Parade lap
Encyclopedia
A parade lap, also known as a formation lap or warm-up lap, is a lap
before a motorsport
race begins, in which the drivers go around the track at a slow speed (usually between 50 and 120 km/h), and, in some cases, behind the safety car
. The lap is to ensure that track conditions are safe, and that there are no dangerous problems with the cars (including the safety car) or the circuit. The parade lap either leads to a rolling start
, or back to the grid. Short circuits (such as the Brands Hatch Indy circuit
layout, often have two of these laps. Overtaking is usually pemitted on these laps in motorcycle racing, but not in car racing.
In Formula One
, the official title is formation lap. Any car which fails to leave the grid before the last qualifier has moved away is required to start from either the pit lane or the back of the grid, but in MotoGP
and the Superbike World Championship
, it is known as the warm-up lap.
The lap allows the cars to warm up their tyres, which is crucial in order to be competitive during the race. Drivers will often attempt to warm up the tyres more quickly during the lap, by steering slowly from side to side. In NASCAR, the parade lap is referenced as a pace lap, and safety car speed is the same as the pit lane speed limit.
Dramas are not unknown on these laps however. At the 1999 Indianapolis 500
, a collision on the formation lap eliminated three cars. At the 1996 French Grand Prix
the Ferrari
of pole position
qualifier Michael Schumacher
stopped with an engine fault. At the 1991 San Marino Grand Prix
Alain Prost
and Gerhard Berger
both went off the track in wet conditions; Berger rejoined and retook his grid position, but Prost stalled and was immediately out of the race. At the 2009 Valencian MotoGP
, Ducati
rider Casey Stoner
crashed at the second turn of the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, and missed the race.
Lap
A lap is a surface created between the knee and hips of a bipedal being when it is in a seated or lying down position.-Consumer products for laps:...
before a motorsport
Motorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
race begins, in which the drivers go around the track at a slow speed (usually between 50 and 120 km/h), and, in some cases, behind the safety car
Safety car
In motorsport, a safety car or pace car is a car which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of a caution period such as an obstruction on the track. During a caution period the safety car enters the track ahead of the leader...
. The lap is to ensure that track conditions are safe, and that there are no dangerous problems with the cars (including the safety car) or the circuit. The parade lap either leads to a rolling start
Rolling start
A rolling start is one of two modes of initiating or restarting an auto race; the other mode is the standing start. In a rolling start, the cars are ordered on the track and are led on a certain number of laps at a pre-determined safe speed by the safety car or pace car...
, or back to the grid. Short circuits (such as the Brands Hatch Indy circuit
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
layout, often have two of these laps. Overtaking is usually pemitted on these laps in motorcycle racing, but not in car racing.
In Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
, the official title is formation lap. Any car which fails to leave the grid before the last qualifier has moved away is required to start from either the pit lane or the back of the grid, but in MotoGP
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
and the Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
, it is known as the warm-up lap.
The lap allows the cars to warm up their tyres, which is crucial in order to be competitive during the race. Drivers will often attempt to warm up the tyres more quickly during the lap, by steering slowly from side to side. In NASCAR, the parade lap is referenced as a pace lap, and safety car speed is the same as the pit lane speed limit.
Dramas are not unknown on these laps however. At the 1999 Indianapolis 500
1999 Indianapolis 500
The 1999 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1999.-Recap:Robby Gordon and Team Menard take a major gamble late in the race, and try to stretch their fuel for the win. Gordon had last pit on lap 164, and attempted to run the final 36 laps on one tank...
, a collision on the formation lap eliminated three cars. At the 1996 French Grand Prix
1996 French Grand Prix
The 1996 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race, held at Magny-Cours on June 30, 1996.-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :*Fastest Lap: Jacques Villeneuve 1:18.610*The engine of polesitter Schumacher's Ferrari failed on the formation lap...
the Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
of pole position
Pole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
qualifier Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...
stopped with an engine fault. At the 1991 San Marino Grand Prix
1991 San Marino Grand Prix
The 1991 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Imola on 28 April 1991.- Background :Stefan Johansson was replaced at AGS by F1 debutant Fabrizio Barbazza...
Alain Prost
Alain Prost
Alain Marie Pascal Prost, OBE, Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur is a French racing driver. A four-time Formula One Drivers' Champion, Prost has won more titles than any driver except for Juan Manuel Fangio , and Michael Schumacher . From 1987 until 2001 Prost held the record for most Grand Prix...
and Gerhard Berger
Gerhard Berger
Gerhard Berger, is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver, who previously owned 50% of the Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula One team until he sold his share back to energy drink owner Dietrich Mateschitz in November 2008....
both went off the track in wet conditions; Berger rejoined and retook his grid position, but Prost stalled and was immediately out of the race. At the 2009 Valencian MotoGP
2009 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix
The 2009 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix was the last round of the 2009 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of November 6–8, 2009 at the Circuit de Valencia. It was the final race of the 250cc class, as Moto2 will replace it from 2010 onwards...
, Ducati
Ducati Corse
Ducati Corse S.r.l. is a subsidiary arm of Ducati that deals with the firm's involvement in motorcycle racing. It is directed by Claudio Domenicali and is based inside Bologna, in quartiere Borgo Panigale. More than one hundred people work in Ducati Corse...
rider Casey Stoner
Casey Stoner
Casey Stoner is an Australian professional motorcycle racer. Born in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia and raised in Southport, Queensland, Stoner raced from a young age and moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a racing career...
crashed at the second turn of the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, and missed the race.