Formula One is an open-wheeler motorsport and is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fdration Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Formula One cars are considered to be the fastest circuit-racing cars in the world, owing to very high cornering speeds achieved through the generation of large amounts of aerodynamic downforce. Formula One cars race at high speeds up to 360 km/h (220 mph) with engines the performance of which is limited to a maximum of 18,000 revolutions per minute (rpms). The cars are capable of lateral acceleration in excess of 5 g in corners. The performance of the cars is very dependent on electronics although traction control and other driving aids have been banned since 2008 and on aerodynamics, suspension and tyres. The formula has had much evolution and change through the history of the sport. Europe, where all the Formula One racing teams are based, is the sport's traditional basis and where about half of each year's races occur. However, the sport's scope has expanded significantly during recent years and an increasing number of Grands Prix are held on other continents.

A Formula One Grand Prix event spans a weekend. It begins with two free practice sessions on Friday (except in Monaco, where Friday practices are moved to Thursday), and one free practice on Saturday. Additional drivers (commonly known as third drivers) are allowed to run on Fridays, but only two cars may be used per team, requiring a race driver to give up their seat. A Qualifying session is held after the last free practice session. It involves three periods which are refered to as Q1, Q2 and Q3. In Q1 (20 minutes) the eight slowest cars drop out and fill the final eight grid places. However, any driver whose best Q1 lap time exceeds 107 percent of the fastest time set during that session will not be allowed to take part in the race. In Q2 (20 minutes) the eight slowest cars of the remaining 15 drop out and fill places 11 to 18 on the grid. Q3 (10 minutes) features a shootout between the remaining 10 cars to decide pole position and the starting order for the top 10 grid places. The race (held on the Sunday) consists of a certain number of laps around the track depending which track it is and allows pit stops to be made for repairs or tyre changing. Since 2010 there has been no refuelling allowed so cars will be fueled to the end of the race from the start.

The Drag Reduction System (DRS); an adjustable rear wing designed to increase straight line speed, was introduced in the 2011 rules. The system is designed to aid overtaking, being available to a driver within one second of the car in front on a marked designated area of the circuit, after the first two laps of a race. The system is expected to offer drivers an additional 15 km/h (9.3 mph) when passing, and will deactivate when the driver first touches the brakes after using the rear wing. Use of the system is prohibited in wet conditions.

Kinetic Energy Recovery System units will be optional for all teams in 2011, after not being utilised in 2010 following a team agreement banning the devices. This is a system whereby the energy generated under braking is stored in a reservoir (either a flywheel or a battery) for later use under acceleration, thus giving the car more thrust.

Round 1 - 27 March
Qantas Australian Grand Prix
Australian GP
Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne
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Round 2 - 10 April
Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix
Malaysia GP
Sepang International Circuit, Sepang
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Round 3 - 17 April
UBS Chinese Grand Prix
Chinese GP
Shanghai International Circuit
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Round 4 - 8 May
Turkish Grand Prix
Turkish GP
Istanbul Park
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Round 5 - 22 May
Gran Premio de Espana
Spanish GP
Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona
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Round 6 - 29 May
Grand Prix de Monaco
Monaco GP
Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo
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Round 7 - 12 June
Grand Prix du Canada
Canadian GP
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal
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Round 8 - 26 June
Grand Prix of Europe
European GP
Valencia Street Circuit
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Round 9 - 10 July
Santander British Grand Prix
British GP
Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone
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Round 10 - 24 July
Grober Preis Santander von Deutschland
German GP
Nurburgring, Nurburg
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Round 11 - 31 July
Eni Magyar Nagydij
Hungarian GP
Hungaroring, Budapest
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Round 12 - 28 August
Shell Belgian Grand Prix
Belgian GP
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa
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Round 13 - 11 September
Gran Premio Santander d'Italia
Italian GP
Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza
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Round 14 - 25 September
SingTel Singapore Grand Prix
Singapore GP
Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore
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Round 15 - 9 October
Japanese Grand Prix
Japanese GP
Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka
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Round 16 - 16 October
Korean Grand Prix
Korean GP
Korean International Circuit, Yeongam
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Round 17 - 30 October
Grand Prix of India
Indian GP
Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida
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Round 18 - 13 November
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Abu Dhabi GP
Yas Marina Circuit, Yas
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Round 19 - 27 November
Grande Premio do Brasil
Brazilian GP
Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Sao Paulo
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Points awarded for finishing
1st - 25 points
2nd - 18 points
3rd - 15 points
4th - 12 points
5th - 10 points
6th - 8 points
7th - 6 points
8th - 4 ponits
9th - 2 points
10th - 1 point

