Why F1's transformation matters on its big birthday

On Formula 1's 70th birthday, it is a time to reflect on how far it has come in terms of sport, speed and technology while casting an eye on what the future holds.

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Even if the coronavirus crisis hadn't upended normality and sent much of the world into lockdown, 13 May 2020 would still have been a moment to pause and reflect - between the Spanish and Monaco races Formula 1 was supposed to have been enjoying.

Seventy years ago today, the first world championship F1 race took place at Silverstone, with Alfa Romeo's Giuseppe Farina winning from pole position. It was a famous affair at a packed track, with Farina edging an early battle with soon-to-be F1 legend Juan Manuel Fangio (who later retired with an engine issue) and then leading home an Alfa 1-2-3.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.