The F1 dictionary: H

Haas

American-owned outfit who will join the F1 grid in 2016 as the sport's eleventh team with Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez behind the wheel for their debut season.

Hamilton, Lewis

Supremely-gifted driver who is widely considered to be the fastest on the F1 grid and crowned world champion in 2008, 2014 and 2015. Also arguably the most divisive driver in F1. Started his career at McLaren prior to 'bombshell' decision to quit for Mercedes, a move that now looks inspired.

Hammertime

'Stop....Hammertime!' rapped MC Hammer on his 1990 hit 'U Can't Touch This' unaware that 25 years later the lyric would be co-opted by Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton to signal his speedy 'in' and 'out' laps either side of a pit stop.   

HANS

Abbreviated name of the Head and Neck Support device that became a mandatory requirement for all F1 drivers to wear after its introduction in 2003. The device is generally credited with saving the life of then-BMW driver Robert Kubica during his high-speed crash at Canada in 2007.

Hakkinen, Mika

1998 and 1999 world champion and the most successful F1 export out of Finland.

Hat-trick

Term used to describe the perfect race weekend for a driver - pole, victory and fastest race lap. Michael Schumacher holds the record with 22, which is double the next-best tally.

Hawthorn, Mike

British driver crowned 1958 World Champion while driving for Ferrari.

Head, Patrick

Legendary engineer and co-founder of the Williams team who stood down from the company's board of directors at the end of 2011. Awarded a knighthood in 2015. See also: Williams and the F1 Midweek Report.

Helmet

The item of a driver's uniform used as protection that competitors will continue to wear out of their car if they don't fancy a chat with a member of the press corps.

Hembery, Paul

Pirelli's motorsport director who oversees all aspects of the Italian firm's F1 tyre programme. A man in demand in 2013 but less so in 2014 and 2015. See also: Pirelli, Tyres, Compounds.

Herbert, Johnny

Three-times GP winner and occasional race steward who now plys his trade as an analyst on Sky Sports F1. See also: Character, quite the.

Hill, Damon

Ex-world champion, ex-BRDC president but very much an active expert analyst for Sky Sports F1. An all-round nice guy too. See also: Hill, Graham.

Hill, Graham

Inspiration of the the Hill motorsport dynasty as a two-time world champion whose dry wit was almost as legendary as his driving. Tragically killed in a plane crash in 1975. See also: Hill, Damon.

Hill, Phil

No relation to the aforementioned Hills, but a world champion in his own right too - the American's success occuring with Ferrari in 1961.

Hinwil-based team, The

The default term journalists and commentators employ when they need another phrase to describe Sauber.

Hockenheim

Former-great circuit that hosts the German GP on a rotational basis with the Nurburgring (or at least did until their partners couldn't afford the 2015 race). Originally almost eight kilometres in length, the layout was chopped up almost beyond recognition in 2001 in the name of safety. See also: Barcelona, Valencia, potential future.

Hole Gang, The

Nickname applied to Brawn, Williams and Toyota on account of their loopholing Double Diffuser in 2009.

Honda

Japanese manufacturer which left F1 at the end of 2008 - the year before the team they had funded became world champions. Reformed the old band with McLaren in 2015, but still tuning up…

Horner, Christian

Team principal of Red Bull Racing, having become the youngest team boss in the sport upon his appointment in 2005 at the age of 31. Became Mr Geri Halliwell in 2015.

Hornettes, The

Self-applied name of members of the Christian Horner fanclub. 

HRT

The team with the most unfortunate-sounding name on the grid prior to their liquidation at the end of 2012 following what was, both metaphorically and literally, a rather pointless existence.

Hulkenberg, Nico

Highly-rated German driver who, for all his considerable promise, appears to be on a merry-go-round of F1's midfield having raced for Williams, Force India, Sauber and now Force India again. Gained a considerable feather in his cap, though, by winning at Le Mans in 2015.

Hulme, Denny

Humble New Zealander who competed in 112 grands prix for Brabham and McLaren, winning the world title for the former in 1967. 

Hungaroring

Once the least exciting grand prix venue of the season, allegedly, except for when it rained – like when Button won in 2006 – but now, strangely, one of the calendar’s more eventful races. Work that one out.

Hunt, James

Charismatic British driver of the 1970s who defined the term 'playboy', won the World Championship in 1976, and then formed an unlikely but extremely popular commentary partnership with Murray Walker prior to his death at the age of 45 in 1993.

Hybrid

The word used to describe F1's new complex power units, or more precisely, a car that uses more than one distinct power source to move.

Hydraulics

The pumping arteries that keep a Formula 1 car functioning.

So what have we forgotten? Let us know with an email to F1Feedback@sky.uk