Events & Schedule

The events module is your gateway to discovering and navigating Formula 1 calendar data. It provides a rich, type-safe API for querying event schedules, session timings, and comprehensive metadata across multiple seasons, serving as the foundation for all data discovery operations in tif1.

Overview

The events module provides a comprehensive, production-ready set of functions and classes for discovering what Formula 1 data is available in the TracingInsights CDN for specific years and events. This module serves as the primary entry point for event discovery and session navigation in tif1, enabling sophisticated workflows for data analysis, visualization, and automation.

Core Capabilities

The events API empowers you to:

Query season schedules: Retrieve complete event calendars for any supported F1 season (2018-present) with full metadata including event names, locations, countries, dates, and formats
Discover available sessions: Programmatically determine which sessions (Practice 1-3, Qualifying, Sprint Qualifying, Sprint, Race) have data available for each event
Access rich event metadata: Get detailed information about each Grand Prix including official event names (with sponsors), circuit locations, round numbers, event dates, and weekend formats
Navigate flexibly: Use intelligent fuzzy matching to find events by partial names, abbreviations, circuit names, or round numbers without requiring exact string matches
Work with timezone-aware data: Access session start times in both local circuit timezone and UTC, enabling accurate time-based analysis and scheduling
Handle different event formats: Seamlessly work with conventional race weekends (3 practice sessions), sprint weekends (varied formats by year), and pre-season testing events
Leverage pandas integration: Work with familiar DataFrame and Series interfaces enhanced with domain-specific methods for F1 data navigation
Benefit from intelligent caching: All schedule data is cached in-memory after first fetch, making subsequent queries instant with zero network overhead

Architecture & Design Philosophy

The events module is built on several key design principles:

Performance-First: Aggressive caching strategies ensure that schedule queries complete in <10ms after initial load. The module uses vendored JSON files for recent seasons and CDN fallback for historical data.
Pandas Integration: All data structures extend pandas DataFrame and Series, providing familiar interfaces while adding F1-specific methods. This enables seamless integration with the broader pandas ecosystem.
Flexible Querying: Multiple lookup methods (by round number, by name, by fuzzy match) ensure you can query data in the most natural way for your use case, whether programmatic or interactive.
Type Safety: Full type hints throughout the API enable excellent IDE autocomplete and static type checking with mypy or pyright.
Graceful Degradation: The module handles missing data, network failures, and edge cases gracefully, providing clear error messages and fallback behaviors.

Data Sources & Availability

Schedule data is sourced from two primary locations:

Vendored JSON files: Recent seasons (typically current and previous year) are packaged with tif1 for instant access without network requests
TracingInsights CDN: Historical seasons are fetched from the TracingInsights GitHub data repositories via the jsdelivr CDN

Supported years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 The schedule data includes:

All championship Grand Prix events
Pre-season testing events (optional, can be filtered)
Sprint weekend events with correct session formats
Session names and availability
Event metadata (names, locations, countries, dates, formats)
Session timing information (local and UTC)

All event discovery functions use intelligent caching to minimize network requests. Schedule data is fetched once per Python session and reused across multiple queries, making repeated lookups essentially free.

The events module tells you what data should be available based on the official F1 calendar. However, actual data availability in the CDN may vary. Always handle DataNotFoundError exceptions when loading session data, as some sessions may have incomplete or missing data.

Core Functions

`get_events`

def get_events(year: int) -> EventSchedule

Retrieves the complete EventSchedule DataFrame containing all Grand Prix events for the specified Formula 1 season. This is the primary entry point for discovering what events occurred (or are scheduled) in a given year. The function returns an EventSchedule object, which is a specialized pandas DataFrame subclass that includes additional methods for event lookup and filtering. Each row in the DataFrame represents a single Grand Prix event with comprehensive metadata including event names, locations, dates, session schedules, and format information. Parameters:

int

required

The Formula 1 season year to query. Must be between 2018 and the current year (2026). Years outside this range will raise a DataNotFoundError as schedule data is not available.Supported years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Returns:

EventSchedule

A pandas DataFrame subclass containing all events for the specified year. The DataFrame includes the following columns:

EventName: Official short name (e.g., “Belgian Grand Prix”)
Location: Circuit or venue name (e.g., “Spa-Francorchamps”)
OfficialEventName: Full official event title with sponsors
RoundNumber: Championship round number (1-indexed)
Country: Country where the event takes place
EventDate: Main event date (typically race day)
EventFormat: Format type (“conventional”, “sprint”, or “testing”)
Session1, Session2, …: Names of available sessions
Session1Date, Session2Date, …: Local session start times with timezone
Session1DateUtc, Session2DateUtc, …: UTC session start times

The EventSchedule object also provides specialized methods like get_event_by_round() and get_event_by_name() for convenient event lookup.

Raises:

DataNotFoundError: If schedule data is not available for the specified year
NetworkError: If the CDN request fails and no cached data is available
InvalidDataError: If the schedule data is malformed or cannot be parsed

Behavior & Implementation Details:

Caching: Schedule data is cached in-memory after the first request. Subsequent calls for the same year return cached data instantly without network requests.
Data Source: Schedule data is fetched from the TracingInsights CDN (via jsdelivr) or loaded from vendored JSON files included with the package for recent seasons.
Testing Events: By default, get_events() includes all events including pre-season testing. Use get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False) if you want to exclude testing events.
Performance: This function is highly optimized and typically completes in <10ms for cached data or <200ms for initial CDN fetch.

Example Usage:

import tif1

# Get all events for the 2021 season
schedule = tif1.get_events(2021)
print(f"Found {len(schedule)} events in 2021")
# Output: Found 22 events in 2021

# Access event names
print("\n2021 F1 Calendar:")
for event_name in schedule['EventName']:
    print(f"  - {event_name}")

# Get specific event by round number
belgian_gp = schedule.get_event_by_round(12)
print(f"\nRound 12: {belgian_gp['EventName']}")
print(f"Location: {belgian_gp['Location']}")
print(f"Country: {belgian_gp['Country']}")

# Access the underlying DataFrame
print(f"\nDataFrame shape: {schedule.shape}")
print(f"Columns: {list(schedule.columns)}")

# Filter events by country
uk_events = schedule[schedule['Country'] == 'United Kingdom']
print(f"\nUK events: {len(uk_events)}")

Advanced Example - Analyzing Event Distribution:

import tif1
import pandas as pd

# Get multiple years
years = [2021, 2022, 2023, 2024]
all_schedules = []

for year in years:
    schedule = tif1.get_events(year)
    schedule['Year'] = year  # Add year column
    all_schedules.append(schedule)

# Combine into single DataFrame
combined = pd.concat(all_schedules, ignore_index=True)

# Analyze event distribution by country
country_counts = combined['Country'].value_counts()
print("Events by country (2021-2024):")
print(country_counts.head(10))

# Find events that appear in all years
event_names = combined.groupby('EventName')['Year'].nunique()
consistent_events = event_names[event_names == len(years)]
print(f"\nEvents in all {len(years)} years: {len(consistent_events)}")

Use get_events() when you need to work with the complete season schedule as a DataFrame. If you only need a single event, use get_event() or get_event_by_round() for better performance.

