F1 Glossary

Term	Description
Safety Car	In the event of an accident or blockage on the race circuit the safety car will be deployed in front of the lead car to slow down and control the cars still on track until it is safe to proceed.
Scrutineering	All cars must undergo scrutineering at every Grand Prix. Scrutineering is the process that determines that the cars are safe to race and also adhere to the strict technical rules of Formula One.
Scuderia Ferrari	Scuderia is the Italian word used by Ferrari to describe a racing team.
Shake Down	Teams complete these ‘shakedown’ runs to make sure all the components on the car are ready and working to their full potential.
Shell F1 Fuels	Ferrari’s technical partner for fuels and oils. The two first worked together in the 1930’s and Ferrari’s first ever Formula One win was powered by Shell in 1951. After a brief period apart, Ferrari and Shell re-signed their partnership in 1996.
Sidepods	The sidepods on modern Formula One car are very complex as they house the radiators and also play an integral part in the aerodynamics of the car. They are the large air scoops on the side of each car.
Slick Tyre	In recent seasons the Formula One cars have been using ‘grooved’ tyres, however for most of the modern era of Formula One the slick tyre was used for optimum grip in dry conditions. A slick is made using very soft rubber and has no tread on its surface to promote maximum possible grip.
Slipstreaming	Every car creates a hole in the air, this hole gets longer the faster the car is travelling. Any car that travels in this hole will benefit from reduced air resistance and will therefore be able to travel faster using less engine power. A skilled Formula One driver can use this hole to ‘slipstream’ to set up an overtaking manoeuvre at the end of a straight.
Spectrometry	The X-ray method used by Shell to analyse the quantity and type of wear metal present in Ferrari gearbox and engine oil samples. Using a database of information built up since 1996, this enables Shell to inform Ferrari as to the condition of the engine or gearbox.
Splash and Dash	With the return of pit stops teams need to be accurate with fuel measurement and economy is very important. In the event of a miscalculation a car may need to stop near the end of a race for a small amount of fuel, this is known as a ‘splash and dash’. Literally splashing a drop of fuel in the tank before dashing off to finish the race.
Stop and go penalty	During a race, if a driver breaks any rules he can be called in for a stop and go penalty. He must come in to the pit lane and stop for 10 seconds before rejoining the race. A penalty can be given for speeding in the pit lane and jumping the start amongst other reasons.
Survival cell	Safety is paramount in Formula One, one feature of a modern Formula One car is the survival cell. Every component attached to the cell is designed to break off an absorb some of the energy of the accident. However, the survival cell is designed to cocoon the driver and prevent serious injury by never breaking up.
Suspension	The purpose of suspension is to ride over imperfections on the race circuit to provide the best possible grip and traction, as well as cushion the driver from the bumps which can become very pronounced at top speed.