The F1 dictionary: S

Safety Car, The

The svelte Mercedes-AMG GT S that is dispatched from the pitlane by race control at irregular intervals during a grand prix to control the pace of the field due to a crash, debris, sudden tropical downpour or, at certain races in the past, a crazed track protester. Its appearance can often inadvertently enliven boring races, as Nelson Piquet Jr aptly demonstrated in Singapore in 2008.

Sainz, Carlos

The son of the rallying legend Carlos Snr who made his F1 debut with Toro Rosso in 2015 and, rather like Indiana Jones, doesn't like being called Junior. Will continue as Max Verstappen's team-mate in 2016.

Sandbagging

The age-old term often used in testing or Friday Practice to describe a team who, rivals suspect, are running heavier on fuel in order to mask their car's true pace.

Sauber

The Peter Sauber-founded Swiss team that have competed in F1 since 1993. Bought by BMW in 2006 before being sold back to Sauber in 2010. See also: BMW.

Schumacher, Michael

Seven-times world champion and two-times retiree, but still the most successful driver in F1 history despite a largely unsuccessful return to the sport with Mercedes for three years between 2010 and 2012. Currently facing a long road to recovery from a life-threatening skiing accident in December 2013. See also: Ferrari; Mercedes.

Schumacher, Ralf

Eli Manning/Mike Winters/Harpo Marx/Paul Ross to Michael's Peyton/Bernie/Groucho/Jonathan. Won six races between 1997 and 2006 and appeared a genuine title contender for the best part of a week in the summer of 2003.

Scheckter, Jody

Acclaimed organic farmer who also became South Africa's only F1 champion in 1979 with Ferrari.

Scrutineering

The checks carried out by FIA-appointed officials ahead of a grand prix weekend to ensure cars comply with the necessary technical regulations. See also: Parc ferme.

Scuderia Toro Rosso

Red-Bull owned Italian team formerly known as Minardi. Won against the odds with Sebastian Vettel at Monza in 2008. Scuderia, in case you were also wondering, is the Italian for 'stable'.

Sectors

The three sections a lap of a grand prix circuit is intangibly split into for timing purposes.

Senna, Ayrton

Charismatic three-times world champion - in 1988, 1990 and 1991 - whose skill was matched by a dedication that, at times, seemed almost unnervingly intense. Won all of his titles at McLaren, where his rivalry with Alain Prost reached new levels of toxicity. Joined Williams in 1994 but was killed in an accident at Imola in May of that year. See also: Senna, The Movie.

Senna

The documentary-movie charting the life and motorsport career of Ayrton. 

Senna, Bruno

Nephew of Ayrton who was dropped by Williams after a sporadic start to his F1 career with HRT and Renault. Only started racing full-time in 2005 aged 21, having previously been forbidden from doing so by his family following the death of his uncle. Now a Sky F1 pundit. See also: Senna, Ayrton.

Sidepod

The aerodynamic feature situated between the rear and front wheels.

Silverstone

The 'Home of British Motorsport'. First staged the British Grand Prix in 1948 and, after alternating with Aintree and then Brands Hatch, became the outright host in 1987. Became a target of Bernie Ecclestone's ire after the ill-fated decision to stage 2000 race in April, bringing Somme-style conditions for mud-caked fans, but redevelopment work eventually secured a new 17-year deal.

Simulator

The increasingly invaluable, and realistic, systems used by F1 teams to aid car development and refine dynamics. With testing now heavily restricted, drivers will complete 'virtual tests' of new parts or planned set-up changes ahead of a grand prix weekend.

Singapore

Venue for Formula 1's original night race. The floodlit extravaganza around the streets of Marina Bay requires 108,423 metres of power cables, 240 steel pylons and around 1,600 light projectors with a total power requirement of 3,180,000 watts.

Sky Go

The place of your choosing where you can watch all the F1 action live on your laptop, smartphone and iPad.

Sky Sports F1

The UK's first dedicated F1 channel which will screen all of the 2016 races live and uninterrupted, along with every qualifying and practice session. An essential destination to be found on Sky Channel 407. See also: Plugs, blatant.

