Press F1 for help: Why is Formula 1 called Formula 1?

Formula 1 is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with viewership numbers increasing worldwide. Many fans have accepted the name Formula 1 just is the name of the sport, but why is it called Formula 1? Let’s take a deep dive.

Welcome to Press F1 For Help: a guide to all things Formula 1. Whether you are brand new to the sport or want to learn more, we have created explainers to help you become more knowledgeable.

The history of Formula 1

Car racing has been around since cars came to be, with drivers challenging each other to be faster over a set distance.

Organizationally, motorsports across Europe were governed by the poorly named Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR), which tried to standardize the races. The main race was the European Championship, with points beign allocated for both winning and completing the race. Oddly, the driver with the lowest total score was the winner.

Following the end of the Second World War, the Commission Sportive Internationale (CSI), began to rebuild motorsports, replacing the long-time president of the AIACR with Augustin Perouse. He was the one who spearheaded the beginning of the Grand Prix as we know it today.

The AIACR was superseeded by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) as we know it today, which also hosted the inaugural Formula One World Championships in 1950.

Why is the word Formula in Formula 1?

After much discussion, the term “formula” was used to describe the championships, with “Formula 1” being used to denote the highest level of motorsport racing.

Formula was the term used to denote the complex set of rules that govern the way the car is built, including engine design, weight, and other technical elements. Engineers, deigners, and drivers needed to work within these specifications to build the best car possible to win.

Formula 1 is immensely competitive, with teams making tweaks to gain tenths of a second. The competition is fierce at this level. In future posts, we will cover more of the technical aspects that drivers use to build a Formula 1 car.