`get_sessions`

def get_sessions(year: int, event: str) -> list[str]

Returns a list of all available session names for a specific Grand Prix event. This function is essential for discovering which sessions (Practice, Qualifying, Sprint, Race, etc.) have data available in the CDN for a particular event. Session availability varies by event format:

Conventional weekends: Typically include Practice 1, Practice 2, Practice 3, Qualifying, and Race
Sprint weekends: May include Practice 1, Sprint Qualifying, Sprint, Qualifying, and Race (format varies by year)
Testing events: Usually include multiple test sessions

Parameters:

int

required

The Formula 1 season year. Must be a valid year with available schedule data (2018-2026).

str

required

The Grand Prix event name. This should match the official event name (e.g., “Belgian Grand Prix”), but fuzzy matching is applied internally so partial names like “Belgian” will also work.Accepted formats:

Full official name: “Belgian Grand Prix”
Partial name: “Belgian”
Case-insensitive: “belgian grand prix”, “BELGIAN GP”

Returns:

list[str]

An ordered list of session names available for the specified event. Sessions are returned in chronological order (Practice 1 → Practice 2 → … → Race).Common session names:

"Practice 1", "Practice 2", "Practice 3"
"Qualifying"
"Sprint Qualifying", "Sprint Shootout" (sprint weekend qualifying)
"Sprint" (sprint race)
"Race" (main Grand Prix)
"Pre-Season Testing" (testing events)

Raises:

DataNotFoundError: If the event is not found in the specified year’s schedule
NetworkError: If schedule data cannot be fetched and no cache is available
InvalidDataError: If the schedule data is malformed

Behavior & Implementation Details:

Fuzzy Matching: The function uses intelligent fuzzy matching to find events even with partial or misspelled names. For example, “Silverstone”, “British”, and “British Grand Prix” will all match the British Grand Prix.
Caching: Session lists are cached after the first query, making subsequent calls instant.
Data Availability: The returned list indicates which sessions have data available in the CDN. Just because a session is listed doesn’t guarantee all data types (laps, telemetry, etc.) are available for that session.
Empty Lists: If an event has no sessions (rare edge case), an empty list is returned rather than raising an exception.

Example Usage:

import tif1

# Get sessions for a specific event
sessions = tif1.get_sessions(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")
print(f"Belgian GP 2021 sessions: {sessions}")
# Output: ['Practice 1', 'Practice 2', 'Practice 3', 'Qualifying', 'Race']

# Iterate through sessions
for session in sessions:
    print(f"  - {session}")

# Check if a specific session exists
if "Sprint" in sessions:
    print("This is a sprint weekend!")
else:
    print("This is a conventional weekend")

# Fuzzy matching works with partial names
sessions_fuzzy = tif1.get_sessions(2021, "Belgian")
assert sessions == sessions_fuzzy  # Same result

Advanced Example - Session Availability Analysis:

import tif1

year = 2023
schedule = tif1.get_events(year)

# Analyze session availability across all events
session_counts = {}

for event_name in schedule['EventName']:
    sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event_name)
    session_count = len(sessions)

    if session_count not in session_counts:
        session_counts[session_count] = []
    session_counts[session_count].append(event_name)

# Print distribution
print(f"Session count distribution for {year}:")
for count, events in sorted(session_counts.items()):
    print(f"  {count} sessions: {len(events)} events")
    for event in events:
        print(f"    - {event}")

# Find sprint weekends
print(f"\nSprint weekends in {year}:")
for event_name in schedule['EventName']:
    sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event_name)
    if "Sprint" in sessions:
        print(f"  - {event_name}")
        print(f"    Sessions: {sessions}")

Practical Example - Loading All Sessions for an Event:

import tif1

year = 2021
event_name = "Belgian Grand Prix"

# Get all available sessions
sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event_name)

# Load data for each session
event = tif1.get_event(year, event_name)

for session_name in sessions:
    print(f"\nLoading {session_name}...")
    session = event.get_session(session_name)

    try:
        session.load(laps=True, telemetry=False)
        print(f"  ✓ Loaded {len(session.laps)} laps")
        print(f"  ✓ Drivers: {', '.join(session.drivers)}")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"  ✗ Failed to load: {e}")

The presence of a session in the returned list does not guarantee that all data types are available. Some sessions may have lap data but no telemetry, or vice versa. Always handle potential DataNotFoundError exceptions when loading session data.

`get_event`

def get_event(
    year: int,
    gp: int | str,
    exact_match: bool = False
) -> Event | None

Retrieves an Event object for a specific Grand Prix by either name or round number. This is the most flexible event lookup function, accepting multiple identifier formats and providing intelligent fuzzy matching for event names. The returned Event object is a pandas Series subclass that contains all event metadata and provides methods for accessing sessions, session timings, and other event-specific information. Parameters:

int

required

The Formula 1 season year (2018-2026).

int | str

required

The Grand Prix identifier. Can be either:Round number (int):

Championship round number (1-indexed)
Example: 12 for the 12th race of the season
Must be within the valid range for the season (typically 1-23)

Event name (str):

Full official name: "Belgian Grand Prix"
Partial name: "Belgian", "Spa"
Case-insensitive: "belgian grand prix", "BELGIAN GP"
Abbreviations: "BEL" (may work depending on fuzzy matching)

bool

default:"False"

Controls the string matching behavior when gp is a string:

False (default): Uses fuzzy matching algorithm to find the best match. Tolerates typos, partial names, and case variations.
True: Requires an exact string match (case-sensitive). Use this when you need precise control or want to avoid ambiguous matches.

Note: This parameter is ignored when gp is an integer (round number).

Returns:

Event | None

An Event object (pandas Series subclass) containing event metadata and methods for session access. Returns None if the event is not found and exact_match=False.When exact_match=True, raises DataNotFoundError instead of returning None.

Raises:

DataNotFoundError: If the event is not found and exact_match=True, or if the round number is invalid
ValueError: If the round number is out of range for the season
NetworkError: If schedule data cannot be fetched
InvalidDataError: If the schedule data is malformed

Behavior & Implementation Details:

Fuzzy Matching Algorithm: Uses Levenshtein distance and token-based matching to find the closest event name. Handles common abbreviations, typos, and variations.
Round Number Lookup: When gp is an integer, performs direct index lookup in the schedule (O(1) operation).
Caching: Event objects are cached after creation, making repeated lookups instant.
None vs Exception: With exact_match=False, returns None for not found. With exact_match=True, raises DataNotFoundError. Choose based on your error handling preference.

Example Usage:

import tif1

# Lookup by round number (most reliable)
event = tif1.get_event(2021, 12)
print(f"Round 12: {event['EventName']}")
# Output: Round 12: Belgian Grand Prix

# Lookup by full name
event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")

# Lookup by partial name (fuzzy matching)
event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian")
event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Spa")

# Case-insensitive matching
event = tif1.get_event(2021, "belgian grand prix")
event = tif1.get_event(2021, "BELGIAN GP")

# Exact match (strict)
event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix", exact_match=True)

# Access event data
if event:
    print(f"Event: {event['EventName']}")
    print(f"Location: {event['Location']}")
    print(f"Round: {event['RoundNumber']}")
    print(f"Country: {event['Country']}")
    print(f"Year: {event.year}")
    print(f"Format: {event['EventFormat']}")

# Handle not found
event = tif1.get_event(2021, "NonexistentGP")
if event is None:
    print("Event not found")

Advanced Example - Event Comparison:

import tif1

# Compare the same event across multiple years
event_name = "Monaco Grand Prix"
years = [2021, 2022, 2023, 2024]

print(f"Comparing {event_name} across years:\n")

for year in years:
    event = tif1.get_event(year, event_name)

    if event:
        print(f"{year}:")
        print(f"  Round: {event['RoundNumber']}")
        print(f"  Date: {event['EventDate']}")
        print(f"  Format: {event['EventFormat']}")

        # Get sessions
        sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event_name)
        print(f"  Sessions: {', '.join(sessions)}")
        print()

Practical Example - Flexible Event Lookup:

import tif1

def find_and_load_race(year: int, event_identifier: int | str):
    """
    Flexible function to find and load race data by any identifier.
    """
    # Try to get the event
    event = tif1.get_event(year, event_identifier)

    if event is None:
        print(f"Could not find event: {event_identifier}")
        return None

    print(f"Found: {event['EventName']}")
    print(f"Location: {event['Location']}")
    print(f"Round: {event['RoundNumber']}")

    # Load the race session
    race = event.get_race()
    race.load()

    print(f"Loaded {len(race.laps)} laps from {len(race.drivers)} drivers")
    return race

# All of these work:
race1 = find_and_load_race(2021, 12)                    # By round
race2 = find_and_load_race(2021, "Belgian")             # By partial name
race3 = find_and_load_race(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")  # By full name

For programmatic access where you know the exact round number, use the integer form for best performance and reliability. For user-facing applications or interactive use, the fuzzy string matching provides excellent user experience.

