McLaren Spies

In 2007, the constructor team McLaren were found guilty of spying on their rivals Ferrari. The incident is alleged to have involved a number of technical documents being passed from Ferrari to members of the McLaren team. After being found guilty of the alleged crimes, the team were fined a record-breaking $100 million and excluded from the 2007 constructor’s championship. Later in 2007, further allegations were made that members of the McLaren team forwarded their received information to members of the Renault team, though these charges were later dropped.

Michael Schumacher Vs. Damon Hill

Throughout its existence, Formula One has seen a number of great rivalries between teams and drivers. However, few have ever matched the intensity of the rivalry between Germany’s Michael Schumacher and Great Britain’s Damon Hill. The most famous flare up between these two former world champions came in 1994 when, going into the last race of the season, Schumacher led Hill by a single point in the driver’s championship. The race couldn’t have been any tighter going into lap 36 when a Schumacher error paved a path for Hill to overtake. However, Schumacher had other ideas and deliberately crashed into Hill’s car dealing it with a sufficient amount of damage to force him to retire, thus handing the title to Schumacher. Schumacher was also involved in a similar incident that could be described as less than “sporting” when, during qualifying for the 2006 Grand Prix in Monaco, Schumacher stopped his car his on one the circuits corners in order to slow down the track. This prevented his rival Fernando Alonso improving his qualification time and achieving pole position for the actual race. Whether the move was deliberate is still a matter of debate, however, Schumacher’s actions were deemed “deliberate” by the race stewards and he was demoted to the back of the grid as punishment, a move that effectively promoted Alonso to pole position.

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Early years

Nowadays, Formula One’s rules and regulations change on a season by season basis, however, back in the 1950’s when the sport celebrated its first world championships, rule changes were very infrequent. A large part of this is due to the comparatively slow development of technology. The most significant rule change during the 1950’s was the compulsory switch to petrol from alcohol-based fuels.
When the 1960’s arrived, a little more thought was given to the safety of the drivers. It’s amazing to think that the signalling flags, safety inspections and protective drivers helmets that we are used to today were only introduced in the years between 1961 and 1965 – fifteen years after the sport’s first world championships.

1970 – 1990

As Formula One started to establish itself as a major world sport, the FIA started to think of ways to improve the safety of the drivers. A number of near fatal (and fatal) accidents during the late sixties and early seventies saw a need to introduce certain safety measures to the sport’s regulations. In addition to new guidelines on how the engines could be built, there were also a lot of practical measures introduced, such as the “12 meter staggering” on the starting grid and an increase in distance between the spectators and the track. Circuits were also required to offer full medical facilities, while crash testing was introduced as a necessary part of a car’s testing.

Modern Era

After the tragic death of Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna in the early nineties, the world’s eyes were on the FIA would react. With Formula One’s TV viewing figures rising, it became imperative for the sport to keep the number of crashes down, while also keeping the level of excitement up. In regards to safety, more testing was required on each car before it was allowed to enter a race, while protective guards in the cockpit were made mandatory. Also, a number of rules regarding the size of engines were introduced in an attempt to limit the speed in which a car could travel. This, in addition to decreasing the chances of drivers losing control of their vehicles, also made for a much more even playing field, and small constructor teams were able to compete with the likes of Ferrari and McLaren once again.

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Jim Clark

Considered by many to be one of the greatest Formula One drivers who ever lived, Jim Clark boasts a winning record that is second to none. In a career that was tragically cut short at the age of 32 by fatal crash in Germany 1968, Jim Clark managed to win 2 drivers world championships and claim a remarkable 25 Grand Prix victories. At the time of his death, no other driver had accumulated as many race wins or podium finishes.

Jackie Stewart

Affectionately known as “The Flying Scotsman,” Jackie Stewart is perhaps Britain’s most famous export when it comes to the world of Formula One. Taking over from where the late Jim Clark left off, Stewart enjoyed a 100 race career that spanned over 8 years and saw 3 world championship wins. With 43 podium finishes and 27 wins, he is one of the most prolific, and certainly one of the most iconic, Formula One drivers of all time.

Nigel Mansell

It is hard to think of a more celebrated British Formula One driver of recent times than Nigel Mansell. By no means the most successful British Formula One Drivers the world has ever seen, although he did claim one world title, Mansell’s popularity stems from his determined personality and ability to overcome adversity. Although is world championship title was won in 1992, it is perhaps the 1986 title for which he will be most remembered, when a puncture in the last race of the season denied him his chance of securing what would have been his championship crown. However, despite this misfortune, Mansell continued to compete until finally he got his just rewards in 1992.

David Coulthard

Like Mansell, David Coulthard wasn’t by any means Britain’s most successful Formula One driver, but he is considered by many of his peers to be one best. In a career that spanned over 14 years and 247 races, Coulthard collected more world championship points than any other British driver in history. Indeed, he is only one of five drivers of any nationality to have claimed over 500 career points. Known more for his consistency rather than his flair, Coulthard will always be remembered by racing fans as somebody who gave his best in every race he competed in.

