F1 Through the Decades

Formula 1 began on 13 May 1950 at Silverstone, and for the first decade the championship was fought on converted airfields, through village streets, and around road circuits that would terrify modern ...

The 1960s transformed Formula 1 from a sport of gentleman drivers into a professional endeavour, though it remained lethally dangerous throughout. Cooper's rear-engined cars had proved the concept in ...

The 1970s were the decade of extremes in Formula 1. On one hand, the sport grew in commercial stature under the influence of Bernie Ecclestone, who transformed the Constructors' Association into a pow...

The 1980s were defined by the turbo revolution and some of the most intense rivalries the sport has ever seen. Renault had introduced turbocharging in 1977, but it was the 1980s when turbos became ess...

The 1990s began under the shadow of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost's continuing rivalry and ended with Michael Schumacher establishing a new dynasty. The decade's defining moment was the darkest weekend...

The 2000s were the decade of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari's absolute dominance, followed by a dramatic power shift. From 2000 to 2004, Schumacher won five consecutive championships with Ferrari, rew...

The 2010s began with a thrilling four-way title fight and ended with Mercedes rewriting the record books. Sebastian Vettel's four consecutive championships with Red Bull (2010-2013), backed by Adrian ...

The 2020s ushered in the most dramatic rule changes in a generation and a rivalry for the ages. The decade opened with the COVID-disrupted 2020 season, but the real story began in 2021 when Max Versta...