The F1 dictionary: P

Paddock, The

Typically an area behind the pits. Location of team hospitality suites and where the majority of media work, wheeler-dealing and all-round general showing off takes place during a race weekend. 

Palmer, Jolyon

Up-and-coming British driver who won the 2014 GP2 Series and, after a year on the sidelines and in the Lotus garage, will drive for Renault in 2016 alongside Kevin Magnussen.

Panis, Olivier

Former Ligier, Prost and Toyota driver who remains the last Frenchman to win a race in F1, at the crazy Monaco GP of 1996.

Patrese, Riccardo

Italian former race-winning driver who for over a decade held the record for the most grands prix starts in history before his tally was surpassed by Rubens Barrichello.

Parc ferme

The secure area, usually at the top of the pitlane, where cars are stationed between the end of qualifying and race day, and then again after the race, for the stewards of the event to complete scrutineering checks.

Parc ferme conditions

The situation all cars are put in between the start of Saturday's qualifying session and the warm-up lap on Sunday when mechanics can only carry out a limited and tightly-controlled number of checks and changes.

Parr, Adam

Former Williams chairman and the man once considered Frank Williams' heir apparent.

Pen, The

Cordoned off paddock area where drivers gather after qualifying and the race to subject themselves to the world's media. 'Can you recover and perhaps finish on the podium Kimi?' 'I don't know, but we'll try.'

Penalties 

Sanctions of various severity open to race stewards for penalising driver indiscretions over a race weekend. Includes five-second time penalty, 10-second time penalty and drive-through penalty. 

Perez, Sergio

Young Mexican driver who drives alongside Nico Hulkenberg at Force India after being dropped after a single season at McLaren.

Peterson, Ronnie

Aka 'Super Swede'. 1971 World Championship runner-up, winner of 10 GPs, owner of a spectacular driving style and proof that there was a time when sideways was actually faster. Died after a startline crash at 1978 Italian GP.

Pic, Charles

Shaggy-haired French driver who raced for backmarkers Marussia and Caterham in 2012 and 2013 respectively before switching to test driver duties at Lotus.

Pinkham, Natalie

One half of Sky Sports F1's roving pitlane reporting team, and presenter of The F1 Midweek Report, with radar-like qualities for tracking down drivers who are in the mood for a chat. See also: Kravitz, Ted; Pitlane.

Piquet, Nelson

F1's original Piquet and the world champion on three occasions in the 1980s, winning 23 races along the way.

Piquet Jr, Nelson

The younger Piquet of F1 repute who was a central figure in the 2008 Crashgate plot in Singapore when he deliberately crashed his Renault to help team-mate Fernando Alonso win the race. Initially attempted to rebuild his career in the American NASCAR series before finding title-winning success in Formula E.

Pirelli

F1's sole supplier of tyres since 2011 who have fulfilled their remit of providing rubber that deliberately and rapidly deteriorates with the intention of generating more overtaking and strategic variation. See also: Compounds; Tyres.

Pit board

The object dangled by a team member over the pitwall at the end of each lap that drivers somehow have to