RACING THROUGH TIME: THE EVOLUTION OF FORMULA 1
Lucía Moreno Rodríguez, 2BACH EXC
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Introduction & abstract
Introduction & abstract
Formula 1 (F1) is the pinnacle of motorsport, a high-speed spectacle that has captivated fans worldwide since its creation in 1950. From raw power of classic cars to the cutting-edge hybrid systems of modern ones, F1 has redefined the limits of speed and performance. This project shows the aerodynamic evolution, changes different circuits have suffered and the dominance eras since its birth.
La Fórmula 1 (F1) es la cumbre del automovilismo, un espectáculo de alta velocidad que ha cautivado a aficionados de todo el mundo desde su creación en 1950. Desde la potencia pura de los coches clásicos hasta los sistemas híbridos de última generación de los modernos, la F1 ha redefinido los límites de la velocidad y el rendimiento. Este proyecto muestra la evolución aerodinámica, los cambios que han sufrido los distintos circuitos y las épocas de dominio desde su nacimiento.
Objective
The aim of this project is to present a vision of the evolution of this sport, not only based on how the cars have evolved, but also taking into account the economic impact on teams and drivers, how the FIA rules have changed since the first races in the 1950s, as well as the changes that the circuits have experienced over the years.
The beginning
The beginning
The first competition was held in 1894 in a track between Paris and Rouen, but this was just a reliability test run, the first actual race was held a year later in a track between Paris and Bourdeaux. The first closed circuit race was held in 1898 in the Course de Périgueux.
It wasn´t until 1946 when the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) was created. Three categories developed Formula A, Formula B and Formula 500cc but, in may of 1950 Formula 500cc changed its name to formula 3 and after that Fomula A and Formula B changed their names to Formula 1 and Formula 2 acording to the importance of the category.
The first worldchampionship race was held in 1950 and the winner was Guiseppe Farina, who ended up winning the championship that year.
Aerodynamics through the years
1950s
1950s
No changes because it was the first decade. The engine was located in the front part of the car.
1960s
1960s
Rear spoiler and front spoiler where implemented. The front spoiler was created by Collin Chapman, who started the aerodynamic wars.
The front spoiler created several issues because it was joint to the suspensions of the car, creating mechanical failures and forcing teams to retire the car.
1970s
1970s
Bonnet was elongated, refrigeration was added in the side pods to prevent the engine from overheating.
Chapman implemented the floor effect, which increased the downforce, a force that pressures the car against the car increasing the grip and making it turn faster.
Endplates were implemented in the front spoiler to redirect the air flow and reduce the drag, making the car go faster.
1980s
1980s
Flat bottoms were implemented, cars narrowed their lenghts and the flown diffuser was added to improve the aerodynamic of the car.
The most important change was the principle of active suspension which worked with an oil bomb connected to the engine which would generate hydraulic presure and would extend or compress the actuators. These are extended or compressed more or less to make the car turn faster
1990s
1990s
Speed of cars was reduced so the principle of active suspension was prohibited and grooved tyres and winglets were implemented to minimize the speed even more
2000s
2000s
Cars were made even faster. The front suspension was made more rigid, samller engines were implemented and a shark fin was added.
In the rear part to big changes happened: the mass damper was implemented to absorb the shock of the irregularities of the track and the double diffuser was adde to reduce the dirty air.
The most important change was the KERS system. This stored kynetic energy on the turns and it was freed on the straights.
2010s
2010s
During this period, the three most important aerodynamic gadgets were created. The first of them is the F-Duct, which reduced the drag and increased the straight-line speed. The second one is the DRS, which stands for Drag Reduction System.
How does this work? Easy, there is a back spoiler with a flap, which is a kind of cover that opens when the driver is 1 second behind a car. This allows the car to go faster because the air flows through that space and the car doesn’t suffer that much air resistance. This innovation is really important because it increases the chance of a driver to overcome another driver.
The third one is the halo, which covers the drivers head and hands and adds an extra safety layer in case a race accident happens. This was added in 2018
2026
2026
Cars will run on 100% sustainable oil and the battery power will be incremented 300%, distributed evenly between the internal combustion and the electric power.
