How does the driver influence performance in Formula 1 compared to the car, and how accurate is the commonly cited 88/12 performance split?

Abstract

The car defines the possible. The driver defines the realised.

This project investigates the extent to which driver performance influences outcomes in Formula 1 compared to the car, evaluating the accuracy of the commonly cited 88/12 performance split.

The findings suggest that while the constructor establishes the majority of performance potential, the 88/12 model is best understood not as a fixed ratio, but as a dynamic relationship: an interdependent system where the car defines potential and the driver determines its realisation.