Few series in the annals of motorsport have seen as much drama, triumph, and tragedy as Formula 1. Here’s a brief walkthrough of some significant moments in Formula One history.
1904: The motorsport world witnesses the establishment of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), an institution created to champion the causes of motoring organizations.
May 13, 1950: Silverstone, England, becomes the birthplace of Formula 1. As a historic moment in the sport, the race sees Nino Farina race to victory.
1953: South America enters the F1 map with a Grand Prix hosted in Argentina. Though the country’s celebrated driver, Juan Manuel Fangio, suffered an unfortunate DNF due to mechanical problems, it marked the beginning of South America’s legacy in the sport.
1958: The Formula 1 circus touches down in Africa, with the Moroccan Grand Prix debuting.
1968: Commercialism embraces Formula 1. Team Lotus, an iconic name from England, becomes the first to showcase sponsor logos on their racing cars.
September 5, 1970: Tragedy strikes the sport when Jochen Rindt succumbs to injuries sustained during qualifying at the Italian Grand Prix. He posthumously secured the World Championship, a haunting memory in F1 history.
1975: Niki Lauda secures his first Drivers’ Championship title. During his career, he would go on to win two more.
1976: Lauda suffers major facial injuries and lung damage in a fireball accident at the German Grand Prix. Remarkably, Niki misses just two races but is narrowly pipped to the 1976 Drivers’ title by James Hunt.
1991: Michael Schumacher, who went on to become one F1’s greatest drivers, makes his Formula 1 debut, stepping in as a back-up driver for Team Jordan. This career chance was the start of a career that saw him clinch a record seven World Championships.
April 29- May 1, 1994: The race weekend at the San Marino Grand Prix remains one of the darkest in F1’s history. Rubens Barrichello’s massive crash saw him suffer a sprained wrist and broken nose, followed by the tragic deaths of rookie Roland Ratzenberger and the iconic Ayrton Senna. Post race the FIA and Formula 1 bodies sought to improve and change the sport’s safety regulations once again.
2006: After dominating the sport with seven world titles, Michael Schumacher announces his first retirement.
2008: Lewis Hamilton makes history, becoming the youngest World Champion at just 23.
2009: Brawn GP, a new entrant, sweeps the season, with Jenson Button taking home the 2009 Drivers’ Championship. The team’s success is short-lived as it soon transforms into Mercedes GP.
2010: The legend returns as Michael Schumacher is back in Formula 1 with Team Mercedes, although the magic of the past eludes him.
2010-2013: The motorsport world watches in awe as Sebastian Vettel, racing for underdogs Red Bull Racing, clinches four consecutive Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships.
2014-2019: Lewis Hamilton‘s reign at the top continues, with the British driver bagging five titles in this period of dominance.
2022: The season finale in Abu Dhabi witnessed one of the most contentious moments in recent F1 history. A decision by race director Michael Masi altered the outcome of the race, going against normal safety car race protocol that allowed Max Verstappen to clinch his maiden F1 Drivers’ title and deny Lewis Hamilton a record eighth championship. The aftermath saw Masi relieved of his duties as race director and left F1.