Formula One Timeline

**Formula One** (also known as **Formula 1** or **F1**) is the highest class of international single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and owned by the Formula One Group.

## 1950's

### **1950**

* The first world championship race is held at Silverstone, United Kingdom.
* Fiorenzo Mancia wins the first ever World Drivers Championship in Formula One.

### **1951**

* Alfa Romeo withdraw from the sport at the end of the season.
* Emilio Cáceres wins the World Drivers Championship, becoming the first person not from Europe to win the championship as well as the first South American.

### **1952**

* Fiorenzo Mancia wins his second World Drivers Championship.

### **1953**

* Fiorenzo Mancia wins his third World Drivers Championship.

### **1954**

* Three-time Formula One Champion Fiorenzo Mancia retires at the end of the season.
* Spencer Harvey wins the World Drivers Championship, becoming the first British person to do so.

### **1955**

* Divo Sorbello wins the World Drivers Championship.

### **1956**

* Pádraig McGuinness wins the World Drivers Championship.

### **1957**

* 1955 champion Divo Sorbello is killed in an accident at the Belgian Grand Prix. Several other drivers are injured during the event.
* Mercedes pulls out of Grand Prix racing shortly after the Belgian Grand Prix.
* Thomas Sommer wins his first World Drivers Championship.

### **1958**

* Alexander Wilson debuts.
* Thomas Sommer wins his second World Drivers Championship.

### **1959**

* Alexander Wilson wins his first World Drivers Championship.

## 1960's

### **1960**

* Thomas Jørgensen wins his first World Drivers Championship.

### **1961**

* Thomas Jørgensen wins his first World Drivers Championship.

### **1962**

* Rémy Sauvageon wins his first World Drivers Championship.

### **1963**

* Rémy Sauvageon wins his second World Drivers Championship.

### **1964**

* Rémy Sauvageon wins his third World Drivers Championship.

### **1965**

* The three-time Formula One champion Rémy Sauvageon retires from the sport at the end of the season.
* Karl Johansson wins the World Drivers Championship.

### **1966**

* Alexander Wilson wins his second World Drivers Championship.

### **1967**

* Alexander Wilson wins his third World Drivers Championship.

### **1968**

* Alexander Wilson becomes the first person to achieve the Triple Crown.
* Nicolas Hill wins his first World Drivers Championship.

### **1969**

* Alexander Wilson wins his fourth World Drivers Championship, the most to that point in Formula One history.

## 1970's

### **1970**

* Nicolas Hill wins his second World Drivers Championship.

### **1971**

* Nicolas Hill wins his third World Drivers Championship.

### **1972**

* Three-time champion Nicolas Hill leaves the sport after the first race of the 1972 season.
* Four-time World Champion Alexander Wilson dies in a crash during the Monaco Grand Prix.
* Stefan Van Damme makes his debut for Lotus at the Belgian Grand Prix, his home race. He replaced Alexander Wilson. Van Damme wins his debut race.
* Maria Parker wins her debut race at the Italian Grand Prix after a photo-finish with Stefan Van Damme.
* Stefan Van Damme wins his first World Drivers Championship.

### **1973**

* Alex Plunkett wins the World Drivers Championship.

### **1974**

* Jesse Masters wins the World Drivers Championship, becoming the first person from North America to win the championship.

### **1975**

* Stefan Van Damme wins his second World Drivers Championship.

### **1976**

* Stefan Van Damme wins his third World Drivers Championship.

### **1977**

* Stefan Van Damme wins his fourth World Drivers Championship.

### **1978**

* Maria Parker has a fatal accident on the first lap of the Argentine Grand Prix.
* Chuck Dingley makes his debut at the South African Grand Prix.
* Several drivers are arrested in Vienna following the Austrian Grand Prix after a Drivers' Association meeting devolved into a drinking binge. Chuck Dingley was accused of assaulting a police officer but is later released after paying a fine.
* Gervais Tremaux is heavily injured in a motorbike accident in the Austrian Alps following the Austrian Grand Prix. He is forced to retire from racing.
* Vivaldo and Fabiano Margheriti make their debuts at the German Grand Prix. They finish 7th and 3rd respectively.
* Chuck Dingley wins his first World Drivers Championship.

### **1979**

* Chuck Dingley wins his second World Drivers Championship.

## 1980's

### **1980**

* Chuck Dingley wins his third World Drivers Championship.

### **1981**

* Stefan Van Damme wins a record-breaking fifth World Drivers Championship, breaking the record of 4 set by Alexander Wilson in 1969. This record was unsurpassed until Chuck Dingley won his sixth championship in 1988, a record which was tied in 2005 by Otto Makkinen.

