Formula 1 is 70!
Tomorrow marks the 70th Anniversary of our beloved sport Formula 1. 70 years of man and machine testing the limits to become fastest in the world. The race will be held at Silverstone on the 9th August 2020; 50 years on from where the first Formula 1 World Championship took place at the same race track on the 13th May 1950.
Since 1950, there have been a lot of changes in the world of F1. In the first race at Silverstone the racing drivers - which included Giuseppe Farina and Luigi Fagioloi - wore only linen helmets with cotton shirts and trousers to allow them to stay cool. Looking back now, when safety is the primary concern of the sport, it seems crazy that this was allowed. Thank goodness times have changed!
There were 10 British drivers to enter the first ever world championship race out of the 22 participants which is a huge majority compared to now, where the sport has drivers from a variety of countries and backgrounds.
Back at the first World Champion race, there were 200,000 spectators which is huge! Last year at the 2019 British GP there were an estimated 351,000 fans which was the highest recorded number of fans of the season.
Over the last 70 years we have seen some of the most memorable races which include; the 2011 Canadian GP, 1976 Japanese GP, 2008 Brazilian GP and many, many more. We have also seen some incredible drivers including the current world champion Lewis Hamilton, the greatest F1 driver of all time Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna to name just a few of the athletes who have captured our hearts over the last 70 years.
The last 70 years have given us fans of the sports some amazing highs yet there have also been some devastating lows. Sadly, there have been many drivers who have lost their life doing what they love. Thankfully, safety precautions and rules have been implemented to ensure that this number does not rise.
In recent years we have seen team and driver domination in the sport; Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton come to mind... With the upcoming rule changes in 2022, could we see more of a battle between teams? And will we see these young and hungry drivers like Russell and Norris trump the world championship? I suppose we will find out in time.
The last 70 years have been unreal and we cannot wait to see what will happen over the next 70 years. So, enjoy this 70th Anniversary GP and we will chat soon!
Sach & Soph
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