F1 cars have evolved through the decades

The cars were originally produced by European manufacturers like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Maserati

Other than the four wheels and open top, the early Formula 1 cars have little in common with today’s machines. But the era has a rich history. Using historic video and photos, this hour-long documentary details the iconic drivers of the 1950s, the evolution of the premier teams, and how the era left its mark on the sport that’s still being felt today.

Why F1 cars don't have cockpits

F1 racing cars go over 200 mph, making fatal crashes inevitable throughout its history. Car models have changed many times to make them safer, but the sport has never adopted a closed cockpit, a perhaps obvious solution to protecting drivers from fast-flying debris. Instead, F1 cars have a halo-shaped top, which helps cool drivers, allow for quick escape, and more. Watch a breakdown here.

F1 driving requires intense strategy, endurance, and strength

Formula 1 cars are the peak of human engineering, and the humans driving them must have exceptional skills to master their cars. This Wired video talks to former performance coach Clayton Green to uncover what makes Formula 1 drivers such unique athletes. Learn why drivers focus on neck strength to combat extreme g-forces, and what those forces do to a driver's body over a race.

Formula 1 cars are the world's fastest regulated road-course racing automobiles

F1 is the highest international level of open-wheel racing, where the wheels are not covered by the car's body, differing significantly from the NASCAR auto, which has covered wheels.

After a tragic 3 decades, F1 created better safety measures

The first three decades of Formula 1 saw 41 drivers die in competition; since 1980, only 11 have perished. The reduction is due, in large part, to better safety measures. This article highlights every safety improvement made by year since F1 started, and describes the accidents or deaths that led to the rule changes.

F1 drivers today are in peak physical shape

Formula 1 drivers today are in top physical condition, with reaction times on par with Olympic sprinters and strength programs specifically for their neck to withstand the immense g-forces experienced in racing.

There were 12 on-track fatalities in the 1970s

The decade found engineers pushing Formula 1 cars to their limits. The cars were faster than ever and drivers were taking bigger risks to win. Safety features, however, remained the same. With vintage footage and driver interviews, this Daily Fuel Up video explores some of the wildest crashes from the era and, importantly, what changes FIA made following the decade’s 12 driver deaths.

Today's cars use turbocharged hybrid engines and AI-assisted technologies

In addition to enhanced speed, serious accidents and technological advances have led to major innovations, leading to more aerodynamic and more protective cars.

NASCAR automobiles have become significantly more complex over time

The first generation of NASCAR automobiles were nearly identical to on-the-street models, with no modifications allowed to the body or frame. They even raced with doors. Fast-forward 75 years and the cars are 670-horsepower machines designed for racing.

F1 is a billion-dollar industry

But that money doesn't come easily. Team principals have to constantly ensure money is coming in to fund their million-dollar cars every weekend. This CNBC video explores all the costs of running a team. It also shows how team principals woo sponsors and find ways to maximize their technology with a cost cap.

World War II innovations helped advance car racing

Modern American auto racing began in the 1920s with bootleggers modifying cars to outrun authorities. World War II innovations like better engines and surplus parts fueled post-war racing. By 1947, Bill France Sr. founded NASCAR, creating a unified league with consistent rules, transforming stock car racing into one of America’s favorite sports.

Over 120 cameras are used to film a single F1 race

Watching a Formula 1 race today is an immersive experience. Every car has onboard cameras; there are helicopter, drone, and lift shots; nearly every corner has a camera to document drivers jockeying for position; and over 120 cameras are used to film a single race.

Every world champion in F1 history

Over the last decade, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have dominated the podium, and their Red Bull Racing and Mercedes teams have taken every Constructors' Championship since 2010. But which team had the most championships in the 1950s? Who has the most Drivers' Championships in Formula 1's history? This article shows every Drivers' and Constructors' champion since the start of Formula 1 in the 1950s.

The first official Formula 1 World Championship race was in 1950

On May 13, 1950, Formula 1 held its first race at Silverstone in the UK. Over 150,000 people, including the British monarch (and future Queen Elizabeth II), turned out to watch the field of 28 cars over the 70-lap race. The race wasn't very competitive, but it's still a fascinating artifact to observe.

The first F1 sponsor was a cigarette brand

Early F1 cars were typically painted in the team’s national colors, but in 1968, Team Lotus replaced the British racing green with paint resembling their new sponsor, Imperial Tobacco. The sponsorship was a first in the sport and altered the visual and financial landscape of F1 forever.

A list of every F1 team

This FIA interactive lists all 11 Formula 1 teams and is organized by team points during each season. Learn who the drivers are for each team and see what their cars look like. Click into the team and get a profile and history. Each driver has a profile page that includes biographical information and the latest news.

