The braking power of a modern Formula One car is impressive. The vehicle needs a braking distance of only 55 metres to decelerate from 200 km/h to a complete standstill. Drivers experience forces of up to 5g during extreme braking manoeuvres. The carbon brake discs and brake pads require operating temperatures between 550°C and 650°C. They heat up to over 1,000°C. In other words, decelerating the BMW Sauber F1.08 is really hot stuff… F1 brakes have undergone lightning fast development. Originally brake discs were made of steel but, in 1982, a lighter carbon fibre composite material was introduced to the pinnacle of motor racing. Thanks to better frictional characteristics, this material has permitted shorter braking distances. However, manufacturing the high-tech brake discs is very costly and time consuming. They are hardened in the autoclave at over 2,000°C for several weeks so they can withstand the extreme loads in a race when temperatures reach 1,000°C.
