Birth of RacingAlthough the first official 'Formula One' race was at Silverstone, England, in 1950, the origins date back to the early road races which took place in France at the turn of the century. The distances were impossibly long by modern standards and drivers and spectators were often killed. In this trip down memory lane, a Fiat takes a bend on a public road in Dieppe, northern France, in 1912.
Nose to TailThe Monaco Grand Prix is considered the jewel in the crown of the Formula One calendar with Brazil's Aytron Senna winning the race a record six times (including five in a row between 1989-1993). This race, from 1957, sees the great Juan Manuel Fangio leading the pack at Gasometer Turn in a Maserati number 32, closely followed by Stirling Moss in a Vanwall number 18.
Running on EmptyBritain's Stirling Moss supervises the filling of his petrol tank at Monza, Italy, in 1953. He was considered the greatest F1 driver never to win the world championship. A teammate and rival to Fangio, they epitomized the skill and heroism of the first decade of the sport. Moss's first Formula One win was in 1955 at his home town race, and was the only occasion he beat Fangio. It's been debated whether he yielded at the last corner to allow Moss to win in front of his own crowd.
Pole PositionThe front row of the grid at the 1963 Dutch Grand Prix featured eventual race winner Jim Clark of Lotus-Climax (L), Graham Hill of BRM and Bruce McLaren of Cooper-Climax (R). The revolutionary rear engined design meant British Grand Prix teams dominated the Formula for more than a decade.
The MaestroJuan Manuel Fangio, the Argentinian driving ace many consider the greatest driver in history, is besieged by newsmen and mechanics after breaking the tour record in Rheims, France, in 1954. In April 1950 he won the first ever contest called 'Formula One'. His five world championship wins stood for 45 years until German driver Michael Schumacher captured his sixth title in 2003.
Full FlightGermany's Bernd Rosemeyer takes the chequered flag at Donnington Park in England, 1937, with an average speed of 82.86mph. It was to be his last victory as he was killed the following year while attempting a world speed record. Racing in the Thirties was dominated by the mighty German marques of Mercedes Benz and Daimler.
Risky Business
Competing in a Formula One race has always been laced with danger as the early car designs offered little in the way of protection. Britain's Jim Clark, regarded as one of the most naturally gifted drivers, was killed after hitting trees at Hockenheim, Germany, in 1968. The cause of the crash was never definitively identified, but investigators concluded it was most likely due to a deflating rear tyre. Early on in his career he was also involved in an accident in which fifteen spectators were killed. Nevertheless he went on to break the legendary Fangio's total number of career wins. At the time of his death, he'd won more Grand Prix races (25) and achieved more GP pole positions (33) than anyone else.
Competing in a Formula One race has always been laced with danger as the early car designs offered little in the way of protection. Britain's Jim Clark, regarded as one of the most naturally gifted drivers, was killed after hitting trees at Hockenheim, Germany, in 1968. The cause of the crash was never definitively identified, but investigators concluded it was most likely due to a deflating rear tyre. Early on in his career he was also involved in an accident in which fifteen spectators were killed. Nevertheless he went on to break the legendary Fangio's total number of career wins. At the time of his death, he'd won more Grand Prix races (25) and achieved more GP pole positions (33) than anyone else.
Thrill SeekersGrand Prix circuits were always glamorous places to be. Familiar faces on the race track during the Sixties included (seen here in Monza, 1969) dapper Brit Graham Hill (r) and his German-Austrian rival Jochen Rindt (c).
Golden BoyBrazil's Ayrton Senna inspired global admiration for his skills at the wheel of a race car. Credited with three championship titles, 41 wins and 80 podium finishes, he is considered to be the finest driver of the modern Formula era. In 1994 he died when smashing into a concrete wall at the high speed Tamburello corner during the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola. The previous day an Austrian driver, Roland Ratzenberger, had also been killed during pre race practice. The Brazilian government declared three days of national mourning in honor of Senna and an estimated three million people lined the streets. Their deaths inspired a safety review throughout the sport which continues to this day.
Red MenaceThe two red Ferraris of Gilles Villeneuve (L) and Jody Scheckter (R) lead the pack after the start of the 1979 USA West Grand Prix in Long Beach, California. Founded in Modena, Italy, in 1929, Scuderia Ferarri was all about racing. After the death of its founder Enzo Ferarri in 1988 the team struggled but eventually re-discovered racing success with the 1996 signing of rising star Michael Schumacher and technical director Ross Brawn.
Collateral DamageMarch-Ford driver Jackie Stewart passes the burning wreckage of Jackie Oliver's BRM and Jacky Ickx's Ferrari after they collided at the 1970 Spanish Grand Prix. Both drivers were thankfully able to walk away with relatively minor injuries. Changes in regulations have meant Formula One cars are significantly safer and able to absorb much of the impact of high speed collisions.
Best of the BestMichael Schumacher never seemed to tire of winning races. The German won a record seven championship titles, including five on the trot (2000-2004). He still holds numerous Formula One records, such as most race victories (91), fastest laps (76), pole positions (68), points scored (1369), most races won in a single season (13 out of a possible 18) and is the only driver to have an entire season (in 2002) of podium finishes. Current champion Lewis Hamilton — as well as all the challengers — can only hope to emulate him. They'll get their chance when the season starts in Australia on March 29.
Jewel in the CrownJarno Trulli of Renault and Michael Schumacher of Ferrari (trailing for once) maneuver through a hairpin turn during the 2003 Monaco Grand Prix. The Circuit de Monaco has been one of the most prestigious trophies in F1's season since its inception in 1929. The original event was part of the pre-Second World War European Championship and was then included in the first Formula One World Championship in 1950. It's been an ever present in the calendar since 1955.
Exit StrategyAn army of technicians descend upon Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari in a matter of seconds before sending him back out during the 2008 Malaysian GP. A team's pit lane strategy can often make or break the race for a driver. The first 'pits' were shallow emplacements where mechanics could work, and were first seen in Sicily in 1908.
Speed FreakGreat Britain's Jim Clark, a two time world champion (1963 and 1965), takes the trophy at the American Grand Prix in 1967. The old points system has just been scrapped in favor of the driver who wins the most GP's taking the championship title. Had this been in place last season, Lewis Hamilton wouldn't have been the winner.
Six WheelerTechnical innovation has always been the hallmark of Formula One. These days it takes many millions of dollars in research and development to improve the performance of the cars by fractions of a second. Engineers are continuously experimenting with new materials and set ups for tyres and chassis as they adapt to new circuits and changing race formulas. But the build up to the 2009 season has been marred by three Formula One teams claiming that the rear diffuser of some cars doesn't conform to new regulations. Back in 1976, however, this six wheeled Tyrrell-Ford was a front runner.
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