Purpose-built cars
Every team designs and develops its own car around a tightly controlled technical rulebook.
The story of Grand Prix racing
Formula One
The cars, teams, drivers and split-second strategy behind the highest class of international single-seater racing.
1950First World Championship season
11Teams on the 2026 grid
22Drivers on the 2026 grid
TeamsDriversGrand Prix weekendsStrategyEngineering
What is Formula 1?
Formula 1 is the highest class of international single-seater motor racing governed by the FIA. Teams design purpose-built cars and compete at Grand Prix events for the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships. The World Championship began in 1950 and combines driver skill, engineering, race strategy and pit-stop execution.
- First championship
- 1950
- Governing body
- FIA
- Championship titles
- Drivers & Constructors
- 2026 grid
- 11 teams · 22 drivers
01 — How it began
How Formula 1 began.
In 1946, international motor racing authorities agreed a new premier formula for post-war Grand Prix cars. Those rules became the foundation of the World Championship launched in 1950. The inaugural championship counted seven rounds, including the Indianapolis 500. The first championship Grand Prix was held at Silverstone on 13 May 1950, and Alfa Romeo driver Giuseppe Farina became the first World Champion.
Early Formula 1 was dominated by front-engined cars and Italian manufacturers. The sport then evolved through rear-engine design, aerodynamics, sponsorship, turbocharging, electronic control, hybrid power and increasingly sophisticated safety standards.
- Governing body
- Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)
- Formula agreed
- 1946, ahead of post-war Grand Prix competition
- First season
- 1950 World Championship of Drivers
- First race
- 1950 British Grand Prix, Silverstone
- First champion
- Giuseppe Farina, Alfa Romeo
- Team title
- Constructors' Championship introduced in 1958
02 — The essentials
What makes Formula 1 different?
Formula 1 combines purpose-built cars, team engineering and race-weekend execution.
Two titles
Drivers score for themselves while both cars contribute points toward the Constructors' Championship.
Race strategy
Tyres, pit-stop timing, weather and safety-car periods can reshape a Grand Prix in seconds.
Global calendar
Street circuits, permanent tracks and night races create a different technical test each weekend.
03 — Grand Prix format
A race weekend, decoded.
Practice
Teams test set-up, learn tyre behaviour and collect data for qualifying and the race.
Qualifying
Drivers compete for the fastest lap time and their starting position for the Grand Prix.
Grand Prix
Points are awarded at the finish, with strategy and reliability tested over the full distance.
Sprint events use a modified schedule with an additional shorter race. Session formats are subject to the current sporting regulations.
04 — How points are scored
Formula 1 points system.
| Pos | Points | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 25 | 6th | 8 |
| 2nd | 18 | 7th | 6 |
| 3rd | 15 | 8th | 4 |
| 4th | 12 | 9th | 2 |
| 5th | 10 | 10th | 1 |
Sprint & bonus points
- Sprint races pay 8 points for a win, scaling down to 1 point for 8th (top 8 only).
- No fastest-lap bonus point — the rule that awarded one from 2019 was scrapped from the 2025 season onward.
- Points from both drivers on a team are combined for the Constructors’ Championship.
- Finishers outside the top 10 (or top 8 in a Sprint) score no points.
- Six Sprint weekends feature on the 2026 calendar.
Points systems are set by the FIA and can change between seasons — always check the official regulations for the current rules.
05 — Race calendar
Next: Dutch Grand Prix · 21–23 August 2026 Formula 1 calendar.