`get_event_by_round`

def get_event_by_round(year: int, round_number: int) -> Event

Retrieves an Event object by its championship round number. This is the most reliable and performant way to look up events when you know the round number, as it performs a direct index lookup without any string matching or fuzzy logic. Round numbers are 1-indexed and correspond to the official FIA Formula 1 World Championship round numbering. For example, the first race of the season is round 1, the second is round 2, and so on. Round numbers are consistent within a season but may vary between seasons for the same Grand Prix (e.g., Monaco might be round 5 in one year and round 7 in another). Parameters:

int

required

The Formula 1 season year (2018-2026). Must be a year with available schedule data.

int

required

The championship round number (1-indexed). Must be within the valid range for the specified season.Valid ranges by season:

Most seasons: 1-22 or 1-23 rounds
2020 (COVID-affected): 1-17 rounds
Check len(tif1.get_events(year)) for exact count

Note: Round numbers include all championship events but typically exclude pre-season testing.

Returns:

Event

An Event object (pandas Series subclass) containing all event metadata and methods for session access. The Event object provides dictionary-style access to fields like EventName, Location, Country, RoundNumber, EventDate, EventFormat, and session information.

Raises:

ValueError: If the round number is out of range for the specified season (e.g., requesting round 25 when the season only has 22 rounds)
DataNotFoundError: If schedule data is not available for the specified year
NetworkError: If schedule data cannot be fetched from the CDN and no cached data is available

Behavior & Implementation Details:

Performance: This is the fastest event lookup method, performing a direct index lookup in O(1) time. Use this when you know the round number.
Reliability: Round numbers are unambiguous and don’t require any fuzzy matching or string comparison, making this the most reliable lookup method.
Caching: Event objects are cached after creation, so repeated calls with the same parameters return instantly.
Testing Events: Pre-season testing events typically don’t have round numbers and cannot be accessed via this function. Use get_event_by_name() for testing events.

Example Usage:

import tif1

# Get the 12th race of 2021 (Belgian Grand Prix)
event = tif1.get_event_by_round(2021, 12)
print(f"Round 12: {event['EventName']}")
# Output: Round 12: Belgian Grand Prix
print(f"Location: {event['Location']}")
# Output: Location: Spa-Francorchamps
print(f"Country: {event['Country']}")
# Output: Country: Belgium

# Access all event metadata
print(f"Official Name: {event['OfficialEventName']}")
print(f"Event Date: {event['EventDate']}")
print(f"Format: {event['EventFormat']}")
print(f"Year: {event.year}")

Advanced Example - Analyzing Round Progression:

import tif1

year = 2021

# Get the complete schedule
schedule = tif1.get_events(year)
total_rounds = len(schedule)

print(f"{year} F1 Season - {total_rounds} rounds\n")

# Iterate through all rounds
for round_num in range(1, total_rounds + 1):
    event = tif1.get_event_by_round(year, round_num)

    print(f"Round {round_num:2d}: {event['EventName']:30s} | {event['Location']:25s} | {event['Country']}")

    # Check if it's a sprint weekend
    if event['EventFormat'] == 'sprint':
        print(f"          ^ Sprint Weekend")

Practical Example - Loading Specific Round Data:

import tif1

def load_round_data(year: int, round_number: int):
    """
    Load complete race weekend data for a specific championship round.
    """
    try:
        # Get the event
        event = tif1.get_event_by_round(year, round_number)

        print(f"Loading Round {round_number}: {event['EventName']}")
        print(f"Location: {event['Location']}, {event['Country']}")
        print(f"Date: {event['EventDate']}")
        print(f"Format: {event['EventFormat']}")
        print()

        # Get all sessions
        sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event['EventName'])
        print(f"Available sessions: {', '.join(sessions)}")
        print()

        # Load race data
        race = event.get_race()
        race.load()

        print(f"Race loaded successfully:")
        print(f"  - {len(race.laps)} total laps")
        print(f"  - {len(race.drivers)} drivers")
        print(f"  - Winner: {race.results.iloc[0]['Abbreviation']}")

        return race

    except ValueError as e:
        print(f"Error: Invalid round number - {e}")
        return None
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error loading round data: {e}")
        return None

# Load specific rounds
race = load_round_data(2021, 12)  # Belgian GP
race = load_round_data(2021, 1)   # Season opener

When building applications that iterate through a season chronologically, using get_event_by_round() with a simple range loop is more efficient and clearer than iterating through the EventSchedule DataFrame.

`get_event_by_name`

def get_event_by_name(
    year: int,
    name: str,
    exact_match: bool = False
) -> Event

Retrieves an Event object by its name with optional fuzzy matching. This function provides flexible event lookup using event names, partial names, circuit names, or common abbreviations. It’s ideal for interactive use, user-facing applications, or when you don’t know the exact event name format. The fuzzy matching algorithm uses Levenshtein distance and token-based matching to find the closest event name, handling typos, case variations, and partial matches intelligently. For example, “Silverstone”, “British”, “british grand prix”, and “BRITISH GP” will all successfully match the British Grand Prix. Parameters:

int

required

The Formula 1 season year (2018-2026). Must be a year with available schedule data.

str

required

The event name or partial name to search for. The function accepts multiple formats:Full official names:

"Belgian Grand Prix"
"British Grand Prix"
"Monaco Grand Prix"

Partial names:

"Belgian" → matches “Belgian Grand Prix”
"British" → matches “British Grand Prix”
"Monaco" → matches “Monaco Grand Prix”

Circuit names:

"Spa" → matches “Belgian Grand Prix” (Spa-Francorchamps)
"Silverstone" → matches “British Grand Prix”
"Monza" → matches “Italian Grand Prix”

Case-insensitive:

"belgian grand prix", "BELGIAN GP", "Belgian" all work

Testing events:

"Pre-Season Testing" or "Testing" for test sessions

bool

default:"False"

Controls the string matching behavior:

False (default): Uses fuzzy matching algorithm to find the best match. Tolerates typos, partial names, case variations, and common abbreviations.
True: Requires an exact string match (case-sensitive). The provided name must match the official event name character-for-character.

When to use exact_match=True:

Validating user input against known event names
Ensuring no false positives in automated systems
When you have the exact official event name

When to use exact_match=False (default):

Interactive applications where users type event names
When accepting partial or abbreviated input
When you want maximum flexibility

Returns:

Event

An Event object (pandas Series subclass) containing all event metadata and methods for session access.

Raises:

DataNotFoundError: If the event is not found in the specified year’s schedule
NetworkError: If schedule data cannot be fetched from the CDN and no cached data is available
InvalidDataError: If the schedule data is malformed or cannot be parsed

Behavior & Implementation Details:

Fuzzy Matching Algorithm: Uses a combination of Levenshtein distance (edit distance) and token-based matching to find the closest event name. The algorithm tokenizes both the search query and event names, compares tokens, and calculates similarity scores.
Match Scoring: The fuzzy matcher assigns a similarity score to each event name. The event with the highest score above a threshold is returned. If no event scores above the threshold, DataNotFoundError is raised.
Performance: Fuzzy matching is more expensive than round number lookup but still completes in <5ms for cached schedules. The algorithm iterates through all events in the season (typically 20-23 events).
Caching: Event objects are cached after creation. The fuzzy matching itself is not cached, so each call performs the matching algorithm, but the resulting Event object is reused.

Example Usage:

import tif1

# Fuzzy match with partial name
event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, "Belgian")
print(f"Event: {event['EventName']}")
# Output: Event: Belgian Grand Prix

# Fuzzy match with circuit name
event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, "Spa")
print(f"Event: {event['EventName']}")
# Output: Event: Belgian Grand Prix

# Case-insensitive fuzzy match
event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, "belgian grand prix")
event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, "BELGIAN GP")
# Both work and return the same event

# Exact match (strict)
event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix", exact_match=True)
print(f"Event: {event['EventName']}")
# Output: Event: Belgian Grand Prix

# Exact match failure (raises DataNotFoundError)
try:
    event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, "Belgian", exact_match=True)
except tif1.DataNotFoundError as e:
    print(f"Not found: {e}")

# Access event metadata
event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, "Monaco")
print(f"Event: {event['EventName']}")
print(f"Location: {event['Location']}")
print(f"Round: {event['RoundNumber']}")

Advanced Example - User Input Handling:

import tif1

def find_event_interactive(year: int):
    """
    Interactive event finder with fuzzy matching.
    """
    user_input = input(f"Enter event name for {year}: ")

    try:
        event = tif1.get_event_by_name(year, user_input)

        print(f"\nFound: {event['EventName']}")
        print(f"Location: {event['Location']}, {event['Country']}")
        print(f"Round: {event['RoundNumber']}")
        print(f"Date: {event['EventDate']}")
        print(f"Format: {event['EventFormat']}")

        return event

    except tif1.DataNotFoundError:
        print(f"\nNo event found matching '{user_input}' in {year}")
        print("\nAvailable events:")
        schedule = tif1.get_events(year)
        for event_name in schedule['EventName']:
            print(f"  - {event_name}")
        return None

# User can type: "spa", "Belgian", "belgium", "belgian gp", etc.
event = find_event_interactive(2021)

For user-facing applications, fuzzy matching provides excellent UX by accepting partial names and typos. For programmatic access with known event names, use get_event_by_round() for better performance.

