How much does a Formula 1 car weigh?

F1 cars may be setting records in terms of outright speed, but they are also bigger and heavier than ever before.

In the 10 years between 2009 and 2019, car weight increased by a whopping 138kg. F1's turbo-hybrid V6 engines, bigger wheels/tyres and an array of safety-based changes (most recently the addition of the Halo) have all played a role.

Another factor is that cars are now required to go the full Grand Prix distance (around 300km) on one tank of fuel.

While F1 remains an incredible spectacle in qualifying, with a significant increase in downforce and grip contributing to breakneck speeds through the corners, on race days drivers are lumbered with fuel-laden cars that lap some half a dozen seconds slower than the pole position time.

In addition, increased weight adds to the wear and tear of the tyres and other parts of the car, which, combined with the limited number of engine components for a season, leads to drivers running races in 'economy mode'.

Several high-profile drivers have questioned the ever-increasing weight of cars, especially given the sport's push to become more sustainable.

"I don't understand particularly why we go heavier when there's all this talk about being more sustainable, the sport going in that direction," said Lewis Hamilton

"By going heavier and heavier and heavier you're using more and more energy, so that feels that's not necessarily in the right direction or in the thought process.

"The lighter cars were more nimble, were nowhere near as big, and so racing, manoeuvring the car was better."

In 2022, another 38kg will be added to the cars, as F1 introduces an all-new set of technical regulations. It means that car weight will have increased by almost 200kg in under 15 years.