Hear drivers talk about what it feels like to crash a Formula 1 car.

Self-driving formula cars race in the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League

The league and high-speed versions of traditional cars help to showcase the capabilities of driverless vehicles and the reliability of their AI systems. Leonardo da Vinci first imagined the idea for such machines in the 16th century.

View the 18 vehicles that broke the land speed record

The battery-powered "La Jamais Contente" was the first car to exceed 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) per hour, achieving the feat in 1899. By 1997, advancements in aerodynamic understanding and engineering led to the Thrust Supersonic Car, a jet-powered vehicle that reached a speed of 1,223.6 kilometers (760.3 miles) per hour.

The NASCAR championship trophy has evolved for decades

From the Winston Cup’s reign from 1971 to 2003, to the Nextel/Sprint Cup awarded from 2004 to 2016, this NASCAR video shows the evolution to the new Bill France Trophy with every track outlined.

NASCAR's latest car design brings back its 'stock' roots

In 2022, NASCAR unveiled its Next Gen car, and the changes were some of the most significant in decades. Teams no longer design each car part, but purchase them from a single source, bringing greater parity.

A Netflix docuseries turned the sport into a national obsession

Throughout much of its history, Formula 1 racing was a European sport that failed to ever find a major audience in the US. That changed with "Drive to Survive," the Netflix docuseries that premiered in 2019. This analysis from two communications professors unpacks how the series has successfully presented the sport for an American audience and cultivated a dedicated fanbase in the process.

Grands Prix run March through December at circuits across 5 continents

F1's season crosses five continents in locations steeped in history and meaning for drivers, teams, and the sport. There are 22 events in 2026, starting in Australia and ending in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

F1 pit crews change tires in less than 3 seconds

Roughly 16 people cooperate in a highly coordinated sequence of events to swap tires mid-race without losing the driver any time. Watch a slowed-down explanation of each person's job in the crucial pit-lane moment.

How Cadillac joined F1 as the first new team in a decade

The process was not an easy one: Despite growing American interest, thanks to Netflix's "Drive to Survive" and the 2025 film "F1," the 10 teams in the league were resistant to another team diluting the prize money. That changed when Cadillac agreed to pay $200M to become Formula 1's 11th team. This deep dive from ESPN's Nate Saunders details how the company made the deal happen.

Principals are important pieces of F1 teams

In the Big Four American sports, teams have a head coach to lead the team and a general manager to run the business side. In Formula 1, they have a team principal, who speaks publicly on behalf of the team, manages the team's personnel, and engages with F1's governing body.

Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost had one of the sport's most intense rivalries

The men were teammates at McLaren in the 1980s, but you wouldn't know it watching them on the track. Senna dominated the sport from 1984 to 1994, but Prost—who retired in 1993—is considered the best in F1 history.

The history of the tennis racket

Today's tennis rackets are made from lightweight composite materials, which is a big reason power, speed, and spin dominate today's game. But they weren't always built this way. This Top Sport Gear video shows the evolution of the tennis racket, from its start as medieval paddles, to the wood rackets of the early 1900s.

One of Henry Ford's early vehicle prototypes broke an all-time speed record and got him the money to start Ford Motor Company

In 1904, Henry Ford raced the "999" across a frozen lake and reached an average speed of more than 90 miles per hour, beating the then-record for fastest land speed. Ford's success attracted the eyes of the earliest investors in the Henry Ford Company, Ford's company before he started Ford Motor Company.

A 'halo' protects drivers

After the 2015 death of driver Jules Bianchi, Formula 1 mandated that all cars include a protective barrier called a “halo.” This video breaks down how that measure saved the life of Romain Grosjean, who survived a horrific crash in 2020 at a race in Bahrain and later credited the halo as the reason for his survival.

The original 1959 Daytona 500 significantly changed racetracks

After several years under construction, the inaugural Daytona 500 at the newly opened Daytona International Speedway was held Feb. 22, 1959. The race was aired on television and featured future star Richard Petty, old-school pit stops, and the infamous photo finish that took days to sort out a winner.

NASCAR’s SAFER barriers help reduce tragedies at races

Following the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 2001, NASCAR changed its culture to be safety-first. Part of its changes were to install barriers along tracks that would help absorb the majority of g-forces in a crash. This Daily Downforce article walks through the history of the SAFER barriers, why NASCAR originally chose concrete, and how much of the tracks are covered today.

