Motorsport Terminology - M

M

Marbles

Pieces of rubber from tires that accumulate on the racing surface outside of the racing line that are slippery like toy marbles.

Marshal

A person responsible for signaling track conditions to drivers (through use of flags), extinguishing fires, removing damaged cars from the track and sometimes providing emergency first aid.

Meatball

A specific racing flag used in some countries to indicate to a competitor there is a defect with the car which has the potential to cause a safety risk to the competitor or to another competitor. Most usually applied to trailing smoke or loose bodywork. The flag is black with a large orange dot in the centre of the flag, looking vaguely like a meatball.

Meth

(drag racing) refers to methanol injection used in conjunction with racing gasoline

Mickey Mouse corner

A pejorative term for a corner or series of corners on a circuit that are thought to be poorly-designed, slow, uncompetitive, uninteresting, and which detract from the overall challenge of the course. In some cases where the entire course is deemed poorly-designed, it can be referred to as a "Mickey Mouse track."

Mill

any internal combustion engine used in a race car (inherited from hot rodding slang)

Missing man formation

The vehicle on the pole position drops back a row during a pace lap to salute a deceased motorsport personality.

Mobile chicane

Disparaging slang. A competitor noticeably slower than the front running pace, so slow as to be a 'chicane that moves around the track'.

Monsoon wet

Increasingly common nickname for an extreme weather version of the wet weather tyre.

Motorsport Valley

A tag given to the mid-south of England by the Motorsport Industry Association where high concentration of activities within the motorsport industry on and off track occur.

Mountain motor

(mainly North American) term for large-displacement engines, often used in hot rods and drag racers. Named for their size (over 8,100 cubic centimetres, or 500 cubic inches, the limit in some sanctioning bodies), and for being constructed in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina.

Murrayism

A verbal gaffe made by motor racing sportscaster, named in honour of veteran Formula One broadcaster, Murray Walker.