On May 13, 1950, a converted RAF airfield in Silverstone hosted the inaugural round of the Formula One World Championship. Seventy-five years, 1,131 Grands Prix, and thousands of stories later, Formula 1 has grown from a European curiosity to one of the most advanced, beloved, and enduring global sports.

Whether you remember Fangio’s masterclass in the 1950s, cried watching Senna’s brilliance, or woke up early to witness Verstappen’s rise, Formula 1 at 75 is a celebration of us all, the drivers, engineers, strategists, and fans who made this sport more than just racing.

It All Started at Silverstone

The 1950 British Grand Prix wasn’t just the first official F1 race, it was a statement. Out of the ashes of World War II, Formula 1 emerged with leather-helmeted heroes pushing machines to the limit on bombed-out airstrips. Giuseppe Farina won that race, but all 21 drivers who started it helped shape the DNA of what F1 would become: fast, dangerous, and unforgettable.

Also alive at the time? A 20-year-old Bernie Ecclestone, who would go on to become the sport’s commercial architect and global visionary. And competing just a few years later was Hermano da Silva Ramos, now 99 years old and the oldest living F1 driver, a living link to the sport’s formative years.

The Stats That Tell the Story

Over the past 75 years, Formula 1 has amassed numbers that read like myth:

• 787 drivers have started at least one Formula 1 Grand Prix
• 115 different race winners have stood atop the podium
• 216 drivers have earned at least one podium finish
• 355 drivers have ever scored a single championship point
• 1,131 Grands Prix have been held across
• 77 different circuits in 34 countries
• The sport has covered a total of 363,956 kilometers, or 95% of the distance to the Moon

And here’s a mind-bending fact: More people have been to space and reached Earth orbit (624) than have scored points in F1. Earning even a single point is a rarified achievement, one that places a driver in an elite club.

Only 34 Champions in 75 Years

Despite nearly 800 drivers taking part in F1, only 34 have ever claimed the title of World Champion. That’s fewer than the number of astronauts who’ve gone to space. The elite breakdown:

Multi-Time Champions:

• 7 titles: Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton
• 5 titles: Juan Manuel Fangio
• 4 titles: Alain Prost, Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen
• 3 titles: Jack Brabham, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna, Jackie Stewart, Nelson Piquet
• 2 titles: Alberto Ascari, Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mika Häkkinen, Fernando Alonso

One-Time Champions:

Giuseppe Farina, Mike Hawthorn, Phil Hill, John Surtees, Denny Hulme, Jochen Rindt, James Hunt, Mario Andretti, Jody Scheckter, Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nigel Mansell, Jacques Villeneuve, Damon Hill, Jenson Button, Kimi Räikkönen, Nico Rosberg

And here’s a quirky twist: five of those champions were named “John”—at least on their birth certificate. That includes:

• John Surtees
• Juan Manuel Fangio (Spanish version of John)
• John Arthur “Jack” Brabham
• John Young “Jackie” Stewart
• John Michael “Mike” Hawthorn

Ferrari: The Most Successful Team in F1 History

No conversation about 75 years of Formula 1 is complete without acknowledging its most iconic team: Scuderia Ferrari.

Ferrari has competed in every F1 season since the beginning and remains the most successful constructor in history. With 16 Constructors’ Championships, no other team comes close.

Ferrari’s championship-winning years:
1961, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008

That run includes the dominance of Michael Schumacher’s early 2000s era, historic duels in the ’70s, and the return to glory with Kimi Räikkönen in 2007. For many fans, the Prancing Horse is F1, and in many ways, their emotional connection to the sport is painted red.

Even in modern seasons of rebuilding, Ferrari continues to command massive global support. As the team said in their tribute post:

“Happy Birthday, F1. Let’s look back at the red thread we’ve shared since 1950.”

How Far We’ve Come

F1’s transformation over the decades is one of the most dramatic in sport:

• 1950: Front-engine, tubular steel cars with drum brakes and skinny tires
• 2025: Ground-effect monsters with hybrid V6 powertrains, carbon monocoques, and 1,000+ horsepower

The steering wheel has gone from a basic wooden circle to a high-tech hub with 20+ controls. Pit stops that once took 60 seconds now routinely take less than 2. And where mechanics used chalkboards, engineers now monitor performance through terabytes of live telemetry.

Even race formats have changed: from flag-to-flag sprints to multi-format weekends with sprints, qualifying duels, and data-driven strategies.

A Timeline in Images

BBC and Getty’s F1 at 75 project brought the sport’s visual legacy to life. Their collection juxtaposes the fierce intensity of black-and-white 1950s images with the high-definition drama of the modern era. It’s a time capsule of passion, progress, and personalities. It’s like watching your childhood, your heroes, and your dreams—frame by frame.

A Global Community Comes Together

Celebrations swept across social media this week. From meme tributes to emotional video edits, fans paid homage to the moments that shaped them. One line stood out across it all:

“We debate the drivers. We critique the teams. But F1 itself? That’s something we all love.”

It’s a rare and beautiful thing for a sport to unify so many different generations and cultures. F1 doesn’t just race forward, it brings us back to who we were when we first fell in love with it.

The Road Ahead

Looking forward, F1 faces new challenges, and exciting opportunities. Sustainable fuels, net-zero targets, emerging fanbases in Asia and Africa, and ongoing technological evolution will define the next chapter.

The sprint format is evolving. AI and simulation are reshaping race prep. And synthetic fuels may just help F1 stay thrilling and responsible.

But no matter what changes, the soul of the sport remains. That heart-thumping moment when five red lights go out? Still electric. Still everything.

Final Thoughts

From leather helmets to halo devices, paper lap charts to real-time strategy AI, and post-war gravel tracks to billion-dollar circuits, Formula 1 has never stopped evolving. It’s not just a sport. It’s a time machine, a mirror, and a proving ground. And after 75 years, we still watch every Sunday like it’s our first. So here’s to the champions, the underdogs, the engineers, and the fans. Here’s to the heartbreaks, the photo finishes, and the unforgettable comebacks. Happy 75th Birthday, Formula 1. May the next 75 be even faster.