`get_event_schedule`

def get_event_schedule(
    year: int,
    include_testing: bool = True
) -> EventSchedule

Retrieves the complete event schedule for a Formula 1 season as an EventSchedule DataFrame. This function provides the most comprehensive view of a season’s calendar, including all Grand Prix events, their sessions, timing information, and metadata. It’s the foundation for season-wide analysis and iteration. The returned EventSchedule object is a specialized pandas DataFrame subclass that includes all the standard DataFrame functionality plus additional F1-specific methods for event lookup and filtering. Each row represents a single Grand Prix event with comprehensive metadata. Parameters:

int

required

The Formula 1 season year (2018-2026). Must be a year with available schedule data.

bool

default:"True"

Controls whether pre-season testing events are included in the returned schedule.

True (default): Includes all events including pre-season testing sessions
False: Excludes testing events, returning only championship Grand Prix events

Use cases for include_testing=False:

Championship analysis (only counting points-scoring events)
Season statistics (excluding non-competitive sessions)
Calendar visualization (showing only race weekends)

Use cases for include_testing=True:

Complete data availability overview
Pre-season analysis and testing data
Comprehensive event iteration

Returns:

EventSchedule

An EventSchedule object (pandas DataFrame subclass) containing all events for the specified year. The DataFrame includes the following columns:Core Event Information:

EventName: Official short name (e.g., “Belgian Grand Prix”)
Location: Circuit or venue name (e.g., “Spa-Francorchamps”)
OfficialEventName: Full official event title with sponsors (e.g., “FORMULA 1 ROLEX BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 2021”)
RoundNumber: Championship round number (1-indexed integer)
Country: Country where the event takes place (e.g., “Belgium”)
EventDate: Main event date as pandas Timestamp (typically race day)
EventFormat: Format type - one of “conventional”, “sprint”, or “testing”

Session Information:

Session1, Session2, Session3, Session4, Session5: Names of available sessions (e.g., “Practice 1”, “Qualifying”, “Race”)
Session1Date, Session2Date, …: Local session start times with timezone information
Session1DateUtc, Session2DateUtc, …: UTC session start times as pandas Timestamps

The EventSchedule object also provides specialized methods:

get_event_by_round(round_number): Get a specific event by round number
get_event_by_name(name, strict_search=False): Get a specific event by name with optional fuzzy matching
get_event(identifier, strict_search=False): Get an event by either round number or name

All standard pandas DataFrame operations are available (filtering, sorting, grouping, etc.).

Raises:

DataNotFoundError: If schedule data is not available for the specified year
NetworkError: If the CDN request fails and no cached data is available
InvalidDataError: If the schedule data is malformed or cannot be parsed

Behavior & Implementation Details:

Data Source: Schedule data is fetched from vendored JSON files (for recent seasons) or the TracingInsights CDN (for historical seasons). The data source is transparent to the user.
Caching: Schedule data is cached in-memory after the first request. Subsequent calls for the same year and include_testing value return cached data instantly.
Testing Events: Testing events typically have EventFormat="testing" and may not have a RoundNumber. They usually appear at the beginning of the season (pre-season testing).
Session Columns: The number of session columns varies by event format. Conventional weekends typically have 5 sessions (FP1, FP2, FP3, Q, R), while sprint weekends may have different configurations. Unused session columns contain NaN or empty strings.
Timezone Handling: Session dates include timezone information. Local times use the circuit’s timezone (e.g., “Europe/Brussels” for Spa), while UTC times are timezone-aware UTC timestamps.
Performance: Initial load takes <200ms for CDN fetch or <10ms for vendored data. Cached access is <1ms.

Example Usage:

import tif1

# Get complete schedule including testing
schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(2021)
print(f"Total events: {len(schedule)}")
# Output: Total events: 23 (including testing)

# Get schedule without testing
schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(2021, include_testing=False)
print(f"Championship events: {len(schedule)}")
# Output: Championship events: 22

# Access DataFrame columns
print(f"Columns: {list(schedule.columns)}")

# Iterate through events
for idx, row in schedule.iterrows():
    print(f"Round {row['RoundNumber']}: {row['EventName']}")

# Get specific event using EventSchedule methods
belgian_gp = schedule.get_event_by_round(12)
print(f"\nRound 12: {belgian_gp['EventName']}")

# Filter events by country
uk_events = schedule[schedule['Country'] == 'United Kingdom']
print(f"\nUK events: {len(uk_events)}")
for event_name in uk_events['EventName']:
    print(f"  - {event_name}")

# Filter sprint weekends
sprint_events = schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'sprint']
print(f"\nSprint weekends: {len(sprint_events)}")

Advanced Example - Season Analysis:

import tif1
import pandas as pd

year = 2021

# Get complete schedule
schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)

print(f"=== {year} F1 Season Analysis ===\n")

# Basic statistics
print(f"Total championship events: {len(schedule)}")
print(f"Sprint weekends: {len(schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'sprint'])}")
print(f"Conventional weekends: {len(schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'conventional'])}")

# Events by country
country_counts = schedule['Country'].value_counts()
print(f"\nEvents by country:")
for country, count in country_counts.items():
    print(f"  {country}: {count}")

# Events by month
schedule['Month'] = pd.to_datetime(schedule['EventDate']).dt.month_name()
month_counts = schedule['Month'].value_counts()
print(f"\nEvents by month:")
for month, count in month_counts.items():
    print(f"  {month}: {count}")

# Find back-to-back races
schedule_sorted = schedule.sort_values('EventDate')
schedule_sorted['DateDiff'] = schedule_sorted['EventDate'].diff().dt.days

back_to_back = schedule_sorted[schedule_sorted['DateDiff'] <= 7]
print(f"\nBack-to-back race weekends:")
for idx, row in back_to_back.iterrows():
    print(f"  {row['EventName']} (Round {row['RoundNumber']})")

Practical Example - Export to CSV:

import tif1

year = 2021

# Get schedule
schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)

# Select relevant columns for export
export_columns = [
    'RoundNumber',
    'EventName',
    'Location',
    'Country',
    'EventDate',
    'EventFormat',
    'Session1',
    'Session2',
    'Session3',
    'Session4',
    'Session5'
]

# Export to CSV
schedule[export_columns].to_csv(f'f1_schedule_{year}.csv', index=False)
print(f"Schedule exported to f1_schedule_{year}.csv")

# Or export to Excel
schedule[export_columns].to_excel(f'f1_schedule_{year}.xlsx', index=False)

Practical Example - Calendar Visualization:

import tif1
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import pandas as pd

year = 2023

# Get schedule
schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)

# Convert EventDate to datetime
schedule['EventDate'] = pd.to_datetime(schedule['EventDate'])

# Create visualization
fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(14, 8))

# Plot events on timeline
for idx, row in schedule.iterrows():
    color = 'red' if row['EventFormat'] == 'sprint' else 'blue'
    ax.scatter(row['EventDate'], row['RoundNumber'],
               c=color, s=100, alpha=0.6)
    ax.text(row['EventDate'], row['RoundNumber'],
            f" {row['EventName']}",
            fontsize=8, va='center')

ax.set_xlabel('Date')
ax.set_ylabel('Round Number')
ax.set_title(f'{year} F1 Calendar')
ax.grid(True, alpha=0.3)

# Add legend
ax.scatter([], [], c='blue', s=100, alpha=0.6, label='Conventional')
ax.scatter([], [], c='red', s=100, alpha=0.6, label='Sprint')
ax.legend()

plt.tight_layout()
plt.savefig(f'f1_calendar_{year}.png', dpi=300)
print(f"Calendar visualization saved to f1_calendar_{year}.png")

Use get_event_schedule() when you need to work with the complete season as a DataFrame for analysis, filtering, or iteration. For single event lookup, use get_event() or get_event_by_round() for better performance.