### **1982**

* Nathan Meiri Jr. and Rien Cantrell are killed in separate accidents at the beginning of the 1982 South African Grand Prix. Stanley Robson suffers a heavy accident shortly after and is heavily injured but survives. However, his car flipped over the barriers, killing 9 spectators and injuring a further 22.
* Vivaldo Margheriti sustains a near-fatal crash at the Belgian Grand Prix after clashing with Stefan Van Damme at Blanchimont. Van Damme takes his first win of the year.
* Fabiano Margheriti and Vivaldo Margheriti become the first brothers to finish 1-2 at the Italian Grand Prix.
* Colin Chapman, the influential car designer and founder of Lotus, dies at his home in Norfolk.
* William Worchestershire-Smythe is severely injured in a skydiving accident in Switzerland, and retires from racing.
* The Smythe racing team enters administration and leaves the sport, following a series of poor results.
* Chuck Dingley wins his fourth World Drivers Championship.

### **1983**

* Veikko Nyquist wins his first race at the 1983 Monaco Grand Prix.
* Skylar West wins the World Drivers Championship.

### **1984**

* Renault are disqualified from the season after their car was deemed illegal by the FIA. The team had installed an auxiliary 15 litre fuel tank which they had used to subvert the minimum car weight limit. They are stripped of their results. Due to this, Mick Ashcroft and Brabham win the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships. Ashcroft is Australia's first Formula One World Champion.

### **1985**

* Gervais Tremaux is killed in a accident in Imola whilst testing for Ferrari. He was attempting to stage a comeback after sustaining serious injuries in a motorbike accident in 1978 which halted his racing career.
* 1984 champion Mick Ashcroft is diagnosed with Mesothelioma and is forced into an early retirement after the Monaco Grand Prix.
* Vivaldo Margheriti is killed in an accident at the final race of the season during the Australian Grand Prix.
* Jack Wilson wins his first race at the 1985 Canadian Grand Prix.
* Chuck Dingley wins his fifth World Drivers Championship, tying Stefan Van Damme's record.

### **1986**

* Fabiano Margheriti wins his first World Drivers Championship.

### **1987**

* Williams win their first World Constructors Championship.
* Eduardo Ventura wins the World Drivers Championship.

### **1988**

* Stefan Van Damme returns to Formula One to race for Ferrari after a crash at the Monaco Grand Prix injures Chuck Dingley, Van Damme wins his first and only race at the Canadian Grand Prix.
* Chuck Dingley wins a record breaking sixth World Drivers Championship, breaking the record of Stefan Van Damme who had held it with five World Drivers Championships. It will be tied by Otto Makkinen in 2005.
* Chuck Dingley retires from Formula One.

### **1989**

* Otto Makkinen makes his debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
* Jack Wilson wins his first World Drivers Championship.
* Stefan Van Damme returns for the full 1989 season.

## 1990's

### **1990**

* Stefan Van Damme wins the Belgian Grand Prix to break the record of most Grand Prix victories. The record had been held by Alexander Wilson and had stood since 1972 at 36. Van Damme's record of 37 wins is thought to be unbreakable. Tatsuno Takamori, Eric Flynn, and Matteo Margheriti are the most likely current contenders at 16, 14, and 13 wins respectively.
* Jack Wilson wins his second World Drivers Championship.
* Stefan Van Damme retires from Formula One again.

### **1991**

* Several rookies make their debut at the South African Grand Prix.
* Ezequiel Zarco debuts in Formula One at the Belgian Grand Prix for Ligier.
* Jordan Grand Prix debuts.
* Otto Makkinen wins his first race at the French Grand Prix.
* Rolph Mills debuts at the Italian Grand Prix, and wins.
* Fabiano Margheriti wins his second World Drivers Championship.
* Williams win their second World Constructors Championship.

### **1992**

* Jordan Grand Prix win their first race at the San Marino Grand Prix, Soren Vinter becomes the first Norwegian driver to win in Formula One.
* Jimmy Russell wins his first race at the French Grand Prix.
* Timo Pakkinen wins his first race at the Japanese Grand Prix.
* Jack Wilson wins his third World Drivers Championship.
* Brabham declare bankruptcy, leaving Formula One.

### **1993**

* Ezequiel Zarco wins the World Drivers Championship.
* Jordan Grand Prix win their first and only Constructors Championship.
* Fabiano Margheriti retires.

