BMW Sauber F1 Team Car - brakes

The braking power of a modern Formula One car is impressive. The vehicle needs a braking distance of only 55 metres to decelerate from 200 km/h to a complete standstill. Drivers experience forces of up to 5g during extreme braking manoeuvres. The carbon brake discs and brake pads require operating temperatures between 550°C and 650°C. They heat up to over 1,000C. In other words, decelerating the BMW Sauber F1.07 is really hot stuff...
In order to attain the unique efficiency of a Formula One brake, the cooling is of paramount importance. Special air ducts and the so-called perforations on the brake discs guarantee that the system is supplied with enough cool air. The use of liquid coolants is prohibited in Formula One. The brakes achieve optimum deceleration at temperatures between 550 and 650C.
F1 brakes have undergone lightning fast development. Originally brake discs were made of steel but, in 1982, a lighter carbon fibre composite material was introduced to the pinnacle of motor racing. Thanks to better frictional characteristics, this material has permitted shorter braking distances. However, manufacturing the high-tech brake discs is very costly and time consuming. They are hardened in the autoclave at over 2,000°C for several weeks so they can withstand the extreme loads in a race when temperatures reach 1,000C.