The top acronyms for any Williams Racing fan

Formula 1 is full of acronyms. Even the name of the championship is reduced down to just ‘F1’!

There can be so many terms to learn, it can be pretty daunting at times, especially if you are a newer fan to our fast-paced world.

To combat this, we’re giving you the inside line to help you catch up with the rest of the field.

C1/2/3/4/5 - Pirelli have five different compounds of slick tyres, bringing three from the range to each race weekend. Track surfaces, temperature and historical data will determine which three from the range Pirelli will bring to a race weekend. The hardest compounds (C1, C2) last longer but aren’t as quick, whilst those in the softer end of the spectrum (C4, C5) don’t last anywhere near as long, but will offer more grip over one lap.

CAD - Computer-aided design, which are the systems that are used to design Formula 1 machinery.

CFD - Computational fluid dynamics. Designers use this to simulate how the airflow around a Formula 1 car, giving them a better understanding of its aerodynamic performance.

DNF - Did not finish. These are the three letters that no F1 driver wants to see after a race. See also: DNS (Did not start)

DRS - Drag Reduction System, or DRS, is an adjustable rear wing that can ‘open’ to allow for a higher top speed in predetermined sections of the track. The driver can use their DRS throughout practice and qualifying, but come race day they must be within one second of the car in front to operate it.

ECU - The Electronic Control Unit is a unit that controls all the electrical systems within an F1 car, such as the gearbox and power unit.

ERS - Energy Recovery Systems, or ERS, is a clever piece of technology that harnesses the wasted kinetic energy from the brakes plus the wasted heat energy from the turbocharger to provide added power. An MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic) and MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit - Heat) are found on all Formula 1 cars and are both ERS.

FIA - The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is the governing body of Formula 1, as well as a wide range of international racing competitions.

FP1/2/3 - On a non-Sprint weekend, teams get three one-hour Practice sessions to refine their machines for the weekend ahead. Officially the ‘F’ in FP1 is no longer used, as the idea of ‘Free Practice’ does not exist as there are still restrictions placed on the teams. However, ‘P1/P2/P3’ can also be used for finishing positions, so the ‘F’ is still used by many.

HANS - Short for Head and Neck Support, it is a device that rests on a driver's shoulders and is clipped onto their helmet, to help prevent sudden movements in the head and neck during an impact. They were made compulsory in Formula 1 before the 2003 season.

HITM - History in the Making. This is the mantra that Williams Racing are living by. History Made, History in the Making. We’re on a journey to get back to the front. This message is also celebrated in our exclusive Williams Racing Collectibles+ collection with Kraken. More here.

MGU-H - Motor Generator Unit - Heat, click here for more.

MGU-K - Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic, click here for more.

PWP - Pit Wall Predictions, presented by Gulf, is a free-to-play strategy game by Williams Racing. Each race week, you’re tasked with correctly calling the outcomes to eight Grand Prix events. Climb our leaderboard and earn badges during a season, play now.

Q1/2/3 - This refers to the different stages of Qualifying. Q1 sees all 20 drivers compete over 18 minutes, with the bottom five knocked out. Q2 lasts for 15 minutes with the bottom five of the remaining 15 knocked out. Q3 lasts just 12 minutes and sets the starting order for the top 10 in the race.

R&D - Research and Development, an activity that is undertaken by all Formula 1 teams as they constantly look to improve their cars for the current season and future years.

SC - Safety Car is a vehicle that is brought out to bunch up and control the pace of all the cars when an incident on track requires the race to be neutralised and cars to be slowed.

TVV - The Vowles Verdict, presented by Kraken, is a video series that drops after every Grand Prix with Team Principal James Vowles answering your questions.

TWWU - The Williams Warm-Up is the ultimate preview show for the forthcoming race weekend, exclusively on WilliamsF1.com and the app.

VSC - Virtual Safety Car limits all cars to a specific time delta relative to the track they are at, neutralising the race when there is an on-track incident that doesn’t require the full intervention of a Safety Car.