History of Formula 1: How It Was Established and How It Is Going

The history of Formula 1 is full of interesting facts you couldn’t think of. The competition which is almost 100 years old has changed a lot during this time, starting from safety measures and ending with dominating constructors. Take a look at the major points in the history of the most famous car racing competition ever.

It is difficult to find a person these days who has not heard of Formula 1 one way or another. It has been one of the most exciting, prestigious, and popular sports in the world. Incredible battles between the best-of-the-best on different circuits in different countries. One can watch it on TV on a streaming service, and the most dedicated buy tickets to see the events live to support their favorite driver.

Nowadays, attendance per racing weekend fluctuates between 150 000 and 350 000 visitors on the most important or legendary races. Millions of fans bet on future winners at online gambling sites in Italy. But how did F1 become so popular? Let’s take a look at the detailed history of Formula 1.

Origins of Formula 1

The history of Formula 1 began in the 1920s when a background for a racing championship started to form. Grand Prix were quite common back in the day but those belonged to independent businesses. In the 1930s a series called the European Championship emerged. It was the first proper open-wheel competition between drivers in Europe.

In 1941 the teams participating in the tournament were ready to go to the next level, however, because of WWII those plans crashed. In 1946, two important changes happened. The Federation International de l’Automobile (FIA) was formed and sets of rules & protocols (‘formula’) for the tournament was established. This was the beginning of Formula 1.

The first F1 Grand Prix and First Success

The first Grand Prix of Formula 1 took place in Silverstone in 1950. Generally, the 1950s and 1960s were rough times for this sport as it gained popularity very slowly. Races took place in Europe and sometimes in North America. Drivers’ safety didn’t practically exist as it included a leather helmet and a seatbelt. 

In the 1970s, as maximum speed was breaking records each year, aerodynamics started to play a much more significant role in succeeding in the sport. Lotus was the first team to use aviation industry tools and technology to improve traction with the track.

The experiment was successful, and the history of Formula 1 began to include more and more names. The most notable drivers from the era were Juan-Manuel Fangio, Alberto Ascari, Jim Clark, Bruce McLaren, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, James Hunt, and Mario Andretti.

On the Way to the Top

The golden age of F1 began with the 1980s and popularization of the sport due to the hard work of Bernie Ecclestone. The next year, the tournament received its current title – Formula 1 World Championship. 

The 1980s were dominated by a new generation of legendary teams such as Williams and McLaren. However, it was also a deadly era in the beginning of the decade. Two drivers lost their lives, and one was heavily injured in 1982 alone. In 1984 the FIA mandated manufacturers to reduce horsepower in their engines and in 1988 carbon-fiber monocoque was added as an obligatory safety measure. 

The 1990s can be divided into two parts: before Ayrton Senna’s fatal crash and after. Before 1994, F1 belonged to Senna, Alain Prost, and Nigel Mansell. After the crash at Imola F1 was going to change in every way. Alongside new safety regulations a new generation of champions and generally great drivers took their chance. Michael Schumacher with Benetton claimed the 1994 and 1995 titles. Damon Hill took the leadership in 1996 dominating the season with Williams and his new teammate Jacques Villeneuve.

The end of the decade saw the McLaren revival. Mika Hakkinen dominated 1998 and 1999 seasons beating Ferrari. Other notable drivers included David Coulthard, Rubens Barrichello, Ralf Schumacher, Giancarlo Fisichella, Jean Alesi, and Olivier Panis.

History of Formula 1 in the 21st century

The modern history of Formula 1 started in the 2000s with Ferrari crushing any of their opponents. Michael Schumacher won five consecutive titles and became a leader at online betting sites throughout the world. Until 2005, after several revisions of technical rules, a young Spaniard Fernando Alonso brought the Schumacher era to an end taking two titles in 2005 and 2006 with Renault. 

Seasons 2007 and 2008 looked like a Ferrari renaissance with Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa fighting for the titles with a McLaren prodigy Lewis Hamilton. The 2008 finale at Interlagos up to this day is one of the most famous climaxes in the history of F1.

The last season of the decade is downright unique, and probability of this happening again is very slim – a newly established Brawn GP from bankrupt Honda F1 Team took both Drivers’ (Jenson Button) and Constructors’ titles. The team ultimately was bought by Mercedes in order to create their own factory team. 

What about names? Besides Schumacher, some of the most important drivers from that era were Juan Pablo Montoya, Nick Heidfeld, Mark Webber, Nico Rosberg, and Takuma Sato.

How is F1 doing today? 

F1 had changed significantly since the 2008 season. In 14 years, there were four major technical regulations changes in order to improve the sport, some being questionable, some were controversial. Four-year domination of Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel from 2010 to 2013 ended because of Mercedes. They adapted to newest regulations the best. In 2014-2016 no other driver could challenge Hamilton or Rosberg and those years’ titles belonged to them. 

In 2017, following Rosberg’s retirement, the Mercedes domination continued, though there were initial hopes that Vettel and Ferrari could win in 2017 and 2018. Only in 2021 Red Bull Honda and Max Verstappen took their opportunity before the next regulations change and in arguably the most dramatic season in history of F1 claimed the Driver’s title for Verstappen on the last lap of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

Late 2010s and early 2020s were full of other incredible drivers such as Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, Valtteri Bottas, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Daniel Ricciardo, and Lando Norris. Bet on one of them to win the 2022 F1 season at Bet365 Sportsbook.

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