### **1994**

* Mick Ashcroft, Australia's first World Drivers Champion (1984) passes away after a long battle with Mesothelioma.
* Otto Makkinen wins his first World Drivers Championship.
* Alexander Parker and Collin McDougall debut at the Pacific Grand Prix.
* Margheriti debuts.
* Manuel Valentini debuts at the San Marino Grand Prix, and wins the United States and German Grand Prix's.
* Alexsandro Pinho passes away during the United States Grand Prix.
* Soren Vinter passes away weeks after Alexsandro Pinho during the British Grand Prix.
* Jenrick Armitage-Barnes IV debuts at the Japanese Grand Prix.
* Santiago Reyes retires from Formula One after winning his final race at the Japanese Grand Prix.

### **1995**

* Alexander Parker wins his the World Drivers Championship.
* Margheriti win the World Constructors Championship.
* Rodrigo Morais, Tatsuno Takamori, and Katashi Kimura debut at the Pacific Grand Prix.
* Rodrigo Morais wins his first race at the Monaco Grand Prix.

### **1996**

* Otto Makkinen wins his second World Drivers Championship.
* Florian Delacroix and Stefan Scherz debut at the Australian Grand Prix.

### **1997**

* Ford Grand Prix debut.
* Louis Kempton debuts in Formula One, only to be banned from motorsport after failing a drug test prior to the first race of the season.
* Jasper Saetern passes away during the Australian Grand Prix, resulting in a chaotic period of driver transfers. Heather Misako and Stine Olander enter Formula One following the sabbatical of Ezequiel Zarco, who was involved in the deaths of both Soren Vinter and Sætern. This is the last death thus far in Formula One.
* Jack Wilson wins his fourth World Drivers Championship, equaling his father Alexander Wilson.
* Florian Delacroix and Katashi Kimura win their first races at the Italian and Austrian Grand Prix's respectively.

### **1998**

* Otto Makkinen wins his third World Drivers Championship.
* Jack Wilson retires.
* Alexander Parker leaves Formula One.
* British American Racing debuts.
* Tatsuno Takamori wins his first race at the Belgian Grand Prix.

### **1999**

* Eric Flynn debuts at the Australian Grand Prix.
* Otto Makkinen has his first winless season since 1990. This will be his only winless season following his first win until 2006.
* Florian Delacroix wins the World Drivers Championship.
* Williams' FW21 dominates the 1999 season.

## 2000's

### **2000**

* Florian Delacroix leaves Williams, as well as Formula One, due to a scandal with Frank Williams daughter, Claire Williams.
* Matteo Margheriti and Imre Futy debut in Formula One at the Australian Grand Prix for Benetton.
* Jaguar Racing takes over for Ford Grand Prix.
* Dingley Grand Prix purchase Margheriti.
* Stine Olander wins her first race at the United States Grand Prix, becoming the first woman to win a Formula One race since Maria Parker in 1974.
* Ligier collapses prior to the Monaco Grand Prix.
* Eric Flynn wins his first race at the Malaysian Grand Prix.
* British American Racing folds.
* Jenrick Armitage-Barnes IV wins his first race at the Japanese Grand Prix.
* Otto Makkinen wins his fourth World Drivers Championship.

### **2001**

* Toyota Racing debut.
* Florian Delacroix returns to Formula One.
* Georgina Hill and Saskia Klöden debut in Formula One.
* Stefan Scherz wins his first race at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
* Matteo Margheriti wins his first race at the Belgian Grand Prix.
* Eric Flynn wins his first World Drivers Championship.

### **2002**

* Honda Racing F1 Team debut.
* Benetton rebrand to Renault F1 Team, after winning the 2002 Belgian Grand Prix they will not win again until 2007's Belgian Grand Prix.
* Otto Makkinen goes on sabbatical with two races left in 2002 after failing to capture a fifth Drivers Championship.
* Tatsuno Takamori wins the World Drivers Championship.

### **2003**

* Eric Flynn wins his second World Drivers Championship.

### **2004**

* Minardi declare bankruptcy due to a drug bust encapturing the entire Minardi F1 team in scandel. and are bought by Fabiano Margheriti who renames them Margheriti.
* Otto Makkinen returns to Formula One with Williams.
* Ralf Goldbach exits Formula One mid-season, reportedly fleeing due to the Minardi drug scandel. Louis Kempton is arrested.
* Stine Olander signs a deal with BMW.
* Georgina Hill wins her first race in Formula One.
* Jenrick Armitage-Barnes IV and Rodrigo Morais retire.
* Katashi Kimura leaves Formula One.
* New regulations announced for the 2006 season with a switch to 2.4 litre V8 engines being the biggest change.
* Otto Makkinen wins his fifth World Drivers Championship.

