76 years. 9 eras. Every defining moment that shaped the world's greatest racing series.
The first F1 World Championship race took place at Silverstone, UK. Giuseppe Farina won the inaugural championship for Alfa Romeo.
Juan Manuel Fangio wins the first of his 5 World Championships — a record that would stand for 45 years.
Teams begin competing for the World Constructors' Championship — now as important as the drivers' title.
Rear-engine cars become the new standard. Cooper and Lotus lead the charge, retiring the old front-engine layout forever.
Aerofoils (wings) appear on cars for the first time. Commercial sponsorship also begins — Lotus runs with Gold Leaf livery.
Jochen Rindt dies in qualifying at Monza. He had enough points to win the championship — becoming the only posthumous World Champion in F1.
Niki Lauda survives a near-fatal crash at the Nürburgring. James Hunt wins the title by a single point. The rivalry inspired the film Rush.
Lotus introduces ground effect technology — using the car's underfloor to generate massive downforce. A revolution in aerodynamics.
Renault's turbocharged engine begins to prove itself. By the mid-1980s, turbo engines producing 1,000+ HP in qualifying spec.
Niki Lauda beats Alain Prost to the championship by just half a point — the smallest winning margin in F1 history.
Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost are teammates at McLaren-Honda. McLaren wins 15 of 16 races. Their rivalry begins to turn toxic.
At the Japanese GP, Senna crashes into Prost at Turn 1 to clinch the championship — a deliberate act of payback. One of F1's most controversial moments.
Formula 1's darkest weekend. Roland Ratzenberger dies on Saturday. Ayrton Senna dies on Sunday at Imola. A watershed moment for motorsport safety.
Michael Schumacher wins his first title after colliding with Damon Hill in the final race. Schumacher had gone off-track; Hill tried to pass; they collided, eliminating both.
Michael Schumacher ends Ferrari's 21-year wait for a Drivers' title. The beginning of an unprecedented dynasty.
Fernando Alonso becomes the youngest World Champion (at the time), dethroning Schumacher after 5 consecutive titles.
Lewis Hamilton overtakes Timo Glock on the final corner of the final lap of the season to win his first World Championship by a single point.
1.6L V6 turbo-hybrid engines replace V8s. Mercedes perfectly executed the new formula and began an era of dominance.
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, childhood rivals, become Formula 1 teammates at Mercedes. The tension builds across three years.
Nico Rosberg becomes World Champion, then shocks the world by retiring just 5 days later. One of the most dramatic exits in F1 history.
Max Verstappen wins his first title after a controversial safety car decision hands him the championship on the final lap. Hamilton was leading by 11 seconds.
Complete technical reset. Ground effect aerodynamics return after a 40-year ban. Red Bull and Verstappen dominate immediately.
In a stunning announcement, Lewis Hamilton reveals he will leave Mercedes — the team where he won 6 of his 7 titles — to join Ferrari in 2025.
The biggest rule change since 2014. Smaller cars, 50/50 electric/combustion power, and active aerodynamics replace DRS. New manufacturers including Audi join.
DRS is abolished. In its place, sophisticated active aerodynamic systems that automatically adapt to give more speed on straights and more downforce in corners.
The Volkswagen Group's Audi brand enters Formula 1 as a power unit supplier — the most significant manufacturer arrival in years.
General Motors' Cadillac brand is confirmed as the first new F1 constructor in over a decade — an American team on the grid for the first time since 2016.
Every season from 1950 to 2025
The biggest rule change in a decade
The battles that define the new era
