Why Formula 1 Cars Don’t Reverse

Most road cars have a reverse gear. It helps humans to successfully navigate traffic. Just like the everyday cars,  Formula one cars have the ability to reverse. A Formula 1 racing car can reverse. All Formula 1 cars have a reverse gear to comply with regulations implemented in 2014.  According to these stipulations, all Formula 1 cars should have 8 forward gears and 1 reverse gear; however, it’s hardly used by drivers except during incidents like the one that occurred at the Italian Grand Prix where Hamilton attempted to reverse after a crash with Max Verstappen last season. 

Here are the reasons F1 cars don’t reverse :

• The steering wheel is designed to control all the gears via paddle shifters. It is designed so that the driver cannot accidentally engage the reverse gear during a race. The car needs to be brought to a total stop first, put into neutral, and only then by down paddling can the reverse gear be used. This is time-consuming.
• Formula 1 cars are designed with the fastest forward movement in mind. Due to it being a regulation and a function barely used, the reverse gear is designed as small and light as possible. The gear is a very weak alternative to use than just spinning yourself out of trouble via a donut or 180-degree turn.
• The risk of stalling the car. Drivers are very wary of engaging the reverse gear due to the actual process enhancing the risk of stalling their car.  Having to put it in reverse means your car is standing still, and at some point, needs to be launched forward again. Drivers fear the relaunch action, and stalling often occurs due to a driver’s error or mechanical failure.
• Regulations prohibit using the reverse gear. Formula 1 safety regulations prohibit using the reverse gear on the track and during a pit stop. The only time reversing is allowed is when a driver has spun off the track, was involved in an accident, and is in a position (off track, against a barricade, side road) that they are stuck in and cannot get out of by spinning the car around.
• Harsh penalties are dished out if you reverse in a situation where it is not allowed. Ferrari driver Nigel Mansell once drove past his pit bay during a pit stop, and instead of waiting for his pit crew to push him into the bay, he proceeded to reverse his car in himself. Needless to say, he was shown a black flag and was disqualified from the race.
• Not designed with rearview mirrors. A Formula 1 car only has side mirrors that assist with driving forward and are useless when driving backward. This means that a driver, when reversing, is doing so blindly and dangerously. Hence the restriction on when a driver is allowed to reverse.
• The race stewards normally help to push the car back into a position to drive forward. If the driver finds himself stuck off track and can’t get out of the tight spot themselves, the stewards would normally push the car backward until the driver can move forward and rejoin the race.