Grip in an F1 car comes as much from the air flowing over and under it as from the tyres. A grasp of downforce explains why the cars look the way they do, and why following closely is so hard.
Downforce, not lift
Aircraft wings lift; an F1 car’s wings do the opposite, pushing the car into the road. This downforce lets the tyres grip far harder than weight alone allows, so the car can corner at speeds that feel impossible. At full load a car generates several times its own weight in downforce.
Wings and ground effect
The front and rear wings shape the airflow, but most grip now comes from the floor. Carefully sculpted tunnels under the car accelerate air to create suction, an effect called ground effect. It is powerful and efficient, which is why the modern rules lean on it.
The trade-off
More downforce also means more drag, which slows the car on the straights. Teams trim wing for fast circuits like Monza and pile it on for twisty ones like Monaco. Finding the right balance for each track is half the engineering battle.
Downforce is why following closely is hard. A car’s wake is turbulent, so the chasing car loses grip in corners. The 2022 rules reshaped the floor specifically to make cars race better in close company.