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Williams

In 1993, David Coulthard has hired as a test driver for the Williams-Renault team. For more than a year he worked with the constructors to help them develop their cars and played an important role in advancing their technology. After the tragic death of Williams’ driver Ayrton Senna in 1994, Coulthard was soon promoted to the race team alongside fellow Brit Damon Hill. It was during these formative years with Williams that Coulthard built his reputation as a talented young driver, a reputation that would soon catch the attention of constructor heavyweights McLaren.

McLaren

In 1996, after three years working with Williams-Renault, Coulthard signed a contract with McLaren where he would drive alongside future world champion Mika Hakkinen. Although normally considered to be one of the most competitive teams, McLaren were currently on a three season run without a single Grand Prix victory. This was to change when, in the opening race of the 1997 season in Australia, Coulthard finished in pole. However, with the emergence of Michael Schumacher and McLaren’s desire to see Hakkinen maintain a challenge for the driver’s championship, Coulthard’s role with the McLaren was largely a supporting one.

Red Bull

After seeing career high finishes of 4th, 3rd and 2nd between 2001 and 2004, Coulthard left McLaren to team up with the newly formed Red Bull team in 2005. Bringing with him his knowledge and experience, Coulthard helped Red Bull and their young drivers establish themselves in the Formula One hierarchy. Although never reaching the same heights as he did with McLaren, Coulthard helped Red Bull develop their technology and it was his experience and advice that helped paved the way for current world champion Sebastian Vettel’s success.
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The Roots of Formula One

As an official sport, Formula One was first defined in 1946 by the Commission Sportive Internationale (CSI) as the premier single seater racing category in the world of sport. However, Formula One’s roots can be traced back as early as the 1920s when Grand Prix motor racing was hugely popular in Europe. Once the sport had been defined in 1946, the Federation Internationale de ‘Automobiles (FIA) began standardising its rules in and the first ever Formula One driver’s world championship was established in 1950.

Driver’s World Championship

The first ever Formula One world championship consisted of 6 “major” Grand prix events in Europe and the Indianapolis 500 and was won by Italian Nino Farina representing the Alfa Romeo team. Indeed, during the early years of the world championships, it would be the Italian teams of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Maserati who would dominate the sport.

Constructor’s World Championship

1958 saw the introduction of the Formula One constructor’s championship. Although the general rules of the sport remained the same, races were shortened from 300 miles to 200 miles, while cars were also required to use Avgas as opposed to alternative fuel mixtures. These measures were introduced help level the playing field, and it was the British constructor Vanwall who took the first ever constructor title. Also that year, Mike Hawthorn driving for the Ferrari team became the first ever Britain to claim the driver’s title.

World Acclaim

By the end of the 1960’s, Formula One had established itself as one of the world’s most popular sports. Driver’s such as Jackie Stewart and Graham Hill were household names, while the cars themselves were the talk of every race fan in the world. Inevitably, sponsorship money arrived, with many constructor teams being bankrolled by big firms and companies. With an almost limitless supply of investment being pumped into the sport, car manufacturers were able to develop new technologies and it wasn’t long before teams such as Ferrari and McLaren began shaping the direction Formula One cars would take for the next half century.

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With different circuits offering calling for different racing styles, it is little wonder why, for fans, choosing a favourite is sometimes a difficult task. However, there are some circuits that almost every fan of Formula One racing gets excited about every year.

Monaco

Perhaps the most famous racing courses of all time, the Circuit de Monaco is a street circuit that threads through the glamorous city of Monte Carlo. With its complex layout and numerous chicanes, the Circuit de Monaco is a circuit that favours skill and timing over sheer speed and power. Racing legend Nelson Piquet once described navigating the course akin to “guiding a bicycle around your living room,” due to its tight and twisting nature. In addition to this, spectators are also treated to the beauty of Monet Carlo as a backdrop to this most famous of Grand Prix locations.

Silverstone

Known universally as “the home of British racing,” Silverstone is perhaps the antithesis of the Circuit de Monaco in terms of layout and structure. Built on the site of Royal Air Force bomber station, the Silverstone circuit offers drivers long stretches of track mixed in with a couple of tight corners. Unlike Monaco, speed and power count for everything here and the track is a firm favourite amongst fans who like to see engines pushed to their very limits.

Monza

The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is perhaps the fastest circuit in Formula One. With very few tight corners or chicanes to negotiate, the Monza circuit is a firm favourite amongst Formula One fans who like to see engines pushed to their very limits. However, as much as the circuit delights fans with a need for speed, the track has also seen a number of accidents over the years. Over 50 drivers and 30 spectators have been involved in fatal accidents at the circuit, which has led to a massive increase in the course’s safety features.

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