A history of the F1 Championship

The modern era of the Formula One World Championship began in 1950, but the roots of Formula One are much older and can be traced back to the pioneering road races in France, that were first held back in the 1890s. Much has changed since the beginnings of F1; the cars, strategies, circuits, technology and safety, not to mention the public interest and fan base, have all developed significantly since the first Grand Prix Championship race in 1950.

However, one thing remains the same, the thrill, the energy and enthusiasm of the spectators for the teams, drivers and of course the race. With the advent of technology, the internet and satellite TV, F1 has never had a bigger following than it has today. Now people all over the world can watch live, as their favorite drivers and teams compete for the F1 World Championship title.

The first motor race using the name 'Grand Prix' was held in 1901 and was the French Grand Prix, at Le Mans. This race was won by Ferencz Szisz, driving a Renault, who covered the 1,120km (700mi) at an average speed of 100kph (63mph). It was only later, in the 1908 Grand Prix, that so-called 'pit stops' and 'pit area' were added - mainstays of F1 racing as we know it today. However, back then, these so-called pit-stops were muddy ditches on the side of the road, as the race cars were so mechanically unreliable and tyres far less resilient. Subsequent Grand Prix races were held primarily in France, in places such as Lyon and Dieppe, but World War I quickly put an end to these races. Grand Prix racing then floundered until after World War II.

The first Formula One World Championship, under the jurisdiction of the FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) took place in 1950. The FIA is still the governing body for F1 even today. This was the first year of the F1 World Championship Grand Prix races as we know them. The first race was at the Silverstone circuit in the UK in May of 1950, witnessed by King George VI. There were a total of 21 cars on the grid, and Nino Farina, driving for Alfa Romeo, took the first ever pole position and eventually won the race over two hours later. He was followed by his team mate Luigi Fagioli and Briton Reg Parnell. The Grand Prix calendar that year had only six races: Britain, Monaco, the Indy 500, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy. At the end of the season, Nino Farina was declared overall champion with 30 points, followed by his team mate Luigi Faglioli with 28 points.

The 1970s and 1980s were an important era for F1 racing, this is when F1 technology developed at a furious pace. Wings, turbocharged engines, aerodynamics and radial tyres, all made racing cars faster, safer and racing more exciting. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw great innovations in computer-aided devices, such as semi-automatic gearboxes, anti-lock brakes, launch control, power steering and traction control. Some of these innovations were subsequently banned by the FIA and rules and regulation changes continue to take place to make F1 racing safer, but also exciting for drivers, teams and spectators alike.