The get_events(year) function is an alias for get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=True). Both return the same EventSchedule object. Use whichever name is more intuitive for your use case.

Event

The Event class is a pandas Series subclass representing a single Grand Prix event with metadata and session access.

Properties

int

The season year (read-only property).

Series Data Fields

Access event data using dictionary-style indexing:

str

The official event name (e.g., “Belgian Grand Prix”).

str

The event location (e.g., “Spa-Francorchamps”).

str

The full official event name (e.g., “FORMULA 1 ROLEX BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 2021”).

int

The championship round number.

str

The country where the event takes place.

pd.Timestamp

The main event date.

str

The event format (e.g., “conventional”, “sprint”).

str

Session names (e.g., “Practice 1”, “Qualifying”, “Race”).

datetime

Local session date/time with timezone.

pd.Timestamp

UTC session timestamps.

Example:

import tif1

event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")

# Access event data
print(event['EventName'])        # "Belgian Grand Prix"
print(event['Location'])         # "Spa-Francorchamps"
print(event['RoundNumber'])      # 12
print(event.year)                # 2021 (property)

Methods

`get_session(session_name)`

def get_session(session_name: int | str) -> Session

Get a Session object for a specific session within this event. Parameters:

session_name: Session identifier - can be:
- Session name (e.g., “Qualifying”, “Race”)
- Session abbreviation (e.g., “Q”, “R”, “FP1”)
- Session number (e.g., 1, 2, 3)

Returns:

Session object ready to load data

Raises:

ValueError: If the session identifier is invalid or doesn’t exist for this event

Example:

import tif1

event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")

# Get by name
qualifying = event.get_session("Qualifying")
race = event.get_session("Race")

# Get by abbreviation
fp1 = event.get_session("FP1")

# Get by number
practice_1 = event.get_session(1)

# Load data
race.load()
print(f"Drivers: {race.drivers}")

`get_session_name(identifier)`

def get_session_name(identifier: int | str) -> str

Return the canonical session name for a session identifier. Parameters:

identifier: Session number, abbreviation, or partial name

Returns:

Canonical session name

Raises:

ValueError: If the identifier is invalid

Example:

import tif1

event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")
print(event.get_session_name("FP1"))  # "Practice 1"
print(event.get_session_name(1))      # "Practice 1"
print(event.get_session_name("Q"))    # "Qualifying"

`get_session_date(identifier, utc=False)`

def get_session_date(identifier: int | str, utc: bool = False) -> pd.Timestamp

Return the date and time of a specific session. Parameters:

identifier: Session name, abbreviation, or number
utc: If True, return UTC timestamp. If False, return local time with timezone

Returns:

Timestamp for the session

Raises:

ValueError: If session doesn’t exist or local timestamp unavailable

Example:

import tif1

event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")
race_time = event.get_session_date("Race", utc=True)
print(f"Race time (UTC): {race_time}")

`get_race()`

def get_race() -> Session

Return the race session (convenience method).

`get_qualifying()`

def get_qualifying() -> Session

Return the qualifying session (convenience method).

`get_sprint()`

def get_sprint() -> Session

Return the sprint session (convenience method).

`get_sprint_shootout()`

def get_sprint_shootout() -> Session

Return the sprint shootout session (convenience method).

`get_sprint_qualifying()`

def get_sprint_qualifying() -> Session

Return the sprint qualifying session (convenience method).

`get_practice(number)`

def get_practice(number: int) -> Session

Return the specified practice session. Parameters:

number: Practice session number (1, 2, or 3)

Example:

import tif1

event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")
fp1 = event.get_practice(1)
fp2 = event.get_practice(2)

EventSchedule

The EventSchedule class is a pandas DataFrame subclass containing all events for a season.

Properties

int | None

The season year.

Methods

`get_event_by_round(round_number)`

def get_event_by_round(round_number: int) -> Event

Return an Event for a specific championship round. Parameters:

round_number: The round number (1-indexed)

Returns:

Event object

Raises:

ValueError: If the round number is invalid

`get_event_by_name(name, strict_search=False)`

def get_event_by_name(name: str, strict_search: bool = False) -> Event | None

Return an Event by name with optional fuzzy matching. Parameters:

name: Event name
strict_search: If True, requires exact match

Returns:

Event object or None if not found

`get_event(identifier, strict_search=False)`

def get_event(identifier: int | str, strict_search: bool = False) -> Event | None

Return an Event by round number or name. Parameters:

identifier: Round number (int) or event name (str)
strict_search: If True, requires exact name match

Returns:

Event object or None if not found

Example:

import tif1

schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(2021)

# Get by round
belgian_gp = schedule.get_event_by_round(12)

# Get by name
belgian_gp = schedule.get_event_by_name("Belgian Grand Prix")

# Get by either
belgian_gp = schedule.get_event(12)
belgian_gp = schedule.get_event("Belgian")

Session name formats

While tif1 is flexible with session names, use these standard formats for consistency:

Session Type	Standard Name
Practice	`Practice 1`, `Practice 2`, `Practice 3`
Qualifying	`Qualifying`
Sprint Qualifying	`Sprint Qualifying`, `Sprint Shootout`
Sprint Race	`Sprint`
Main Race	`Race`
Testing	`Pre-Season Testing`

tif1 uses fuzzy matching internally, so “P1”, “FP1”, and “Practice 1” all resolve to the same session. However, using standard names improves code clarity.

Complete Examples

List all events and sessions

import tif1

year = 2021

# Get all events (returns EventSchedule DataFrame)
schedule = tif1.get_events(year)
print(f"Season {year} has {len(schedule)} events\n")

# Get sessions for each event
for event_name in schedule['EventName']:
    sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event_name)
    print(f"{event_name}:")
    for session in sessions:
        print(f"  - {session}")
    print()

Work with event objects

import tif1

# Get event by round (Belgian GP was round 12 in 2021)
event = tif1.get_event_by_round(2021, 12)
print(f"Round 12: {event['EventName']}")
print(f"Location: {event['Location']}")

# Get all sessions for this event
sessions = tif1.get_sessions(event.year, event['EventName']})
print(f"Sessions: {sessions}")

# Load a specific session
race = event.get_session("Race")
race.load()
print(f"Drivers: {race.drivers}")

Fuzzy event matching

import tif1

# All of these work with fuzzy matching
event1 = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian")
event2 = tif1.get_event(2021, "belgian grand prix")
event3 = tif1.get_event(2021, "BELGIAN GP")

# All resolve to the same event
assert event1['EventName'] == event2['EventName'] == event3['EventName']
print(event1['EventName'])  # "Belgian Grand Prix"

Iterate through season

import tif1

year = 2021
schedule = tif1.get_events(year)

# Iterate through DataFrame rows
for idx, row in schedule.iterrows():
    round_num = row['RoundNumber']
    event_name = row['EventName']
    location = row['Location']

    sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event_name)

    print(f"Round {round_num}: {event_name}")
    print(f"  Location: {location}")
    print(f"  Sessions: {', '.join(sessions)}")

Multi-year comparison

import tif1
import pandas as pd

# Compare event counts across multiple years
years = range(2018, 2025)
year_stats = []

for year in years:
    schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)

    stats = {
        'Year': year,
        'Total Events': len(schedule),
        'Sprint Weekends': len(schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'sprint']),
        'Conventional Weekends': len(schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'conventional']),
        'Unique Countries': schedule['Country'].nunique()
    }
    year_stats.append(stats)

# Create comparison DataFrame
comparison = pd.DataFrame(year_stats)
print(comparison.to_string(index=False))

# Output:
#  Year  Total Events  Sprint Weekends  Conventional Weekends  Unique Countries
#  2018            21                0                     21                20
#  2019            21                0                     21                20
#  2020            17                0                     17                15
#  2021            22                3                     19                21
#  2022            22                3                     19                21
#  2023            23                6                     17                21
#  2024            24                6                     18                22

