Formula 1 is the highest class of single-seater auto racing

sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the
premier forms of racing around the world since its inaugural season
in 1950. The word "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to
which all participants and cars must conform. A Formula One
season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix (from
French, meaning "grand prizes" or "great prizes"), held worldwide
on purpose-built F1 circuits and public roads. The results of each
race are evaluated using a points system to determine two annual
World Championships, one for drivers and one for constructors.
Drivers must hold valid Super Licences, the highest class of racing
licence issued by the FIA. The races are required to be held on
tracks graded "1", the highest grade-rating issued by the FIA. Most
events are held in Europe, with the Middle East, Asia, Australasia,
Africa, and the Americas also hosting Grands Prix. With the
exception of the Monaco Grand Prix, all races are held on purpose-
built tracks. Each race is run over a weekend, with two free practice
sessions held on Friday and a third on Saturday morning. Qualifying
sessions decide the grid order for the race, with the fastest driver on
pole position and the second-fastest driver on the outside of the
front row. The race typically lasts around two hours and is held on
Sunday afternoon. The winner of the race is the driver who crosses
the nish line rst, and the driver who accumulates the most points
over the course of the season is crowned the World Champion.
Formula One cars are the fastest regulated road-course racing cars
in the world, owing to very high cornering speeds achieved through
the generation of large amounts of aerodynamic downforce. The
cars underwent major changes in 2017, allowing wider front and
rear wings, and wider tyres, resulting in peak speeds of up to
approximately 375 km/h (233 mph). As of 2019 the hybrid engines
are limited in performance to a maximum of 15,000 rpm and the
cars are very dependent on electronics—although traction control
and other driving aids have been banned since 2008—and on
aerodynamics, suspension, and tyres. The formula has seen many
evolutions and changes since its inception in 1950. The most
signi cant changes have been introduced in the last two decades,
with major rule changes in 1994, 1997, 2003, 2009, and 2017. The
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sport has attracted a global audience of over 400 million people in
2019. The vast majority of F1 fans are based in Europe and Asia.
However, due to the global reach of the sport, F1 has a signi cant
following in other continents as well, such as North and South
America, and Oceania. F1 has been described as "the ultimate test
of man and machine". It is a highly technical sport, with teams and
drivers spending millions of dollars on research and development in
order to nd the smallest of advantages. The cars are incredibly fast
and the drivers are some of the best in the world, making for an
exhilarating and exciting spectacle. F1 is a sport that is truly global
in its appeal and reach, and one that continues to grow in popularity
year on year.
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