F1 team Renault crashed one driver's car to have the other win a race in 2008

Using rules regarding crashes that require all drivers to slow down (and often take a pit stop), floundering Team Renault asked Nathan Pinquet, Jr., to crash to help teammate Fernando Alonso win. The scheme worked, but when the team fired Pinquet a year later, he revealed the conspiracy, dubbed "Crashgate."

The death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. at the 2001 Daytona 500 is credited with sparking a safety revolution in NASCAR

NASCAR shifted to a safety-first culture and in 2002 opened a research and development center to focus on safety innovation. No driver has died in NASCAR’s top three series since Earnhardt’s death.

Watch someone drive a Model T Ford, which feels like driving 'a tractor with the soul of a sewing machine'—and learn how to operate one.

High fuel prices and fuel shortages revived dormant interest in EVs

Electric vehicles, in the form of motorized carriages, predate the invention of the gas-powered automobile by over 40 years. The latter's affordability made it more popular until technological advances made EVs more viable to consumers in the early 2000s.

Nearly 40% of American cars were electric in 1899

They were most common in cities, where battery swap stations allowed drivers to "refuel" their vehicles reliably. Innovations in combustion engines caused electric cars to lose ground until environmental policies and advances in battery technology revitalized interest.

The hidden engineering of gas stations

Contemporary gas stations are the result of a century of engineering progress. In the early 1900s, only a few thousand cars drove around, and they used kerosene. As vehicles and cheaper gasoline became more popular, fire hazards grew, forcing the invention of fuel pumps, underground storage tanks, and the automatic shutoff valve—all engineering marvels.

The Wright Flyer was an engineering breakthrough, and modern aircraft still use the same principles of flight.

A pair of engineers began Tesla to prove the viability of electric vehicles

Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning sought to design a high-end electric sports car for environmentally motivated, affluent buyers. The Tesla Roadster would be the first highway-legal car to use lithium-ion batteries.

Explore a timeline of advancements in American aviation

From the Wright brothers' flight of the first powered plane in 1903 near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to SpaceX's debut of the Falcon 9 rocket in 2010 with reusable boosters, this interactive shows off the technological evolution of flight, from mechanical propulsion to ballistic spaceflight. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Electric vehicles have been around since the 19th century

The first EVs ran on rechargeable lead-acid batteries, which could travel 60 to 80 miles on a single charge. Women preferred these vehicles, which were quieter, less smelly, and did not require turning a hand crank to start the engine.

NASCAR started declining in 2007

In the 1990s and early 2000s, NASCAR was one of the biggest sports in North America. It was racking up ratings and ticket sales on par with the NFL, and even beating the NBA Finals viewership. Ratings went down in 2007 and stayed there until 2018 due to a number of factors such as a changing media landscape, rule changes, and the retirement of popular drivers.

The Model T's simple but functional design helped the car become popular

Thanks to its low manufacturing costs, the Model T made it so many Americans could actually afford a personal vehicle. The car was produced as a simple, open-air vehicle that could be upgraded with aftermarket additions (like window wipers or better headlights).

Modern innovations have allowed rides to simultaneously become more extreme and safer

Several ingenious additions to roller coasters, such as extra wheels, magnetic brakes, and hydraulic system safety bars, have largely reduced discomfort and threats such as broken rides or ejected passengers.

The evolution of the Olympics from ancient Greece to the modern world

The Olympic Games have evolved from a sacred footrace in 776 BCE honoring Zeus to a global celebration of athletic excellence and unity. Ancient Greek city-states set aside their conflicts under a sacred truce for events like wrestling and chariot racing. Though the Games ended in 393 CE, Pierre de Coubertin revived them in 1896, adding modern elements like the torch relay and the inclusion of women. Watch 1440's breakdown of the historic event here.

Bill France Sr. founded NASCAR after organizing stock car races

Bill France Sr. was the first person to organize stock car racing in America. By the 1940s, the company he created had changed the sport forever.

Over-the-air updates, pioneered by Tesla, have become the industry standard

Tesla's innovative direct-to-consumer sales model and online ordering system changed car-buying, and the Model S, which had a 200-mile range, forced other automakers to enhance their EV offerings and rethink vehicle design.

Explore a gallery of electric vehicles from before 1920

In 1884, Thomas Parker invented the first practical electric car in London. By the turn of the century, early EVs were seen on the streets of Washington, DC. Automaker promotional materials included photographs of cars on mountain roads and other terrains.

The evolution of the baseball bat

Torpedo bats may be the latest, most powerful kind of baseball bat, but the instrument's history is long. This Smithsonian resource traces the bat's evolution from handmade objects forged by the players to mass-produced marvels of physics designed by companies like Louisville Slugger. Along the way, you'll see some interesting takes on the form, including bats referred to as "mushrooms" and "bananas."