Find events by criteria

import tif1

year = 2023
schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)

# Find all European events
european_countries = [
    'Belgium', 'Netherlands', 'Italy', 'Monaco', 'Spain',
    'Austria', 'United Kingdom', 'Hungary', 'Azerbaijan'
]
european_events = schedule[schedule['Country'].isin(european_countries)]

print(f"European events in {year}: {len(european_events)}")
for idx, row in european_events.iterrows():
    print(f"  Round {row['RoundNumber']:2d}: {row['EventName']:30s} ({row['Country']})")

# Find events in specific months
import pandas as pd
schedule['Month'] = pd.to_datetime(schedule['EventDate']).dt.month

summer_events = schedule[schedule['Month'].isin([6, 7, 8])]
print(f"\nSummer events (Jun-Aug): {len(summer_events)}")
for idx, row in summer_events.iterrows():
    print(f"  {row['EventName']} - {row['EventDate'].strftime('%B %d')}")

Load all sessions for an event

import tif1

year = 2021
event_name = "Monaco Grand Prix"

# Get the event
event = tif1.get_event(year, event_name)
print(f"Loading all sessions for {event['EventName']}")
print(f"Location: {event['Location']}, {event['Country']}")
print(f"Date: {event['EventDate']}")
print()

# Get all available sessions
sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event_name)

# Load each session
session_data = {}
for session_name in sessions:
    print(f"Loading {session_name}...")

    try:
        session = event.get_session(session_name)
        session.load(laps=True, telemetry=False, messages=False)

        session_data[session_name] = session

        print(f"  ✓ Loaded {len(session.laps)} laps from {len(session.drivers)} drivers")
        print(f"  ✓ Fastest lap: {session.laps['LapTime'].min()}")

    except Exception as e:
        print(f"  ✗ Failed: {e}")

    print()

# Analyze across sessions
print("Session Summary:")
for session_name, session in session_data.items():
    print(f"  {session_name:15s}: {len(session.laps):4d} laps, {len(session.drivers):2d} drivers")

Build a season calendar

import tif1
from datetime import datetime, timedelta

year = 2023
schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)

print(f"=== {year} Formula 1 World Championship Calendar ===\n")

current_month = None

for idx, row in schedule.iterrows():
    event_date = pd.to_datetime(row['EventDate'])
    month_name = event_date.strftime('%B %Y')

    # Print month header
    if month_name != current_month:
        print(f"\n{month_name}")
        print("=" * 60)
        current_month = month_name

    # Format event info
    round_num = row['RoundNumber']
    event_name = row['EventName']
    location = row['Location']
    country = row['Country']
    event_format = row['EventFormat']

    # Format indicator
    format_indicator = " [SPRINT]" if event_format == 'sprint' else ""

    print(f"Round {round_num:2d}: {event_name}{format_indicator}")
    print(f"          {location}, {country}")
    print(f"          {event_date.strftime('%A, %B %d, %Y')}")

    # Show session schedule
    sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event_name)
    print(f"          Sessions: {', '.join(sessions)}")
    print()

Analyze sprint weekend evolution

import tif1

# Analyze how sprint weekends have evolved
years = [2021, 2022, 2023, 2024]

print("=== Sprint Weekend Evolution ===\n")

for year in years:
    schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)
    sprint_events = schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'sprint']

    print(f"{year}: {len(sprint_events)} sprint weekends")

    for idx, row in sprint_events.iterrows():
        event_name = row['EventName']
        sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event_name)

        print(f"  - {event_name}")
        print(f"    Sessions: {sessions}")

    print()

# Output shows how sprint format changed:
# 2021: 3 sprint weekends (Sprint Qualifying format)
# 2022: 3 sprint weekends (Sprint format)
# 2023: 6 sprint weekends (Sprint Shootout format)
# 2024: 6 sprint weekends (Sprint Shootout format)

Export season data to multiple formats

import tif1
import json

year = 2023
schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)

# Export to CSV
schedule.to_csv(f'f1_schedule_{year}.csv', index=False)
print(f"Exported to f1_schedule_{year}.csv")

# Export to Excel with formatting
with pd.ExcelWriter(f'f1_schedule_{year}.xlsx', engine='openpyxl') as writer:
    schedule.to_excel(writer, sheet_name='Schedule', index=False)

    # Add a summary sheet
    summary = pd.DataFrame({
        'Metric': [
            'Total Events',
            'Sprint Weekends',
            'Conventional Weekends',
            'Unique Countries',
            'Unique Locations'
        ],
        'Value': [
            len(schedule),
            len(schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'sprint']),
            len(schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'conventional']),
            schedule['Country'].nunique(),
            schedule['Location'].nunique()
        ]
    })
    summary.to_excel(writer, sheet_name='Summary', index=False)

print(f"Exported to f1_schedule_{year}.xlsx")

# Export to JSON
schedule_dict = schedule.to_dict(orient='records')
with open(f'f1_schedule_{year}.json', 'w') as f:
    json.dump(schedule_dict, f, indent=2, default=str)
print(f"Exported to f1_schedule_{year}.json")

Build an event lookup CLI tool

import tif1
import sys

def event_lookup_cli():
    """
    Simple CLI tool for looking up F1 events.
    Usage: python event_lookup.py <year> <event_name_or_round>
    """
    if len(sys.argv) < 3:
        print("Usage: python event_lookup.py <year> <event_name_or_round>")
        print("Example: python event_lookup.py 2021 Monaco")
        print("Example: python event_lookup.py 2021 12")
        sys.exit(1)

    year = int(sys.argv[1])
    identifier = sys.argv[2]

    # Try to parse as round number
    try:
        round_num = int(identifier)
        event = tif1.get_event_by_round(year, round_num)
    except ValueError:
        # It's a name, use fuzzy matching
        event = tif1.get_event_by_name(year, identifier)

    if event is None:
        print(f"Event not found: {identifier}")
        print(f"\nAvailable events in {year}:")
        schedule = tif1.get_events(year)
        for event_name in schedule['EventName']:
            print(f"  - {event_name}")
        sys.exit(1)

    # Display event information
    print(f"\n{'='*60}")
    print(f"{event['EventName']}")
    print(f"{'='*60}")
    print(f"Location:      {event['Location']}, {event['Country']}")
    print(f"Round:         {event['RoundNumber']}")
    print(f"Date:          {event['EventDate']}")
    print(f"Format:        {event['EventFormat']}")
    print(f"Official Name: {event['OfficialEventName']}")
    print()

    # Display sessions
    sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event['EventName'])
    print(f"Sessions ({len(sessions)}):")
    for i, session_name in enumerate(sessions, 1):
        print(f"  {i}. {session_name}")
    print()

    # Display session times if available
    print("Session Schedule:")
    for session_name in sessions:
        try:
            session_time = event.get_session_date(session_name, utc=False)
            session_time_utc = event.get_session_date(session_name, utc=True)
            print(f"  {session_name:20s}: {session_time} ({session_time_utc} UTC)")
        except:
            print(f"  {session_name:20s}: Time not available")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    event_lookup_cli()

Track calendar changes across years

import tif1
import pandas as pd

def compare_calendars(year1: int, year2: int):
    """
    Compare F1 calendars between two years.
    """
    schedule1 = tif1.get_event_schedule(year1, include_testing=False)
    schedule2 = tif1.get_event_schedule(year2, include_testing=False)

    events1 = set(schedule1['EventName'])
    events2 = set(schedule2['EventName'])

    # Find differences
    new_events = events2 - events1
    removed_events = events1 - events2
    common_events = events1 & events2

    print(f"=== Calendar Comparison: {year1} vs {year2} ===\n")

    print(f"Total events: {len(events1)} ({year1}) → {len(events2)} ({year2})")
    print(f"Common events: {len(common_events)}")
    print()

    if new_events:
        print(f"New in {year2}:")
        for event in sorted(new_events):
            event_data = schedule2[schedule2['EventName'] == event].iloc[0]
            print(f"  + {event} ({event_data['Country']})")
        print()

    if removed_events:
        print(f"Removed from {year1}:")
        for event in sorted(removed_events):
            event_data = schedule1[schedule1['EventName'] == event].iloc[0]
            print(f"  - {event} ({event_data['Country']})")
        print()

    # Check for round number changes
    print("Round number changes:")
    for event_name in common_events:
        round1 = schedule1[schedule1['EventName'] == event_name].iloc[0]['RoundNumber']
        round2 = schedule2[schedule2['EventName'] == event_name].iloc[0]['RoundNumber']

        if round1 != round2:
            print(f"  {event_name}: Round {round1} → Round {round2}")

# Compare consecutive years
compare_calendars(2022, 2023)
compare_calendars(2023, 2024)

Best Practices

Performance Optimization

1. Use round numbers when possible Round number lookups are O(1) operations and don’t require fuzzy matching:

# Fast - direct index lookup
event = tif1.get_event_by_round(2021, 12)

# Slower - requires fuzzy matching
event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, "Belgian")

2. Cache schedule data for repeated queries If you’re making multiple queries for the same year, fetch the schedule once:

# Good - fetch once, query many times
schedule = tif1.get_events(2021)
for round_num in range(1, len(schedule) + 1):
    event = schedule.get_event_by_round(round_num)
    # Process event...

