In terms of materials and built quality F1 cars are way more advanced than road cars as the materials used are made to sustain maximum wear and tear. All the cars on the grid now use carbon fibre composite brake discs which save weight and are able to operate at higher temperatures than steel discs. A typical Formula 1 brake disc weighs about 1.5 kg. These are gripped by special compound brake pads and are capable of running at vast temperatures - anything up to 1,200 degrees Celsius. As such, a huge amount of effort is put into developing brake ducts which not only provide sufficient cooling but which are also aerodynamically efficient. Both the brake pad and the discs are made from carbon fiber. This type of configuration has a optimal working range which is much higher than normal road car brakes which are cast iron discs and the pads are something organic.

Carbon carbon brake setup when at an optimal operating range has a friction coefficient of 0.6 which is double that of road cars. Carbon carbon brakes possess poor efficiency when the temps are below 400°C, hence the need to warm them up to the operating window. You'll often see drivers speed up and brake hard in order to get them up to and maintain the operating window, especially during the out lap, formation lap and when behind the safety car. If not used continually, they cool down and lose temperature which results in lower efficiency. If not operated at the optimal temperature window, these brakes ‘glaze’, meaning the disc surface becomes smooth and greatly decreases the friction coefficient and renders braking completely useless, where often times are gained.

Speaking of efficiency, Formula 1 brakes are remarkably efficient. In combination with the modern advanced tyre compounds they have dramatically reduced braking distances. It takes a Formula 1 car considerably less distance to stop from 160 km/h than a road car uses to stop from 100 km/h. So good are the brakes that the regulations deliberately discourage development through restrictions on materials or design, to prevent even shorter braking distances rendering overtaking all but impossible.

In terms of materials and built quality F1 cars are way more advanced than road cars as the materials used are made to sustain maximum wear and tear. All the cars on the grid now use carbon fibre composite brake discs which save weight and are able to operate at higher temperatures than steel discs. A typical Formula 1 brake disc weighs about 1.5 kg. These are gripped by special compound brake pads and are capable of running at vast temperatures - anything up to 1,200 degrees Celsius. As such, a huge amount of effort is put into developing brake ducts which not only provide sufficient cooling but which are also aerodynamically efficient. Both the brake pad and the discs are made from carbon fiber. This type of configuration has a optimal working range which is much higher than normal road car brakes which are cast iron discs and the pads are something organic.

Carbon carbon brake setup when at an optimal operating range has a friction coefficient of 0.6 which is double that of road cars. Carbon carbon brakes possess poor efficiency when the temps are below 400°C, hence the need to warm them up to the operating window. You'll often see drivers speed up and brake hard in order to get them up to and maintain the operating window, especially during the out lap, formation lap and when behind the safety car. If not used continually, they cool down and lose temperature which results in lower efficiency. If not operated at the optimal temperature window, these brakes ‘glaze’, meaning the disc surface becomes smooth and greatly decreases the friction coefficient and renders braking completely useless, where often times are gained.

Speaking of efficiency, Formula 1 brakes are remarkably efficient. In combination with the modern advanced tyre compounds they have dramatically reduced braking distances. It takes a Formula 1 car considerably less distance to stop from 160 km/h than a road car uses to stop from 100 km/h. So good are the brakes that the regulations deliberately discourage development through restrictions on materials or design, to prevent even shorter braking distances rendering overtaking all but impossible.