Ballast weight is something that is added to a
race car to alter its performance.
In most racing series, cars have a minimum weight. Often, the actual weight of the car is lower, so ballast is used to bring it up to the minimum. The advantage is that the ballast can be positioned to affect the car's handling by changing its
weight distribution
Weight distribution is the apportioning of weight within a vehicle, especially cars, airplanes, and trains. Typically, it is written in the form ''x''/''y'', where ''x'' is the percentage of weight in the front, and ''y'' is the percentage in the ...
. This is near-universal in
Formula 1. It is also common in other racing series that ballast may only be located in certain positions on the car.
In some racing series, for example the
British Touring Car Championship
The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom, currently organised and administered by TOCA. It was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and was renamed as ...
, ballast is used as a handicap, the leading drivers at the end of one race being given more ballast for the next race.
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