Carbon-carbon brake discs
F1 cars use carbon-carbon composite brake discs, a material that can withstand temperatures of over 1,000°C without losing structural integrity. Unlike steel brakes used in road cars, carbon brakes actually perform better when they are hot — they need to reach at least 400°C before they generate optimal friction.
This is why drivers weave on the formation lap — they are trying to generate heat in the brakes before the race starts. Cold carbon brakes have almost no grip, and a driver with cold brakes entering a corner is a recipe for disaster.
The forces involved
When an F1 car brakes from 320 km/h to 80 km/h for a tight corner, the driver experiences deceleration forces of up to 6G. The brake discs absorb an enormous amount of kinetic energy, converting it into heat in a fraction of a second.
The brake pedal requires approximately 150 kilograms of force to achieve maximum braking. Drivers must apply this force with millimeter precision, modulating the pressure to avoid locking the wheels while extracting maximum deceleration.
Brake-by-wire and energy recovery
Since 2014, F1 cars have used a brake-by-wire system on the rear axle. When the driver presses the brake pedal, the front brakes are activated mechanically, while the rear braking is managed by the car's electronic control unit, which blends friction braking with the MGU-K's energy recovery.
In the 2026 era, with increased electrical power, the brake-by-wire system has become even more complex. The MGU-K now recovers more energy under braking, which means the friction brakes on the rear axle do less work than before. This has required new cooling strategies and new materials.
Why brakes are critical
Brake failure in F1 is almost always catastrophic. The discs are subjected to enormous thermal cycling — heating to 1,000°C and cooling back down in a matter of seconds. This cycling causes micro-cracks that can lead to disc failure if not monitored carefully.
Teams use infrared cameras to monitor brake temperatures during the race, and drivers are constantly adjusting their brake bias to manage temperatures and wear.