Formula One (F1) is a form of open-wheel auto racing that has been contested since the 1950s. Here is a brief history of Formula One:
1950s: The first official F1 World Championship was held in 1950, with the inaugural race held at Silverstone in the United Kingdom. Italian driver Giuseppe Farina won the championship driving an Alfa Romeo.
1960s: The 1960s saw a number of changes in F1, including the introduction of the British Racing Motors (BRM) and Lotus teams, as well as the debut of drivers like Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart. The 1960s also saw a number of high-profile crashes, including the tragic death of British driver Jim Clark in 1968.
1970s: The 1970s saw the introduction of major safety regulations in F1, as well as the emergence of teams like Ferrari and McLaren. Austrian driver Niki Lauda won the championship in 1975 and 1977 driving for Ferrari, while British driver James Hunt won in 1976 driving for McLaren.
1980s: The 1980s saw the rise of iconic drivers like Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, as well as the dominance of the McLaren team. Senna won three championships in 1988, 1990, and 1991 driving for McLaren, while Prost won two championships in 1985 and 1986 driving for McLaren.
1990s: The 1990s saw the introduction of new teams like Williams and Benetton, as well as the emergence of German driver Michael Schumacher as a dominant force in F1. Schumacher won his first championship in 1994 driving for Benetton, and went on to win five more championships with Ferrari.
2000s: The 2000s saw Schumacher continue his dominance, winning five consecutive championships from 2000-2004. The decade also saw the emergence of new stars like Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton. Alonso won two championships with Renault in 2005 and 2006, while Hamilton won his first championship in 2008 driving for McLaren.
2010s: The 2010s saw the emergence of German driver Sebastian Vettel as a dominant force in F1, winning four consecutive championships with Red Bull Racing from 2010-2013. The decade also saw the emergence of new regulations aimed at reducing costs and improving safety in F1.
2020s: The 2020s have seen the continued dominance of Mercedes and their driver Lewis Hamilton, who has won seven championships in total, tying Michael Schumacher's record. The COVID-19 pandemic also had a major impact on the 2020 season, with many races cancelled or rescheduled.
List of all the drivers who have won the Formula One World Championship, along with the year in which they won it:
- 1950: Giuseppe Farina (Alfa Romeo)
- 1951: Juan Manuel Fangio (Alfa Romeo)
- 1952: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)
- 1953: Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)
- 1954: Juan Manuel Fangio (Maserati/Mercedes-Benz)
- 1955: Juan Manuel Fangio (Mercedes-Benz)
- 1956: Juan Manuel Fangio (Ferrari)
- 1957: Juan Manuel Fangio (Maserati)
- 1958: Mike Hawthorn (Ferrari)
- 1959: Jack Brabham (Cooper)
- 1960: Jack Brabham (Cooper)
- 1961: Phil Hill (Ferrari)
- 1962: Graham Hill (BRM)
- 1963: Jim Clark (Lotus)
- 1964: John Surtees (Ferrari)
- 1965: Jim Clark (Lotus)
- 1966: Jack Brabham (Brabham)
- 1967: Denny Hulme (Brabham)
- 1968: Graham Hill (Lotus)
- 1969: Jackie Stewart (Matra)
- 1970: Jochen Rindt (Lotus)
- 1971: Jackie Stewart (Tyrrell)
- 1972: Emerson Fittipaldi (Lotus)
- 1973: Jackie Stewart (Tyrrell)
- 1974: Emerson Fittipaldi (McLaren)
- 1975: Niki Lauda (Ferrari)
- 1976: James Hunt (McLaren)
- 1977: Niki Lauda (Ferrari)
- 1978: Mario Andretti (Lotus)
- 1979: Jody Scheckter (Ferrari)
- 1980: Alan Jones (Williams)
- 1981: Nelson Piquet (Brabham)
- 1982: Keke Rosberg (Williams)
- 1983: Nelson Piquet (Brabham)
- 1984: Niki Lauda (McLaren)
- 1985: Alain Prost (McLaren)
- 1986: Alain Prost (McLaren)
- 1987: Nelson Piquet (Williams)
- 1988: Ayrton Senna (McLaren)
- 1989: Alain Prost (McLaren)
- 1990: Ayrton Senna (McLaren)
- 1991: Ayrton Senna (McLaren)
- 1992: Nigel Mansell (Williams)
- 1993: Alain Prost (Williams)
- 1994: Michael Schumacher (Benetton)
- 1995: Michael Schumacher (Benetton)
- 1996: Damon Hill (Williams)
- 1997: Jacques Villeneuve (Williams)
- 1998: Mika Hakkinen (McLaren)
- 1999: Mika Hakkinen (McLaren)
- 2000: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 2001: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 2002: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 2003: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 2004: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- 2005: Fernando Alonso (Renault)
- 2006: Fernando Alonso (Renault)
- 2007: Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari)
- 2008: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
- 2009: Jenson Button (Brawn GP)
- 2010: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
- 2011: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
- 2012: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
- 2013: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
- 2014: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 2015: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 2016: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
- 2017: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 2018: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 2019: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 2020: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
- 2021: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
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