Retirement in Formula 1 means a driver has stopped racing and withdrawn from the race before it is finished. A retired car is brought back to the garage or left in a gravel trap or barrier. Common causes include mechanical failure such as an engine or gearbox problem, a collision, a tyre failure, or an accident. A driver who retires is recorded as a DNF — Did Not Finish — in the race results and scores no points. Reliability has always been a crucial factor in championship battles.
Example: He’s pulled the car over at the side of the track — it looks like a retirement with what appears to be a hydraulics failure.
Retirement does not always mean the driver chose to stop. Most retirements are forced upon the driver by a mechanical failure or damage that makes continuing either impossible or unsafe.
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