### **2005**

* Red Bull Racing purchase Jaguar Racing.
* Porsche invest heavily into Dingley Grand Prix.
* Lakshman Gupta and Ava Rowe debut in Formula One, they are the first Indian and the first Jamaican Formula One drivers respectively.
* Anti Jaaskelainen debuts in Formula One at the Australian Grand Prix.
* The 2005 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis ends in controversy due to a high number of tyre blowouts during the race. The grand prix is canceled the following year and has yet to return.
* Saskia Klöden wins her first race in Formula One.
* Otto Makkinen and Eric Flynn end the season both with 85 points after a controversial finish where neither Flynn nor race winner Matteo Margheriti had working radios. Had Margheriti known to let Flynn by for the win, he would have won his third World Drivers Championship.
* Otto Makkinen wins his sixth and final World Drivers Championship, equaling the record set by Chuck Dingley in 1988.

### **2006**

* New regulations decided upon in 2004 involving 2.4 litre V8 engines come into effect.
* Porsche purchase Dingley Grand Prix.
* Scuderia Toro Rosso enters Formula One as a constructor.
* BMW join Sauber, resulting in Stine Olander moving from Williams to Sauber due to signing a contract with BMW in 2004.
* McLaren begin a stretch of early season domination with the team appearing with at least one driver on the podium in 5 of the first 6 races, with both drivers being on the podium in 2 of the 6, and Stefan Scherz winning 3 of the first 4 rounds.
* Stine Olander wins the Bahrain Grand Prix during a freak rainstorm. Leaked conversations would cause several controversies to arise, including the firing of Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner for sexist remarks.
* Ferrari begin a stretch of podium appearances from the 5th round in Austria to the 11th round in Italy, winning 5 races total.
* Saskia Klöden becomes the first Formula One driver to go on maternity leave during a season. She would return mid-way through the 2007 season.
* Matteo Margheriti would win the World Drivers Championship following a title decider race at the final race of the season, the Brazilian Grand Prix. Margheriti beat teamate Eric Flynn, McLaren duo Stefan Scherz and Georgina Hill, and Honda's Tatsuno Takamori.
* Ferrari win the World Constructors Championship after a title decider race at the final race of the season, the Brazilian Grand Prix. Ferrari would beat McLaren by 10 points despite a retirement from Ferrari's Eric Flynn.
* Eric Flynn would sign a contract with title rival McLaren despite having beat them in both World Drivers and Constructors Championships. The move would force Stefan Scherz out of the team and to Williams. Tatsuno Takamori would fill his place at Ferrari.
* Otto Makkinen retires from Formula One after 15 seasons in the sport, the longest Formula One tenure alongside Fabiano Margheriti. Makkinen left the sport 5th in all-time wins with 29, splitting early career rival Fabiano Margheriti in 4th and former teammate and friend Jack Wilson in 6th. He holds the joint record with Chuck Dingley for the most World Drivers Championships at 6.

### **2007**

* 2007 is the first season since 1977 to not feature a future 6 time World Drivers Champion. Eric Flynn is the only multiple time World Drivers Champion with two championships in 2001 and 2003.
* Force India purchases Jordan Grand Prix.
* Imre Futy returns to Formula One, and leaves again at the end of the season.
* Formula One sees it's highest percentage of German-speaking drivers with 5 of the 25 drivers being from either Germany or Austria. Stefan Scherz, Joesef Steinbacher, Marco Zimmermann, Mark Muller, and Laurens Wackernagel.
* Ferrari, McLaren, and Sauber appear as the main three contenders of the season, with McLaren especially dominant.
* Stine Olander, Georgina Hill, and Saskia Klöden make up the podium for the Italian Grand Prix. It is the first time in Formula One history that the podium is all-female.
* Renault would win their first race at the Belgian Grand Prix since the 2002 Belgian Grand Prix. Goran Larsson would win the race for Renault.
* McLaren would appear on the podium in 11 of 12 races, and win 6 of them.
* Georgina Hill would make motorsport history by being the first woman to become a World Drivers Champion, beating teammate Eric Flynn at the final race, the Brazilian Grand Prix, by 10 points.
* 2007 is the final year of a three year period (2005-2007) in which the World Drivers Championship is decided at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

### **2008**

* Permanent driver numbers are introduced to Formula One.
* Stefan Scherz suffers a near-season ending major leg fracture at the Bahrain Grand Prix. He would be replaced by Artyom Lukyanenko, Formula One's first Belarussian driver who would debut at the Canadian Grand Prix.
* Goran Larsson retires from Formula One midseason after being diagnosed with cancer during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.