26th August when the circus resumes work for the 2011 Belgian GP.

Teams have to choose a 14-day shutdown from the three weeks available. While some chose to shut down immediately post the Hungarian GP, other teams chose to do so the week after. The shut down means that there is no work allowed to be undertaken on the race cars, only maintenance of service machinery is allowed in the factories.

Why a mid-season break is needed?
>>u00a0To give the jet lagging F1 team personnel and drivers a mid-season break to allow them to catch up time with their families.

>>u00a0To save team's operating costs by issuing a compulsory shut-down for all F1 factories, which otherwise operate on a near 365 days into 24 X 7 days schedule.

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