FORMULA ONE RACES AHEAD （F1锦标赛全速前进）【空中英语】

Introduction：

Sleek cars race at high speeds as top race car drivers compete for millions of dollars in prizes. Welcome to Formula One Grand Prix racing, the world’spremier motor-racing competition!

在百万美元奖金的诱惑下，赛车手们驾驶着流线型圆滑的赛车以最高速度参与角逐。欢迎你来参观一级方程式赛车大奖赛，世界一流汽车赛事盛会。

Each race car must meet certain specifications in everything from the engines to the tires. These make up the “formula” in Formula One (F1). The F1 cars are not only the most technologically advanced but also some of the fastest in the world. At times, they reach speeds of over 190 mph. in addition, F1 cars are the world’s most expensive race cars. Millions of dollars go into their research, manufacturing and operation.

参赛的每一辆赛车必须经过相关的规范要求，从轮胎到引擎等。这些规范就形成了这种F1方程式的赛事规则。F1方程式参赛的车辆不仅是体现高科技的结晶，而且它们之中有些能达到世界上最高的速度。在比赛中，他们的车速达到每小时190英里。除此之外，F1的赛车也是世界上最昂贵的赛车。数百万美元源源不断地投入到研发、制造与生产。


It’s the driver’s skill, however, that makes or breaks the race. The driver who can turn corners the fastest without losing control is often the winner. And the winner can earn big money in these races. Forbes magazine listed F1 race car driver Michael Schumacher as the second highest-paid athlete in 2005 after Tiger Woods.

然而，赛车手的驾驶技巧，决定着赛事的成功与否。赛车手在比赛中能保持速度顺利拐弯而不失控，往往就是胜利者。得胜者在比赛中能得到一笔可观的奖金。《财富（福布斯）》杂志把F1方程式赛车手麦克尔列为2005年第二最高酬金的运动员，仅次于泰格.伍兹。

 

 

F1 in Asia（亚洲的F1方程式盛事）：

 

The world’s leading motor sport attracts new fans in Asia

世锦赛引领赛车运动 迷倒亚洲新车迷

The Formula One Grand Prix, and annual series of 17~20 races, spans six continents. Once a largely European sport, F1 has now become popular in Asia, too. For several decades, Japan was the only country in Asia to host an F1 Grand Prix. In 1999, however, Malaysia‘s Sepang circuit with its long, straight runs and hairpin curve welcomed its first F1 Grand Prix.
格林披治大赛（一级方程式），每年都有17～20场赛事，横跨越六个洲（区）。最大的赛事在欧洲举行。F1方程式比赛在亚洲也正在逐渐流行。数十年来，小日本在亚洲区是唯一的国家曾举办过F1格林披治大赛。然而，在1999年，马来西亚的雪帮市拥有长环形比赛场地。它笔直的赛道和Ｕ形急转弯道迎来了她的首届F1方程式格林披治大赛。

Continuing this trend, F1 zoomed onto the Shanghai International Circuit in China three years ago. As interest in the auto industry grows, these yearly extravaganzas continue to attract Asian fans.
持续了这种F1方程式比赛热潮，3年前，她迅速辐射到中国上海的国际循环赛。她同时也刺激了汽车工业的迅速增长。这种每年一度的F1体育赛车盛事持续吸引着亚洲的粉丝们。

Ethnic Chinese racecar driver Tung Ho-pin (董荷斌) has also increased interest in the sport. With his success in Formula 3 racing, he may soon become the first Chinese F1 racecar driver.
中国籍的赛车选手，董荷斌在比赛中给车迷注入了赛车体育运动的兴趣。由于他在3场的规定赛事中获得成功，并可能迅速成为中国第一个F1方程式赛车好手。

The world’s third most–watched sporting competition after the Olympics and the World Cup, the Formula 1 Grand Prix races onward!
奥运（the first one)以及世界杯(the second)赛后，最值得观看的第3大盛事就是世界级的F1方程式格林披治大赛的车手们风驰电挚的冲刺！

Word Bank：

premier (adj.) 一流的，首要的
Only top players can compete at Wimbledon, England’s premier tennis tournament.

specification (n.) 规格
What are the specifications of your new kitchen cabinets? How big are they going to be?

technologically (adv.) 工艺上，科技上

Right now, living on the moon is technologically impossible.

make or break something (idiom) 决定……的成功或失败
A politician’s ability to connect with voters can make or break a political career.

 

sleek (adj) 流线型的，华丽的