# Less efficient - fetches schedule on every call
for round_num in range(1, 23):
    event = tif1.get_event_by_round(2021, round_num)  # Refetches schedule each time
    # Process event...

3. Use include_testing=False when appropriate If you don’t need testing events, exclude them to reduce data size:

# Only championship events
schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(2021, include_testing=False)

4. Leverage pandas operations for filtering Use pandas DataFrame operations for efficient filtering:

schedule = tif1.get_events(2021)

# Efficient - uses pandas vectorized operations
sprint_events = schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'sprint']

# Less efficient - Python loop
sprint_events = []
for idx, row in schedule.iterrows():
    if row['EventFormat'] == 'sprint':
        sprint_events.append(row)

Error Handling

1. Always handle DataNotFoundError Event and session data may not always be available:

import tif1

try:
    event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian")
    race = event.get_race()
    race.load()
except tif1.DataNotFoundError as e:
    print(f"Data not found: {e}")
except tif1.NetworkError as e:
    print(f"Network error: {e}")

2. Validate round numbers Check round number validity before lookup:

schedule = tif1.get_events(2021)
max_rounds = len(schedule)

round_num = 25  # User input

if 1 <= round_num <= max_rounds:
    event = tif1.get_event_by_round(2021, round_num)
else:
    print(f"Invalid round number. Must be between 1 and {max_rounds}")

3. Handle fuzzy matching ambiguity When using fuzzy matching, verify the result:

user_input = "Grand Prix"  # Very generic

event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, user_input)

# Confirm with user
print(f"Found: {event['EventName']}")
confirm = input("Is this correct? (y/n): ")

if confirm.lower() != 'y':
    # Show alternatives
    schedule = tif1.get_events(2021)
    print("Available events:")
    for event_name in schedule['EventName']:
        print(f"  - {event_name}")

Code Organization

1. Create helper functions for common patterns

import tif1

def load_race_for_event(year: int, event_identifier: int | str):
    """
    Helper to load race data for any event identifier.
    """
    event = tif1.get_event(year, event_identifier)
    if event is None:
        raise ValueError(f"Event not found: {event_identifier}")

    race = event.get_race()
    race.load()
    return race

def get_sprint_weekends(year: int) -> list[str]:
    """
    Get list of sprint weekend event names for a year.
    """
    schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)
    sprint_events = schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'sprint']
    return sprint_events['EventName'].tolist()

# Usage
race = load_race_for_event(2021, 12)
sprint_weekends = get_sprint_weekends(2023)

2. Use type hints for clarity

from typing import Optional
import tif1

def find_event_by_country(
    year: int,
    country: str
) -> Optional[tif1.Event]:
    """
    Find the first event in a specific country.
    """
    schedule = tif1.get_events(year)
    events = schedule[schedule['Country'] == country]

    if len(events) == 0:
        return None

    return events.iloc[0]

3. Document expected data availability

def analyze_qualifying_performance(year: int, event_name: str):
    """
    Analyze qualifying performance for an event.

    Note: Requires qualifying session data to be available.
    May raise DataNotFoundError if qualifying data is missing.
    """
    event = tif1.get_event(year, event_name)
    qualifying = event.get_qualifying()
    qualifying.load()

    # Analysis code...

Data Validation

1. Verify session availability before loading

year = 2021
event_name = "Belgian Grand Prix"

# Check what sessions are available
available_sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event_name)

if "Sprint" in available_sessions:
    event = tif1.get_event(year, event_name)
    sprint = event.get_sprint()
    sprint.load()
else:
    print("No sprint session available for this event")

2. Validate event format expectations

event = tif1.get_event(2023, "Monaco")

if event['EventFormat'] == 'sprint':
    print("This is a sprint weekend")
    # Load sprint-specific data
elif event['EventFormat'] == 'conventional':
    print("This is a conventional weekend")
    # Load conventional weekend data

3. Check data completeness

event = tif1.get_event(2021, 12)
sessions = tif1.get_sessions(2021, event['EventName'])

print(f"Event: {event['EventName']}")
print(f"Available sessions: {len(sessions)}")

# Conventional weekend should have 5 sessions
if event['EventFormat'] == 'conventional' and len(sessions) < 5:
    print("Warning: Some sessions may be missing data")

Testing and Development

1. Use known events for testing

# Reliable test cases
def test_event_lookup():
    # Monaco is always in the calendar
    event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, "Monaco")
    assert event is not None
    assert event['Country'] == 'Monaco'

    # Round 1 always exists
    event = tif1.get_event_by_round(2021, 1)
    assert event is not None

2. Mock network calls in tests

import pytest
from unittest.mock import patch

def test_event_loading_with_network_error():
    with patch('tif1.events._load_f1schedule_year_from_cdn') as mock_cdn:
        mock_cdn.side_effect = tif1.NetworkError("CDN unavailable")

        # Should fall back to vendored data or raise error
        with pytest.raises(tif1.NetworkError):
            schedule = tif1.get_events(2015)  # Year without vendored data

3. Test fuzzy matching edge cases

def test_fuzzy_matching():
    # Test various input formats
    test_cases = [
        ("Belgian", "Belgian Grand Prix"),
        ("belgian grand prix", "Belgian Grand Prix"),
        ("BELGIAN GP", "Belgian Grand Prix"),
        ("Spa", "Belgian Grand Prix"),
    ]

    for input_name, expected_name in test_cases:
        event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, input_name)
        assert event['EventName'] == expected_name

Common Patterns

Pattern: Season-wide analysis

import tif1

def analyze_season(year: int):
    """
    Comprehensive season analysis.
    """
    schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)

    results = {
        'year': year,
        'total_events': len(schedule),
        'sprint_weekends': len(schedule[schedule['EventFormat'] == 'sprint']),
        'countries': schedule['Country'].nunique(),
        'locations': schedule['Location'].nunique(),
        'events_by_country': schedule['Country'].value_counts().to_dict(),
    }

    return results

# Analyze multiple years
for year in range(2021, 2025):
    stats = analyze_season(year)
    print(f"{year}: {stats['total_events']} events, {stats['sprint_weekends']} sprints")

Pattern: Event discovery workflow

import tif1

def discover_and_load_event(year: int, user_query: str):
    """
    Complete workflow: discover event, show info, load data.
    """
    # Step 1: Find event
    try:
        event = tif1.get_event(year, user_query)
    except tif1.DataNotFoundError:
        print(f"Event not found: {user_query}")
        return None

    # Step 2: Display event info
    print(f"\nFound: {event['EventName']}")
    print(f"Location: {event['Location']}, {event['Country']}")
    print(f"Round: {event['RoundNumber']}")
    print(f"Date: {event['EventDate']}")
    print(f"Format: {event['EventFormat']}")

    # Step 3: Show available sessions
    sessions = tif1.get_sessions(year, event['EventName'])
    print(f"\nAvailable sessions:")
    for i, session in enumerate(sessions, 1):
        print(f"  {i}. {session}")

