f1-agws · f1 guide
How to Read the F1 Timing Tower
The Timing Tower should be read left to right: position, gap, last lap pace, best lap and track status. In a few seconds you can tell who is pushing and who is managing tyres.
Basic reading
- POS: actual order in session at that moment.
- GAP / INT: distance from the leader and the car ahead.
- LAST / BEST: most recent lap and personal best lap.
Performance reading
- Compare LAST vs BEST to understand whether the driver is improving.
- Stint and tyre age explain why pace changes.
- A driver climbing with a large gap may be on a different strategy.
PRO and SUM modes
- PRO: broadcast-style time display for rapid technical analysis.
- SUM: compact race view with gaps to read trends in seconds.
- Use PRO for technical detail and SUM for a race pace overview.
Frequently asked questions
How do you read the F1 timing tower?
Read it left to right: position, gap to the leader, interval to the car ahead, last lap and best lap. Comparing last lap against best lap tells you who is pushing and who is managing pace.
What is the difference between gap and interval?
Gap is the time to the race leader; interval (INT) is the time to the car directly ahead. Interval is what tells you about an immediate on-track battle.
What do PRO and SUM modes do?
PRO shows broadcast-style detailed timing for technical analysis; SUM is a compact race view that lets you read pace trends at a glance.
Related F1 guides
- Flags and Race Control: Operational Meaning
- Live Track Map Guide
- F1 Mini Sectors: Practical Guide
- F1 Telemetry Glossary
- What changed in the 2026 F1 Sporting Regulations: Issue 05 to Issue 06
- How to Read F1 Live Telemetry
- How to Read the F1 Speed Delta
Put this into practice on the live timing dashboard — open the telemetry view, browse all F1 guides or the F1 glossary.