What Is Ride Height in F1?

Ride height is the distance between the lowest point of the Formula 1 car’s floor and the surface of the track. Teams want to run cars as close to the ground as possible because lower ride height improves the efficiency of ground effect aerodynamics — getting air moving faster under the car generates more downforce. However, if the car runs too low, it risks bottoming out on bumps, which damages the floor and disrupts the aerodynamics. Finding the optimal ride height is a delicate balancing act for engineers.

Example: They’ve raised the ride height slightly after the floor damage — it’ll cost some downforce but protect the car.