Weight of cars will be reduced 30 kg, going from 798kg to 768kg. Finally, The concept of DRS will disappear, and a new concept will appear, MOM, which stands for Manual Override Mode. This will work with a button that drivers will have in their steering wheel. WHen they are under 1 second behind the car in front, they will push this button and will give the battery more power, making overtakes easier.
Track evolution
Back in the 1950s
There were seven races originally but these are the ones that still appear in the 2025 calendar
Monaco
Monaco
Circuit de Monaco-Monte Carlo
Slowest circuit of the calendar
Second race of the season in 1950
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Circuit of Silverstone
Big changes
First race of the season in 1950
Belgium
Belgium
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Huge unevenness
Fifth race of the season in 1950
Nowadays
Nowadays there are 24 races on the calendar, but the most special ones appart from the ones that existed in the 1950s are these:
Spain
The were two tracks, the Circuit the Barcelona Catalunya (1991-2007) (2013-2026) and the Circuito Urbano de Valencia (2008-2012).
One more is being built. the Madrid Circuit and it will host the Spanish Grand prix in 2026.
Brazil
Added in 1973 is the Autódromo José Carlos Pace but its commonly known as Interlagos.
Many turns were eliminated but the Senna-S are preserved.
Las Vegas
Newest circuit. Appeared in 2023.
Las Vegas Strip Circuit
Race held on saturday night instead of sunday
Abu Dhabi
Yas Marina Circuit was added in 2009 and holds the last race of the season.
Several champioships battles: 2021 drivers championship (Hamilton-Verstappen), 2024 constructors championship (Ferrari-McLaren)
Drivers evolution
From Juan Manuel Fangio to Michael Schumacher, they all have old measuring points. Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis hamilton have both old and new measuring points and Max Verstappen only has new measuring points.
If from Juan Manuel Fangio to Lewis Hamilton they all had new measuring points, they would have much more points than they do right now, but even between Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher there would be a big difference.
Back in the 1950s when Fangio raced, the winner would get 5 points and they would give points until the fifth. In the 1990s the winner would get 10 points and they would give points until the eighth.
Dominance eras
From the drivers on the table on top, there have been four that have outstanded the others, these are called dominance eras between a driver and a team.
Michael Schumacher & Ferrari
5 consecutive world championships with Ferrari
91 race victories
7 championships in total (Benneton)
Sebastian Vettel & Red Bull
4 consecutive world championships
52 race victories
15 race victories in a season (beats Schumacher by 2)
Lewis Hamilton & Mercedes
6 world championships with Mercedes
105 race victories (driver with the most race victories)
7 championships in total (McLaren)
Max Verstappen & Red Bull
4 consecutive world championships
62 race victories
19 race victories in a season (beats Vettel by 4)
Survey
These were some of the questions asked:
Best driver in history of Formula 1
The majority of the people thought Michael Shumacher was the best driver, followed by Ayrton Senna and then Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso tied in third place.
In fourth place we have Niki Lauda and after him, with 1 vote each, Gilles Villeneuve and Alain Prost.
Best actual driver in Formula 1
Max Verstappen was chosen as the best driver nowadays. After him, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso were tied in second place. In third place, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris tied and after them, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez obtained one vote each.
Best track of the calendar
The Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps was the most voted followed by the Circuit of Montmeló and Silverstone. The two Italian Grand Prix were tied with an 8.6% of the votes each followed by the Suzuka Circuit and the Interlagos Circuit.
Inversion limit
60% said they should impose a limit to make the cars more similar and to have more excitement in the races. 23% said they shouldn’t and the other 17% doesn’t care at all.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Formula 1 is a great sport but some changes should be made. First, actual F1 specialists should form the FIA committee so that penalties are given equally, not depending on the driver. Also, cars should be more equal so that there is an actual championship and we don't see drivers winning because of the supperiority of their cars.
Not everything in Formula 1 should be changed. This sport is not only a great achievement of tricky setup but also shows that teams and drivers have the skill to handle tough times. The changes prepared for 2026 and environmentally friendly practices indicates the aspiration of Formula 1 to adapt to a world that is changing fast.
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