| Round | Grand Prix | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Australian GP | Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit | 6–8 March |
| 02 | Chinese GP | Shanghai International Circuit | 13–15 March |
| 03 | Japanese GP | Suzuka Circuit | 27–29 March |
| 04 | Miami GP | Miami International Autodrome | 1–3 May |
| 05 | Canadian GP | Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve | 22–24 May |
| 06 | Monaco GP | Circuit de Monaco | 5–7 June |
| 07 | Barcelona GP | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya | 12–14 June |
| 08 | Austrian GP | Red Bull Ring | 26–28 June |
| 09 | British GP | Silverstone Circuit | 3–5 July |
| 10 | Belgian GP | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | 17–19 July |
| 11 | Hungarian GP | Hungaroring | 24–26 July |
| 12 | Dutch GP | Circuit Zandvoort | 21–23 August |
| 13 | Italian GP | Autodromo Nazionale Monza | 4–6 September |
| 14 | Spanish GP | Madring | 11–13 September |
| 15 | Azerbaijan GP | Baku City Circuit | 24–26 September |
| 16 | Bahrain GP | Sepang International Circuit | 2–4 October |
| 17 | Singapore GP | Marina Bay Street Circuit | 9–11 October |
| 18 | United States GP | Circuit of The Americas | 23–25 October |
| 19 | Mexico City GP | Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez | 30 Oct–1 Nov |
| 20 | São Paulo GP | Autódromo José Carlos Pace | 6–8 November |
| 21 | Las Vegas GP | Las Vegas Strip Circuit | 19–21 November |
| 22 | Qatar GP | Lusail International Circuit | 27–29 November |
| 23 | Abu Dhabi GP | Yas Marina Circuit | 4–6 December |
Last updated: 17 August 2026. Calendars can change — verify with the official Formula 1 schedule.
06 — From 1950 to today
Formula 1 timeline.
1950
The championship begins
The first Drivers' World Championship season opens at Silverstone.
1958
Constructors recognised
A separate championship begins rewarding the performance of teams.
1968
Wings and sponsorship
Aerodynamic devices and commercial liveries begin changing the cars' appearance and performance.
1977
Ground effect arrives
Lotus demonstrates how the car's underside can generate transformative cornering grip.
1980s
Turbo power
Extreme engine performance, electronics and manufacturer investment accelerate rapidly.
1994
Safety reset
The Imola weekend triggers an urgent, long-term overhaul of cars, circuits and medical standards.
2014
Hybrid power units
Turbo-hybrid technology starts a new efficiency-focused era.
2026
New regulations
A new technical cycle reshapes the cars, power units and competitive landscape.
07 — Technology and competition
The eras that reshaped the grid.
Front engine to rear engine
Cooper's rear-engined approach became the new standard, while Lotus pushed lighter structures and monocoque construction.
Aero, ground effect and turbos
Wings, underbody airflow and turbocharged engines transformed both speed and the visual identity of the cars.
Electronics and refinement
Active systems, data analysis and increasingly detailed regulations changed how performance was found and controlled.
Turbo-hybrid efficiency
Complex energy recovery systems made power-unit efficiency central to performance and manufacturer competition.
Ground effect returns
A major aerodynamic reset sought closer racing through simpler upper surfaces and greater reliance on the floor.
A new technical cycle
Smaller cars, active aerodynamics and a revised balance of combustion and electrical power begin another chapter.
08 — Champions and icons
Racers who defined their eras.
Current World Champion
Lando Norris
2025 Drivers' Champion · McLaren
F1
Niki Lauda
A calculating champion whose 1976 return became one of racing's defining stories.
3 World titles
F1 Ayrton Senna
Qualifying speed, wet-weather mastery and an enduring cultural legacy.
3 World titles
F1 Michael Schumacher
The central figure in Ferrari's dominant early-2000s championship run.
7 World titles
F1 Lewis Hamilton
A record-era champion whose influence reaches far beyond race results.
7 World titles
F1 Sebastian Vettel
Four consecutive championships made him the defining young star of the early 2010s.
4 World titles
F1 Fernando Alonso
Adaptability, racecraft and longevity across several technical generations.
2 World titles
F1 Max Verstappen
A defining force of the ground-effect era, known for relentless race pace.
4 titles through 2024
F1 Lando Norris
McLaren's modern-era champion after a season decided by the narrowest margins.
2025 World Champion
09 — Defining events
Crises, controversies and turning points.
Lauda at the Nürburgring
Niki Lauda's crash, survival and return intensified the debate over circuit safety and driver influence.
Senna versus Prost at Suzuka
A title-deciding collision and subsequent rulings turned an already fierce rivalry into a lasting governance controversy.
