Page 1 of Overdrive (Speed Demons #1)

Apex – The inside point of a corner where the car should ideally pass for the fastest line.

Backfield – The lower half of the grid. Not where you want to be, but where some epic underdog moments happen.

Backmarker – A driver at the very back, often getting lapped by the leaders. Think of them as background characters in the main battle.

Balaclava – A fireproof head covering worn under the helmet. Because safety first, slay second.

Box, box – The team’s way of telling the driver to pit. Basically, “Come in NOW.”

Chicane – A quick left-right or right-left turn sequence. Think of it as an F1 zigzag .

Clean air – The opposite of dirty air—when a car is leading and gets perfect airflow, making it easier to drive fast.

Constructor’s Championship – The season-long battle between F1 teams (not just drivers). The teams want this just as badly as the drivers want their title.

Cool-down – The lap after the race where drivers bring the car back to the pits, wind down their adrenaline, and try not to crash while emotionally spiraling. Technically it's about cooling the car. Emotionally? Debatable.

Dirty air – The turbulent air behind a car that makes it harder for the car behind to drive smoothly. A sabotage move, unintentionally.

Divebomb – When a driver yeets themselves into a corner at the last second to overtake. Big risk, big reward… or big regret.

DNF (Did Not Finish) – When a driver doesn’t finish the race, either due to a crash, car failure, or team drama. The worst nightmare.

Duel – When two drivers battle for position. Can be friendly, but we prefer it when it’s full of drama and tension.

Drivers’ Championship – The ultimate prize. The driver with the most points at the end of the season takes the crown. Literal legend status.

DRS (Drag Reduction System) – A button that lets drivers open a flap in their rear wing to go faster, but only in certain areas. Basically turbo mode.

Engineer – The genius talking to the driver over the radio, guiding them through the race. Sometimes helpful, sometimes triggering.

FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) – The F1 referees . They make the rules and (sometimes frustrating) decisions.

Formation lap – A slow lap before the race starts where drivers warm up their tires and mentally prepare for chaos.

Formula 1/F1 – The top tier of motorsport. The pinnacle of speed, drama, and world travel.

Formula 2/F2 – The junior series just below F1. Where future stars ( like Aurélie! ) prove themselves.

Free Practice Session – The test sessions before qualifying and the race, where teams fine-tune the car. There are three practice sessions before Qualifying: FP1, FP2, and FP3.

Full Wets – Tires for heavy rain. If these are on, expect madness.

Grand Prix – The main event ! The full-length F1 race that determines the winner.

Grid – The starting lineup for the race. Where all the pre-race tension simmers before the chaos begins.

Intermediates (Inters) – Tires for light rain. A mix of grip and gamble.

KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) – A system that stores energy from braking and reuses it for extra speed. F1’s version of an energy drink.

Lap traffic – Slower cars getting lapped by the leaders. Sometimes polite, sometimes a nightmare.

Livery – The design and colors of an F1 car. The fashion statement of the grid.

Lights out and away we go! – The iconic phrase the commentators yell when the race begins. Chills every time.

Lock up – When a driver brakes too hard and the tires stop rotating, causing a slidey situation.

Midfield – The middle of the pack in a race. Not leading, not last, but fighting hard for points.

Motorhome – The team’s luxury portable HQ where drivers eat, relax, and throw shade before and after races.

Out lap – The first lap a driver does after leaving the pits, before setting a flying lap. Basically a warm-up lap.

Overcut – Staying out longer and hoping the fresher tires pay off later. A gamble, but sometimes genius.

Oversteer – When the car turns too much , making it spin or slide.

Overtake – When a driver passes another on track. Bonus points if it’s dramatic and aggressive.

Pace – How fast a car can go. Saying a driver has “good pace” means they’re flying .

Paddock – The VIP area where teams, media, and hot drivers hang out. The heart of the F1 world.

Parc Fermé – The area where cars go after qualifying/race finishes. No one can touch them (except FIA officials) to make sure no funny business happened.

Penalty – A punishment for breaking rules. Can be time penalties , grid penalties , or drive-through penalties .

Pit lane – The lane next to the track where cars stop for tire changes, adjustments, and strategy calls.

Pit stop – When a driver dives into the pit lane for a tire change, a wing adjustment, or a strategy tweak. Blink and you’ll miss it—it’s that fast.

Pit wall – The area where the team sits and monitors everything during the race. Think mission control, but for speed demons.

Pole position – P1, baby! The driver who qualifies fastest starts at the very front of the grid.

Post-race cooldown room – Where the top three drivers sit, sweat, and talk shit before the podium.

Protest – When a team complains to the FIA about another team’s rule-breaking. It’s petty, it’s political, and we LIVE for it.

Push – When the team tells the driver to give it everything and go full speed. No holding back.

Qualifying – Where drivers compete for their starting position on the grid. The fastest lap gets pole!

Race Day – The moment . The drama . The speed . Sunday’s the day we live for.

Radio message – The conversations between drivers and their teams during the race. Some iconic, some unhinged, all entertaining.

Safety Car – A physical car that leads the pack when there’s an accident or dangerous conditions.

Slipstream – The aerodynamic boost a driver gets by tucking in behind another car.

Sprint Race – A shorter race before the Grand Prix that offers extra points and sets part of the grid. F1’s version of a teaser trailer.

Spray the champagne – A tradition where drivers pop their champagne and absolutely drench each other. A moment of pure unhinged joy.

Stop-go penalty – The worst penalty. Driver has to come into the pits, stop for 10 seconds, then go again. It’s giving pain and suffering.

Switchback – The art of the perfect comeback in racing.

When a driver fakes an overtake on the outside of a corner, forcing their opponent to defend, only to cut back to the inside and slingshot past them.

It’s smooth, it’s ruthless, and it’s Callum Fraser’s signature move—until Aurélie masters it herself.

Team orders – When the team tells a driver to let their teammate pass or to not fight them. Cue major side-eye from fans and drivers alike.

Telemetry – The car’s data system that tracks everything—speed, tire wear, fuel levels, even how much a driver is braking.

Tifosi – The passionate (and sometimes chaotic) Ferrari fans.

Track limits – The invisible boundary drivers love to push. Go too far, and the FIA says “nah, that lap doesn’t count.”

Tyre/tire degradation – How quickly tires wear down during a race. Managing tire wear is an art .

Undercut – Pitting before a competitor to get fresh tires and gain an advantage. Like playing chess at 200 mph.

Undertake – Overtaking on the inside of a turn instead of the outside.

Virtual Safety Car (VSC) – Slows all cars to the same speed without a real car on track.

Wet race – When it rains and chaos takes over.

Now you’re ready to watch, scream, and fangirl over F1 like a pro. And if you suddenly start referring to random things in life as midfield or lights out and away we go , just know—you’re officially one of us.