Formula One
Formula One, or Grand Prix racing is regarded by many as the pinnacle of Auto racing and the most expensive sport in the world.
The Formula One world championship is a annual worldwide series of circuit races of a little over 300 kilometres in length and up to two hours in duration. The cars, custom-constructed by each team (unlike Champ Car racing), are based aroundp an open-wheel, open cockpit design, have huge wings (oriented upside-down when compared to aircraft wings as they are designed to push the cars down rather than up) and bodies designed to achieve maximum downforce for incredibly fast cornering, and despite being restricted to three litres and natural aspiration have V10 engines that can produce over 800 horsepower.
On average, a Formula One racing event is attended by 200,000 spectators, and is viewed by 300 million television viewers around the world.
Despite being the pinnacle of racing in terms of budgets and driver skill, Formula One racing has often been accused of being unexciting when compared to less-prestigious categories. The differences in driver ability are usually dwarfed when compared to the relative speed of the different makes of cars, and on-track overtaking is very rare due to the aerodynamics of trailing cars being adversely affected by the car in front (making overtaking only possible by very risky and thus rarely-taken chances, or a much faster car trailing a slower one).
Since 1984, the championship has been dominated by just three teams, McLaren, Williams, and Ferrari, who have provided the vehicle for all but two of the World Champions for that period.
Champions
In 1950, a world championship Formula One was established for drivers. In 1958, a championships for constructors was started as well.
Circuits
All circuits used for World Championship races since 1950:
- A1-Ring, Austria
- Adelaide, Australia
- Ain Diab, Morocco
- Aintree, Great Britain
- Anderstorp, Sweden
- Berlin, (West) Germany
- Brands Hatch, Great Britain
- Bremgarten, Switzerland
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Catalunya, Spain
- Clermont-Ferrand, France
- Dallas, United States
- Detroit, United States
- Dijon, France
- Donington, Great Britain
- East London, South Africa
- Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Italy
- Estoril, Portugal
- Gilles Villeneuve, Canada
- Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico
- Hockenheim, Germany
- Hungaroring, Hungary
- Imola, Italy (San Marino Grand Prix)
- Indianapolis, United States
- Interlagos, Brazil
- Jacarepagua, Brazil
- Jarama, Spain
- Jerez, Spain
- Kyalami, South Africa
- Las Vegas, United States
- Le Mans, France
- Long Beach, United States
- Magny-Cours, France
- Melbourne, Australia
- Monsanto, Portugal
- Monte Carlo, Monaco
- Montjuich , Spain
- Mont-Tremblant, France
- Monza, Italy
- Mosport, Canada
- Mount Fuji, Japan
- Nivelles, Belgium
- Nurburgring, Germany
- Osterreichring, Austria
- Paul Ricard, France
- Pedralbes, Spain
- Pescara, Italy
- Phoenix, United States
- Porto, Portugal
- Reims, France
- Riverside, United States
- Rouen, France
- Sebring, United States
- Sepang, Malaysia
- Silverstone, Great Britain
- Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
- Suzuka, Japan
- TI Aida, Japan
- Watkins Glen, United States
- Zandvoort, Netherlands
- Zeltweg, Austria
- Zolder, Belgium
Constructors
The following teams have competed in the Formula 1 World Championship (teams marked * are still active as of mid-2002):
- Abarth
- Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau (AFM)
- Alfa Romeo
- Alta
- Amon
- Andrea Moda Formula
- Anglo American Racers
- Apollon
- Arrows* (previously also known as Footwork)
- Arzani-Volpini
- Aston Butterworth
- Aston Martin
- Automobiles Alpines
- Automobiles Gonfaronnaise Sportives (AGS)
- Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS)
- Auto Technisches Zubehor (ATS)
- BMW
- Bellasi
- Benetton (later Renault)
- Boro
- British American Racing* (BAR)
- British Racing Motors (BRM)
- British Racing Partnership (BRP)
- Bugatti
- Cisitalia
- Coloni
- Connaught
- Connew
- Cooper
- De Tomaso
- Derrington-Francis
- Ecurie Nationale Belge
- Eifelland
- Eisenacher Motoren Werke
- Embassy Hill
- Emeryson
- Ensign
- EuroBrun
- Ferrari*
- Fittipaldi
- Fondmetal
- Forti
- Frazer-Nash
- Fry
- Gilbi
- Gordini
- Greifzu
- Haas
- Harry Ferguson
- Hersham and Walton Motors (HWM)
- Hesketh
- Hexagon
- Honda
- Jaguar*
- JBW
- Jordan*
- Kauhsen
- Klenk
- Kojima
- Kurtis Kraft
- Lancia
- Larrousse
- LDS
- Lec
- Leyton House
- Life
- Ligier (later Prost)
- Lotus
- Lyncar
- Maki
- March
- Martini
- Maserati
- Matra (later Ligier)
- McGuire
- McLaren*
- Mercedes-Benz
- Merzario
- Minardi*
- Modena
- Norev
- Officine Specializate Costruzione Automobili (OSCA)
- Onyx
- Osella
- Pacific
- Parnelli
- Penske
- Porsche
- Prost
- Protos
- RAM
- Rebaque
- Renault*
- Rial
- Rondini
- Sauber*
- Scarab
- Scirocco
- Scuderia Italia
- Shadow
- Shannon
- Simtek
- Spirit
- Stebro
- Stewart(later Jaguar)
- Surtees
- Talbot
- Talbot-Lago
- Tec-Mec
- Tecno
- Theodore
- Token
- Toleman
- Toyota*
- Trojan
- Tyrrell
- Vanwall
- Veritas
- Wheatcroft
- Williams*
- Wolf
- Zakspeed
Drivers
Start of listing of drivers...
- Louis Chiron
- Andrea De Adamich
- Elio De Angelis
- Andrea De Cesaris
- Nino Farina
- Enzo Ferrari
- Ignazio Giunti
- Jacky Ickx
- Vincenzo Lancia
- Gijs van Lennep
- Stirling Moss
- Tazio Nuvolari
- Riccardo Patrese
- Clay Regazzoni
- Carlos Reutemann
- Bernd Rosemeyer
- Raymond Sommer
- Hans Stuck
- Nino Taruffi
- Achille Varzi
- Gilles Villeneuve
- Jean-Pierre Wimille
- Manfred Winkelhock
External links
FORIX - a complete record of Formula One results and statistics