Grand Prix F1
Formula One, often referred to as Formula 1 or F1, is the top tier of international racing for open-wheel, single-seater formula racing cars, governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Since its first season in 1950, the FIA Formula One World Championship has been recognized as one of the most prestigious forms of racing worldwide. The term "formula" refers to the specific set of regulations that all competing cars must follow. Each Formula One season comprises a series of races called Grands Prix, which are held across various countries and continents on specially designed circuits or temporarily closed public roads.
History
Formula One traces its roots to the World Manufacturers' Championship (1925–1930) and the European Drivers' Championship (1931–1939). The "formula" refers to a set of regulations that all participating cars must follow. This specific formula, agreed upon in 1946, officially took effect in 1947. The first Grand Prix to follow these new rules was the 1946 Turin Grand Prix, even before the formula's official start. Prior to World War II, various Grand Prix racing organizations proposed a new championship to replace the European Championship. However, the onset of the war delayed the formalization of the International Formula for cars until 1946, with its implementation starting in 1947. The new World Championship was officially launched in 1950.
The inaugural world championship race, the 1950 British Grand Prix, was held at Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom on 13 May 1950. Giuseppe Farina, driving for Alfa Romeo, claimed the first Drivers' World Championship, narrowly edging out his teammate Juan Manuel Fangio. Fangio would go on to win the championship in 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957, setting a record for the most World Championships won by a single driver—a record that stood for 46 years until Michael Schumacher won his sixth title in 2003.
In 1958, a Constructors' Championship was introduced. Despite being one of the greatest Formula One drivers of the 1950s and 1960s, Stirling Moss never won the Drivers' Championship. From 1955 to 1961, Moss finished as the runner-up four times and placed third in the other three seasons. Fangio, meanwhile, won 24 of the 52 races he entered, maintaining the highest winning percentage in Formula One history.
During this era, teams were often managed by road-car manufacturers like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and Maserati. The early seasons featured pre-war cars, such as Alfa Romeo's 158, which were front-engined, with narrow tires and either 1.5-liter supercharged or 4.5-liter naturally aspirated engines. The 1952 and 1953 seasons were contested under Formula Two regulations, using smaller and less powerful cars due to concerns about the scarcity of Formula One vehicles. When the 2.5-liter engine limit was reinstated for the 1954 world championship, Mercedes-Benz introduced the W196, which brought innovations like desmodromic valves, fuel injection, and streamlined bodywork. Mercedes drivers dominated the championship for the next two years.