F1 intervals explained: What does interval mean in Formula 1?

Have you ever wondered what F1 intervals mean? The timing screen in Formula 1 shows tons of important information but you have to know how to read it.

Formula 1 races are complex events with all sorts of data to keep track of.

Who is in what position? How fast are they going? How many laps have they done? How many pit stops have they made? And on and on.

That’s why the infographics that appear on every F1 broadcast are so important, but they also include terms that aren’t always familiar.

F1 intervals explained: What does interval mean in Formula 1?

On the timing screen during an F1 broadcast, fans may see the word “interval” at the top of the chart. That refers to the times displayed next to the name of each driver in their order on the track.

Interval means the difference in time between one driver to the next.

For example, if Max Verstappen is in the lead and Charles Leclerc is in second with +0.656 next to his name, then the Ferrari is 0.656 seconds behind the Red Bull.

Meanwhile, in this example, Lewis Hamilton finds himself behind Leclerc. The number next to the Mercedes driver on the graphic, let’s say 1.738, represents how far behind Leclerc he is. And the number next to the driver behind Hamilton is a reference to their distance to Hamilton.

Sometimes, the graphic will show times that aren’t intervals though. If you see the word “Leader” then the times are referencing how far each driver is from the first place driver.

So if Verstappen is in first, Leclerc’s listed time would remain +0.656 seconds but Hamilton’s time would say +2.394, which is his distance to Verstappen, not Leclerc. And so on and so forth.

Once you know the terminology, it’s easy to follow along with the graphics on screen during an F1 race.