What Is the Floor in an F1 Car?

The floor is the flat underside of a Formula 1 car, spanning from beneath the driver’s feet to the rear diffuser. Despite looking simple, the floor is one of the most aerodynamically critical components on the car. It works with the diffuser and, in modern F1, the Venturi tunnels to generate a significant proportion of the car’s total downforce. The floor creates a low-pressure zone beneath the car that sucks it towards the track. Even small changes to the floor design can dramatically affect lap time.

Example: A piece of debris has damaged the floor on lap three — they’ll need to assess whether it’s cost them any significant downforce.