Formula One - Drivers And Constructors
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Vehicles -> subcategory Trucks-SUVS.
Formula One - Drivers and Constructors
Overview
Since 1984, Formula One teams have been required to build the chassis they compete with, making the terms "team" and "constructor" nearly interchangeable. This sets Formula One apart from other racing series like IRL, Champ Cars, and NASCAR, which allow chassis purchases, and "spec series" like GP2, where all cars follow an identical specification.
Historical Context
In the early days of Formula One, teams sometimes built their own engines. However, this practice became less common with the arrival of major manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Toyota, and Honda, whose significant resources made in-house engines less viable.
Factory teams, owned by major car companies like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari (FIAT), and Renault, played a crucial role. Independent engine suppliers such as Climax and Cosworth often provided engines to teams lacking the resources to make their own. As manufacturers' influence grew, nearly all engines are now made by major companies.
Modern Developments
Factory teams saw a resurgence in the 1990s and 2000s, forming half of today’s grid with brands like Toyota, Ferrari, Honda, Renault, and BMW establishing or acquiring teams. Mercedes-Benz, holding a 40% stake in McLaren, supplies the engines. Cosworth left the sport in 2006, leading all teams to run on factory engines from 2007.
In 1950, Formula One debuted with eighteen teams, but many couldn't sustain due to high costs, allowing Formula Two cars to fill in. Ferrari is the sole surviving competitor from 1950, and as of 2006, the grid features eleven teams, each with two cars. Team budgets range dramatically, from US$66 million to US$400 million.
Team Entry and Numbering
New Formula One teams must pay a US$47 million deposit to the FIA, refundable over the season. Thus, buying an existing team is often preferred, as seen with B.A.R. acquiring Tyrrell and Midland purchasing Jordan.
Each car is numbered based on the previous season’s World Drivers' Champion, who receives number 1, with their teammate getting number 2. Remaining numbers follow the World Constructors' Championship standings. Exceptions occur, as in 1993 and 1994, when absent champions resulted in their team's drivers receiving numbers 0 and 2.
Despite rare use, number 13 has been retired since 1974. Until 1996, only the current champion would swap numbers, with others retaining their long-held numbers, like Ferrari with numbers 27 and 28. As many teams folded in the early 1990s, a new system was implemented to stabilize the numbering.
Records and Legacy
Michael Schumacher holds the record with seven Drivers' Championships, while Ferrari leads with fourteen Constructors' Championships. Notably, Jochen Rindt remains the only posthumous World Champion after his fatal crash in the 1970 Italian Grand Prix.
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