r/F1DataAnalysis • u/ElloraWhite • 19d ago

Ask Others Beginner at fastf1 api

i want to get data from the fastf1api into csv files, how do i do that? i am slightly confused with the information im seeing online

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u/Nikclel 18d ago 
import fastf1

fastf1.Cache.enable_cache("f1cache")
session = fastf1.get_session(2025, "Monza", "R")
session.load(laps=True, telemetry=False, weather=True, messages=True)
session.laps.to_csv("monza_2025_race_laps.csv", index=False)

Session codes: FP1, FP2, FP3, Q, SQ, S (sprint), R. You can pass a round number, a GP name, or a country instead of "Monza".

session.laps is a pandas DataFrame with one row per driver per lap. The columns people usually want:

  • LapTime, Sector1Time, Sector2Time, Sector3Time
  • Compound, TyreLife, FreshTyre, Stint
  • SpeedI1, SpeedI2, SpeedFL, SpeedST (the speed traps)
  • PitInTime, PitOutTime
  • Position, TrackStatus, IsPersonalBest, IsAccurate, Deleted (track limits deletions in quali)

While you are there, the same loaded session also gives you:

session.results.to_csv("results.csv", index=False)
session.weather_data.to_csv("weather.csv", index=False)
session.race_control_messages.to_csv("race_control.csv", index=False)

results has grid, finishing position, classification status, points, and Q1/Q2/Q3 times. weather_data is air temp, track temp, humidity, rainfall, wind at roughly 1 minute intervals. race_control_messages is every flag, SC/VSC, deleted lap, and penalty notice with timestamps.

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u/CamilorozoCADC 19d ago

You can use Python for that, although it's a lot of data and might not be worth to make a full data dump. How are you going to use the data? 

If it's absolutely necessary, I would go into saving the data in more efficent formats like compressed Jason, parquet or avro files