Team: Red Bull Racing
Constructor: Red Bull
Chassis: RB7
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Engine: Renault
Drivers:
No.1 - Sebastian Vettel (GER)
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No.2 - Mark Webber (AUS)
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Team: Vodafone Mclaren Mercedes
Constructor: Mclaren
Chassis: MP4-26
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Engine: Mercedes
Drivers:
No.3 - Lewis Hamilton (GBR)
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No.4 - Jenson Button (GBR)
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Team: Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
Constructor: Ferrari
Chassis: 150 Italia
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Engine: Ferrari
Drivers:
No.5 - Fernando Alonso (SPA)
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No.6 - Felipe Massa (BRA)
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Team: Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team
Constructor: Mercedes
Chassis: MGP W02
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Engine: Mercedes
Drivers:
No.7 - Michael Schumacher (GER)
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No.8 - Nico Rosberg (GER)
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Team: Lotus Renault GP
Constructor: Renault
Chassis: R31
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Engine: Renault
Drivers:
No.9 - Nick Heidfeld (GER)
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No.10 - Vitaly Petrov (RUS)
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Team: AT&A Williams
Constructor: Williams
Chassis: FW33
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Engine: Cosworth
Drivers:
No.11 - Rubens Barrichello (BRA)
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No.12 - Pastor Maldonado (VEN)
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Team: Force India F1 Team
Constructor: Force India
Chassis: VMJ04
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Engine: Mercedes
Drivers:
No.14 - Adrian Sutil (GER)
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No.15 - Paul di Resta (GBR)
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Team: Sauber F1 Team
Constructor: Sauber
Chassis: C30
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Engine: Ferrari
Drivers:
No.16 - Kamui Kobayashi (JAP)
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No.17 - Sergio Perez (MEX)
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Team: Scuderia Toro Rosso
Constructor: Toro Rosso
Chassis: STR6
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Engine: Ferrari
Drivers:
No.18 - Sebastien Buemi (SWI)
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No.19 - Jaime Alguersuari (SPA)
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Team: Team Lotus
Constructor: Lotus
Chassis: T128
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Engine: Renault
Drivers:
No.20 - Heikki Kovalainen (FIN)
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No.21 - Jarno Trulli (ITA)
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Team: Hispania Racing F1 Team (HRT)
Constructor: Hispania
Chassis: F111
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Engine: Cosworth
Drivers:
No.22 - Narain Karthikeyan (IND)
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No.23 - Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA)
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Team: Marussia Virgin Racing
Constructor: Virgin
Chassis: MVR-02
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Engine: Cosworth
Drivers:
No.24 - Timo Glock (GER)
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No.25 - Jerome d'Ambrosio (BEL)
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Drivers Standings After 3 Rounds

1 - Sebastian Vettel 68
2 - Lewis Hamilton 47
3 - Jenson Button 38
4 - Mark Webber 37
5 - Fernando Alonso 26
6 - Felipe Massa 24
7 - Vitaly Petrov 17
8 - Nick Heidfeld 15
9 - Nico Rosberg 10
10 - Kamui Kobayashi 7
11 - Michael Schumacher 6
12 - Sebastien Buemi 4
13 - Adrian Sutil 2
14 - Paul di Resta 2
15 - Jaime Alguersuari 0
16 - Jarno Trulli 0
17 - Rubens Barrichello 0
18 - Jerome d'Ambrosio 0
19 - Heikki Kovalainen 0
20 - Timo Glock 0
21 - Sergio Perez 0
22 - Pastor Maldonado 0
23 - Vitantonio Liuzzi 0
24 - Narain Karthikeyan 0

Constructors Standings After 3 Races

1 - RBR-Renault 105
2 - McLaren-Mercedes 85
3 - Ferrari 50
4 - Renault 32
5 - Mercedes 16
6 - Sauber-Ferrari 7
7 - STR-Ferrari 4
8 - Force India-Mercedes 4
9 - Lotus-Renault 0
10 - Williams-Cosworth 0
11 - Virgin-Cosworth 0
12 - HRT-Cosworth 0

Round 1

Defending World Champion Sebastian Vettel won the opening race of the season in Melbourne after qualifying on pole position by an unprecedented eight tenths of a second. Lewis Hamilton finished in second place, and Russian driver Vitaly Petrov claimed his maiden podium in third, with Renault hailing his dramatic off-season turn-around after a difficult debut season in 2010. At the opposite end of the grid, the Hispania F111 cars driven by Narain Karthikeyan and Vitantonio Liuzzi both failed to qualify as their qualifying times were both outside 107% of Vettel's fastest time in the first qualifying session. The Saubers of Sergio Prez and Kamui Kobayashi were disqualified for a technical infringment when their cars failed a post-race scruitineering inspection.

Round 2

Vettel continued his title defence in Malaysia, taking pole from Hamilton in the dying moments of the session by just one tenth of a second. Vettel went on to win the race by three seconds from Jenson Button, who also claimed second place in the points standings; with two wins, Vettel left Malaysia with twice as many points as the McLaren driver. Nick Heidfeld took Renault's second successive podium and Fernando Alonso made a rare mistake, making contact with Lewis Hamilton and forcing him to pit for a new front wing, and costing him a potential podium. Hamilton himself slipped down the order after changing to the harder prime tyres and struggling with grip.

Round 3

Vettel once again took pole in China, whilst team-mate Webber made a poor tyre choice and was eliminated from the first qualifying period of the first time in two years. Vettel made a poor start in the race and was quickly overcome by the McLarens of Button and Hamilton. Button and Vettel pitted together, but Button made a bizarre mistake, mistakenly pulling up in the Red Bull pits, and allowing Vettel to get back out onto the circuit in front of him. The lead changed several times as the race progressed before Vettel settled into position, but on deteriorating tyres, he was caught and passed by Hamilton several laps from the end. Having started in eighteenth position, Mark Webber recovered to claim the third podium place.