    # Step 4: Load race data
    print(f"\nLoading race data...")
    race = event.get_race()
    race.load()

    print(f"✓ Loaded {len(race.laps)} laps from {len(race.drivers)} drivers")

    return race

# Usage
race = discover_and_load_event(2021, "Monaco")

Pattern: Batch processing

import tif1

def process_all_races_in_season(year: int, processor_func):
    """
    Apply a processing function to all races in a season.
    """
    schedule = tif1.get_event_schedule(year, include_testing=False)
    results = {}

    for idx, row in schedule.iterrows():
        event_name = row['EventName']
        round_num = row['RoundNumber']

        print(f"Processing Round {round_num}: {event_name}...")

        try:
            event = tif1.get_event_by_round(year, round_num)
            race = event.get_race()
            race.load()

            # Apply custom processing
            result = processor_func(race)
            results[event_name] = result

            print(f"  ✓ Success")

        except Exception as e:
            print(f"  ✗ Failed: {e}")
            results[event_name] = None

    return results

# Example processor
def calculate_race_stats(race):
    return {
        'total_laps': len(race.laps),
        'drivers': len(race.drivers),
        'fastest_lap': race.laps['LapTime'].min(),
        'winner': race.results.iloc[0]['Abbreviation']
    }

# Process entire season
stats = process_all_races_in_season(2021, calculate_race_stats)

Troubleshooting

Issue: Event not found with fuzzy matching

Problem: get_event_by_name() raises DataNotFoundError even though the event exists. Solution: The event name might be too generic or ambiguous. Try:

# 1. List all available events
schedule = tif1.get_events(2021)
print(schedule['EventName'].tolist())

# 2. Use more specific name
event = tif1.get_event_by_name(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")  # Full name

# 3. Use round number instead
event = tif1.get_event_by_round(2021, 12)  # More reliable

Issue: Session not available

Problem: get_session() raises ValueError for a session that should exist. Solution: Check actual session availability:

# Check what sessions are actually available
sessions = tif1.get_sessions(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")
print(f"Available sessions: {sessions}")

# Use exact session name from the list
event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")
race = event.get_session(sessions[-1])  # Last session is usually the race

Issue: Network errors

Problem: NetworkError when fetching schedule data. Solution: The CDN might be unavailable. Recent years use vendored data:

try:
    schedule = tif1.get_events(2021)
except tif1.NetworkError as e:
    print(f"Network error: {e}")
    print("Try a more recent year with vendored data")

    # Recent years (2023+) typically have vendored data
    schedule = tif1.get_events(2024)

Issue: Incorrect round numbers

Problem: Round numbers don’t match expectations. Solution: Round numbers can change between years:

# Don't assume round numbers are consistent across years
# Monaco might be round 5 in one year, round 7 in another

# Instead, use event names
for year in [2021, 2022, 2023]:
    event = tif1.get_event_by_name(year, "Monaco")
    print(f"{year}: Monaco is round {event['RoundNumber']}")

Issue: Missing session timing data

Problem: get_session_date() raises ValueError. Solution: Not all events have complete timing data:

event = tif1.get_event(2021, "Belgian Grand Prix")

try:
    race_time = event.get_session_date("Race", utc=True)
    print(f"Race time: {race_time}")
except ValueError:
    print("Session timing data not available")
    # Fall back to event date
    print(f"Event date: {event['EventDate']}")

Core API

Load and work with session data (Session, Laps, Telemetry)

Schedule Validation

Schedule data validation and schema

HTTP & Networking

CDN fetching, caching, and network configuration

Data Flow

Understand how event data flows through tif1

Caching Strategy

Learn about tif1’s caching mechanisms

CLI Usage

Use tif1’s command-line interface for event discovery

API Reference Summary

Functions

Function	Purpose	Returns
`get_events(year)`	Get all events for a year	`EventSchedule`
`get_sessions(year, event)`	Get session list for an event	`list[str]`
`get_event(year, gp, exact_match)`	Get event by round or name	`Event \| None`
`get_event_by_round(year, round_number)`	Get event by round number	`Event`
`get_event_by_name(year, name, exact_match)`	Get event by name	`Event`
`get_event_schedule(year, include_testing)`	Get complete schedule	`EventSchedule`

Classes

Class	Extends	Purpose
`Event`	`pd.Series`	Single Grand Prix event with metadata and session access
`EventSchedule`	`pd.DataFrame`	Complete season schedule with event lookup methods

Key Properties

Event properties:

year: Season year (int)
EventName: Official event name (str)
Location: Circuit name (str)
Country: Country (str)
RoundNumber: Championship round (int)
EventDate: Event date (Timestamp)
EventFormat: “conventional”, “sprint”, or “testing” (str)

EventSchedule properties:

year: Season year (int | None)
All pandas DataFrame properties and methods

Version History

Changes in tif1 2.0

Added EventSchedule class with enhanced lookup methods
Improved fuzzy matching algorithm for event names
Added include_testing parameter to get_event_schedule()
Enhanced session timing data with timezone support
Added vendored schedule data for recent seasons
Improved error messages and exception handling

Deprecated Features

None. The events API is stable and fully supported.

Need help? If you encounter issues with the events API, check the Troubleshooting section above or open an issue on GitHub with details about your use case.

​Overview

​Core Capabilities

​Architecture & Design Philosophy

​Data Sources & Availability

​Core Functions

​get_events

​get_sessions

​get_event

​get_event_by_round

​get_event_by_name

​get_event_schedule

​Event

​Properties

​Series Data Fields

​Methods

​get_session(session_name)

​get_session_name(identifier)

​get_session_date(identifier, utc=False)

​get_race()

​get_qualifying()

​get_sprint()

​get_sprint_shootout()

​get_sprint_qualifying()

​get_practice(number)

​EventSchedule

​Properties

​Methods

​get_event_by_round(round_number)

​get_event_by_name(name, strict_search=False)

​get_event(identifier, strict_search=False)

​Session name formats

​Complete Examples

​List all events and sessions

​Work with event objects

​Fuzzy event matching

​Iterate through season

​Multi-year comparison

​Find events by criteria

​Load all sessions for an event

​Build a season calendar

​Analyze sprint weekend evolution

​Export season data to multiple formats

​Build an event lookup CLI tool

​Track calendar changes across years

​Best Practices

​Performance Optimization

​Error Handling

​Code Organization

​Data Validation

​Testing and Development

​Common Patterns

​Pattern: Season-wide analysis

​Pattern: Event discovery workflow

​Pattern: Batch processing

​Troubleshooting

​Issue: Event not found with fuzzy matching

​Issue: Session not available

​Issue: Network errors

​Issue: Incorrect round numbers

​Issue: Missing session timing data

​Related Pages

Core API

Schedule Validation

HTTP & Networking

Data Flow

Caching Strategy

CLI Usage

​API Reference Summary

​Functions

​Classes

​Key Properties

​Version History

​Changes in tif1 2.0

​Deprecated Features

Overview

Core Capabilities

Architecture & Design Philosophy

Data Sources & Availability

Core Functions

`get_events`

`get_sessions`

`get_event`

`get_event_by_round`

`get_event_by_name`

`get_event_schedule`

Event

Properties

Series Data Fields

Methods

`get_session(session_name)`

`get_session_name(identifier)`

`get_session_date(identifier, utc=False)`

`get_race()`

`get_qualifying()`

`get_sprint()`

`get_sprint_shootout()`

`get_sprint_qualifying()`

`get_practice(number)`

EventSchedule

Properties

Methods

`get_event_by_round(round_number)`

`get_event_by_name(name, strict_search=False)`

`get_event(identifier, strict_search=False)`

Session name formats

Complete Examples

List all events and sessions

Work with event objects

Fuzzy event matching

Iterate through season

Multi-year comparison

Find events by criteria

Load all sessions for an event

Build a season calendar

Analyze sprint weekend evolution

Export season data to multiple formats

Build an event lookup CLI tool

Track calendar changes across years

Best Practices

Performance Optimization

Error Handling

Code Organization

Data Validation

Testing and Development

Common Patterns

Pattern: Season-wide analysis

Pattern: Event discovery workflow

Pattern: Batch processing

Troubleshooting

Issue: Event not found with fuzzy matching

Issue: Session not available

Issue: Network errors

Issue: Incorrect round numbers

Issue: Missing session timing data

Related Pages

API Reference Summary

Functions

Classes

Key Properties

Version History

Changes in tif1 2.0

Deprecated Features