The Imola weekend
The deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna led to immediate interventions and a lasting safety programme.
Six cars race at Indianapolis
A tyre-safety dispute left most of the field unable to start, exposing a breakdown between sporting, technical and commercial interests.
The espionage case
McLaren was excluded from the Constructors' Championship after confidential Ferrari information entered the team's organisation.
Abu Dhabi finale
The late safety-car restart procedure drew major scrutiny and led to changes in race-control structure and operating processes.
10 — Meet the grid
Explore Formula 1 teams.
Current Constructors' Champion
McLaren
2025 Constructors' Champion · Woking, England
#1
MCL
McLarenWoking, England · Est. 1963
#2
FER
Scuderia FerrariMaranello, Italy · Est. 1929
#3
MER
Mercedes-AMGBrackley, England · Est. 2010
#4
RBR
Oracle Red Bull RacingMilton Keynes · Est. 2005
#5
AMR
Aston MartinSilverstone · Est. 2021
#6
WIL
Williams RacingGrove, England · Est. 1977
#7
HAA
HaasKannapolis · Est. 2014
#8
ALP
BWT AlpineEnstone, England · Est. 2021
#9
RB
Visa Cash App Racing BullsFaenza, Italy
#10
AUD
AudiHinwil · Neuburg · 2026
#11
CAD
CadillacUnited States · 2026
11 — From the journal
More Formula 1 stories.
12 — Frequently asked
Formula 1 FAQ.
What is Formula 1?
Formula 1 is the FIA's highest international class of single-seater motor racing. Teams compete at Grands Prix across a season for Drivers' and Constructors' championship points.
How does a Formula 1 weekend work?
A standard weekend includes practice sessions, qualifying and the Grand Prix. Sprint weekends use a modified programme that also includes a shorter Sprint race.
What is the difference between the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships?
Each driver scores toward the Drivers' Championship. Points from both drivers on a team are combined for the Constructors' Championship.
How long is a Formula 1 race?
A Grand Prix normally covers the least number of complete laps exceeding 305 kilometres, with Monaco treated differently under the sporting rules.
How are Formula 1 points awarded?
Points are awarded according to the finishing order defined by the current sporting regulations. Sprint events award a separate, smaller set of points. The exact system has changed several times in Formula 1 history.
Why do Formula 1 teams build different cars?
Formula 1 is a constructor championship. Every team must design its own chassis while complying with the same technical regulations, which is why engineering solutions and performance differ across the grid.
What is parc fermé?
Parc fermé is the controlled period during which teams are heavily restricted from changing a car's set-up. It protects sporting fairness between qualifying and the race.
What happens during a Safety Car period?
Cars slow down and form behind the Safety Car while a hazard is cleared. Pit-stop timing, track position and restart procedures can significantly affect the race.
Who has won the most Formula 1 world titles?
Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton have each won seven Drivers' World Championships, the shared record referenced in this guide.
Who won the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship?
Lando Norris won the 2025 Drivers' Championship for McLaren, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri in the official standings.
Where can I browse Formula 1 teams?
Use the team grid above or visit the Kozmozracing By Team directory to open individual profiles and related collections.
Is Kozmozracing affiliated with Formula 1 or its teams?
No. Unless a product page explicitly states otherwise, Kozmozracing is an independent store and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Formula 1, the FIA, any team or driver.
Sources
- Official 2026 Formula 1 race calendar and results · Formula1.com (official)
- 2025 Drivers' Championship results · Formula1.com (official)
- Formula One regulations · FIA (official)
- Championship rules and race-weekend format · Formula1.com
- The beginner's guide to the F1 weekend · Formula1.com
- Photo: McLaren MCL39, 2025 Japanese Grand Prix · Liauzh, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized
Independent fan guide: Formats, teams and regulations can change. Verify current sporting information with Formula 1 and the FIA. Championship, team and driver names belong to their respective rights holders.
13 — The collection
Formula 1-inspired collection.
No products are assigned to Formula 1 yet. Add products to this series in the product editor.