F1TENTH Race Rules

1. General

International F1TENTH Autonomous Racing Competition is open to teams of all skill levels. Each participant must belong to exactly one team.

The competition is held entirely in person. Teams must register in advance through the official registration form.

2. In-Person Competition

The competition consists of three stages: Inspection → Time Trials → Head-to-Head Race

• Teams must build their own F1TENTH vehicle meeting the official specifications.
• Each team must have its own unique vehicle.
• Winners are encouraged to open-source their racing algorithms for the benefit of future competitors.

2.1 Vehicle Classes

The following constraints must be satisfied:

• Vehicle must follow the official Bill of Materials (similar or lower specification allowed).
• All vehicles undergo a mandatory hardware inspection.
• Hardware aimed at creating unfair advantage is not permitted.
• Chassis: Any 1:10 RC chassis (Traxxas recommended).
• Main Compute Unit: Jetson NX / Orin NX or lower-spec devices (Raspberry Pi, Nano, TX2, etc.).
• LiDAR: Hokuyo UST-10LX or lower spec (10 m, 40 Hz, 0.25°).
• Camera: Mono or stereo (Logitech C920, Realsense, ZED, etc.).
• Motor: Brushless only (Velineon 3500 kV or lower spec).
• Battery & Charger: 4S 5000 mAh XT90, IMAX B6 recommended.
• Sensors: IMU, encoders OK; no indoor GPS (e.g., Marvelmind).

2.2 Track & Racing Environment

• Flat reflective surface (LiDAR ground reflections may occur).
• Bright room with glass walls; lower half will be covered.
• Track border uses 33 cm diameter air pipes; gaps may exist.
• Track size: approx. 28.5 × 11 m.
• No dedicated mapping session; teams must map during practice or qualification.

2.3 Inspection

• Conducted on the first day of competition.
• Performed by race referees.
• Any major hardware or algorithm change requires re-inspection.

2.4 Time Trial

2.4.1 Definitions

• Touching: Object movement < 5 cm.
• Crashing: Any border movement or object shift ≥ 5 cm.
• Track includes multiple checkpoints (start line is not one).

2.4.2 General

• Two heats, 5 minutes each.
• Goal: fastest single lap + most completed consecutive laps.
• No pause for crashes; timer continues.
• Teams may update configs only while vehicle is stationary.
• Track layout remains constant but may slightly shift.

2.4.3 Qualification Requirements

• Vehicle must complete a lap autonomously without crashing.
• Remote emergency-stop must be demonstrated.

2.4.4 Penalties

• Touching is allowed unless excessive.
• Crashing requires manual car reset to last checkpoint.
• Total repair time counts as penalty.

2.4.5 Evaluation

• Fastest lap score ranking
• Most consecutive lap score ranking
• Final = Sum of both rankings

2.5 Head-to-Head Race

2.5.1 General

• Both cars race simultaneously from opposite points.
• No intentional hindering or harmful maneuvers.
• Knockout bracket based on Time Trial ranking.
• Each match has 10-minute time limit.
• No configuration change during race unless after crash reset.

2.5.2 Qualification Requirements

• Must pass Time Trial.
• Must have certified foam bumper.
• Vehicle must be LiDAR-visible (≥ 12×12 cm silhouette from 10–30 cm height).
• Must demonstrate static/dynamic obstacle avoidance.

2.5.3 Penalties

• Touching allowed unless excessive.
• Opponent touch OK unless deviation from expected path occurs.
• Crash to wall → team must fix track + reposition car.
• Crash into opponent:
  • Referees assign blame.
  • Both cars reset to designated point.
  • Race restarts.

2.5.4 Evaluation

• First to complete 8 laps wins.
• Two referees (one per car).
• Each referee validates laps and crash judgments.