SAGA — Doing things properly

Since wheels were first turned in anger and engines revved to the limit, way back in 1950, the Formula One World Championship has come a long, long way.

The starting straight

The very first Formula One Championship was won by an Italian, Giuseppe Farina, driving for Alfa Romeo. He marginally beat his team mate of the time, the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio.

Fangio, who went on to win the title in 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957 is considered by many, even to this day, to be the greatest driver of all time. Strangely and unlike a lot of Grand Prix drivers, Fangio entered racing relatively late in his life and was one of the older drivers on the grid, throughout his illustrious racing career.

The first decade of F1 was dominated by teams who were run by road car manufacturers – hugely revered makes such as Mercedes Benz, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Maserati. We can’t talk about the Golden age of Formula One without mentioning Stirling Moss. Again, by today’s standards, considered to be another older driver. Moss never actually became World Champion but it’s been said, he was the greatest ever driver never to have won the title.

The racing line to success

In the world of F1, the 1960s was a time of radical change. Team Lotus was as the forefront motor racing innovation. Lotus was responsible for introducing a car that sported an aluminium monocoque chassis, as opposed to the more traditional space frame design. In 1968 Lotus also became responsible for introducing sponsorship to the sport by adorning their cars in the brand colours of Imperial Tobacco.

Throughout the decade, drivers, which have now become household names, dominated the sport – Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Jim Clark and John Surtees, to name but a few.

Formula One becomes big business

The 1970s also saw a world of change for Formula One but for different reasons. It was Bernie Ecclestone, who originally managed the Brabham team and is now the sport’s Supremo, who brought about the transformation of F1 into the billion dollar business that it is today.

Aged 78, he’s a dominant force and primary authority within the sport, controlling the administration, set-up and logistics of each Formula One race, as well as having pioneered the sale of television rights for F1. Pretty impressive for someone over 50.

Over four decades, Bernie Ecclestone, together with other bodies within F1, moulded and remoulded the sport. Some changes were political. Many were made as a result of huge advances in technology. F1 cars were fast becoming immensely sophisticated forms of transport – often taking a lead from aircraft technology. And sadly, changes to the sport were made on the grounds of safety. The 80s and 90s witnessed the deaths of three hugely popular and very talented drivers. Ayrton Senna, Roland Ratzenberger and Gilles Villeneuve.

Bigger, better, faster, more expensive

The late 80s and early 90s also heralded the triumphant return of the big teams, with even bigger budgets. The sheer cost of the technology involved in racing for the top positions on the grid meant that it was only teams such as Ferrari, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Renault and Toyota who would have a competitive shot at either the Drivers’ or Constructors’ titles.

Michael Schumacher brought Ferrari from despondency, at the rear of the grid, to win an unprecedented five consecutive Drivers’ and six Constructors’ Championships between 1999 and 2004. Putting him up there with ‘El Maestro’ – Fangio.

A new breed of driver

Since then, in 2005 and 2006 we’ve seen Fernando Alonso become the youngest ever driver to win a World Title, only to have this record swept from under his nosecone by Lewis Hamilton. The young Mercedes McClaren driver should have won the title in his rookie season but lost it in the last few races of 2007. His reply, in 2008, was to win The Drivers’ Championship by just one point, on the last corner of the final race.

IF is a very big word and IF is F1 spelt backwards

The 2009 season has created turmoil. What happens if we change the rules? Sweeping regulation reforms, aimed at reducing costs, increasing overtaking and helping protect the environment have meant a very different look to F1 cars.

From the restructuring, we’ve seen the possible phoenix-like rise of the independent team. It may well be, that like Eddie Jordan, back in the 80s, Ross Brawn is about to take Formula One and shake up the gravel traps. If the performance of his cars, at the hands of Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello, in the early part of the 2009 season is anything to go by, then we’re in for a very eventful Championship.

Perhaps things are best summed-up by the inimitable Murray Walker: “Anything can happen in Formula One – and it usually does!”