Sky Sports News HQ

The 24 hour rolling sports news channel found on Sky Channel 401 that has commissioned two dedicated reporters - Rachel Brookes and Craig Slater - to follow F1 and provide on-air coverage around the year

Slicks

The style of dry weather tyres reintroduced to F1 in 2009 after their controversial replacement by grooved rubber from 1998 onwards. Pirelli have four different compounds: super soft (marked red), soft (yellow), medium (white) and hard (grey) and bring two types to each race. Both must be used in a dry race. See also: Tyres.

Slipstreaming

The performance advantage, usually used as a means for overtaking, in which one car benefits from reduced atmospheric drag whilst following another.

Smedley, Rob

Amiable yet no-nonsense Teessider, appointed Williams head of vehicle performance in 2014 after long stint as Felipe Massa's race engineer at Ferrari. Famous for 'Fernando is faster than you' message to Brazilian at 2010 German GP. See also: Massa, Felipe.

Sochi

Russia's Black Sea holiday destination which is the venue that hosted the country's long-awaited F1 debut in October 2014.

Spa-Francorchamps

The ultimate drivers' circuit in Belgium which stages that country's annual Grand Prix. See also: Eau Rouge; Nerves of steel.

Sparks

The back-for-2015 firework-like phenomenon from underneath the cars which has been achieved thanks to the introduction of titanium skid plates around the wooden planks. See also: Plank. 

Splash and dash

The term used regularly in the refuelling era to describe a last-gasp visit to the pitlane to take on enough fuel to make the end of the race.

Sporting Regulations

The rules which the Formula 1 World Championship runs to.

Sporting Working Group

The sub-committee of the F1 Commission consisting of the sporting directors from all the teams which meets with the FIA on a regular basis to discuss issues surrounding F1's sporting regulations. See also: Technical Working Group.

Stevens, Will

British driver who made his debut for Caterham as part of their one-off crowdfunded return at the 2014 Abu Dhabi GP. Moved to Manor Marussia for the 2015 season.

Stewart Grand Prix

The Jackie Stewart-owned F1 team which competed in F1 from 1997 to 1999 and famously won at the Nurburgring in their final year with Johnny Herbert. Sold to Ford which rebranded the team as Jaguar before selling it in turn to Red Bull.

Stewart, Jackie

Britain's only three-time Formula 1 World Champion. The dominant driver of his era and a pioneer of the sport's safety crusade. In a word: legend.

Strategy

The plan a team devises for how to tackle the race with their cars in order to achieve the best possible result. In its basic form, strategy centres around tyre wear and fuel loads, but also includes an array of other variables including weather and on-track traffic. See also: Brawn, Ross.

Strategy Group

The oft-derided body which sits above the F1 Commission and is designed to shape the future direction of the sport. Comprises the big five teams as permanent members - Mercedes, Red Bull, Williams, Ferrari, McLaren - and then the next best in the previous year's Constructors' Championship, currently Force India. The FIA and FOM also have seats. Despite the name, critics routinely suggest the group actually has no strategy. 

Stiffness

The general description of the level of stiffness of certain key aspects of the car. In specific examples, the chassis needs to be stiff enough to transfer the cornering loads without bending, suspension mountings need to be super-stiff to prevent suspension flexure, which would unbalance the car's handling, while tyre sidewalls need to be stiff enough to withstand the huge loads put upon them although, go too stiff and they prevent the tyre's flexing being able to contribute towards grip.

Sure, For

Said constantly and inexplicably by F1 drivers regardless of their mother tongue. See also: Yes.

Surtees, John

The only man in history to win the World Championship on two and four wheels, with his F1 title secured in 1964 while driving for Ferrari.

Survival cell

The central tub of the car that protects the driver in the event of a high-speed impact. Immensely strong, it's what remains following the removal of a car's engine/transmission, wheels, suspension, nose and wings. See Mark Webber's Jaguar in the late stages of the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Suspension

The components connecting the wheels and the chassis on a car that absorb surface bumps and changes in loads.

Sutil, Adrian

Long-time Force India driver who, after a year off in 2012, returned to the team for the following season before switching to Sauber for 2014. Williams' reserve driver in 2015.

Suzuka

Much-loved home of the Japanese GP which enjoyed a near monopoly on dramatic title deciders before Bernie lengthened the calendar.

Symonds, Pat

Williams' veteran chief technical officer who has seen it, done it and bought the T-shirt across 30 years in F1 including a highly-successful stint at Benetton/Renault. 

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