Formula One was first defined in 1946 by the Commission Sportive
Internationale (CSI) of the FIA, forerunner of FISA, as the premier
single-seater racing category in worldwide motorsport to become
effective in 1947. This new "International Formula" was initially known
variously as Formula A, Formula I, or Formula 1 with the corresponding
"Voiturette" formula being titled Formula B, Formula II, or Formula 2.
When the 500c formula was internationally recognised as Formula 3 in
1950 it was never titled as "Formula C" so the three International
Formulae were then "officially" titled Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula
3.
In the beginning, the formula was largely based on pre-World War II
regulations defined by engine capacity. The regulation expected to bring
a new balance between supercharged and normally aspirated cars.
Non-supercharged 4.5-litre pre-war Grand Prix cars were allowed to race
against the pre-war 1.5-litre supercharged 'voiturettes', while pre-war
supercharged 3-litre Grand Prix cars were banned.
There is some debate as to what can be considered to be the first
Formula 1 race. The first race under the new regulations was the 1946
Turin Grand Prix held on 1 September, the race being won by Achille
Varzi in an Alfa Romeo 158 Alfetta - but this was before the Formula was
officially in place. The next contender is the 1947 Swedish Winter Grand
Prix which was won by Reg Parnell driving an ERA - but this race was run
on ice and some consider that it therefore was not a "proper" race
(there is also some doubt whether it was a Formula 1 race or a Formule
Libre race). The third claimant is the 1947 Pau Grand Prix which was won
by Nello Pagani driving a Maserati 4CL, which is irrefutable.
Championships for drivers or constructors were not introduced
immediately. In the early years there were around 20 races held from
late Spring to early Autumn (Fall) in Europe, although not all of these
were considered significant. Most competitive cars came from Italy,
particularly Alfa Romeo. Races saw pre-war heroes like Rudolf
Caracciola, Manfred Von Brauchitsch and Tazio Nuvolari end their
careers, while drivers like Alberto Ascari and Juan Manuel Fangio rose
to the front.
Discounting the Indianapolis 500, the World Championship was entirely
based in Europe until 1953 when the season opened in Argentina. Since
then, there has always been at least one race outside Europe each year.
As planned, the World Championship races returned to Formula One
regulations for the 1954 season, now based on a new 2.5-litre
atmospheric engine regulation. This successfully brought more entrants
to the field. Lancia and Mercedes-Benz came to the formula, hiring the
best drivers of the era: Ascari for Lancia, Fangio for Mercedes.
Featuring desmodromic valves, fuel injection, magnesium and exotic
alloys parts, "streamlined" bodywork and other advanced features, the
brand new Mercedes began the 1954 season with Fangio taking pole
position at the "Grand Prix de l'ACF" at Reims-Gueux with the first lap
over 200 km/h (124 mph) in Formula One before winning the race after a
duel with other Mercedes driver Karl Kling, who finished second.
The Mercedes cars swept the next two seasons with Fangio and Moss
winning all but three of the races. However, at the end of the 1955
season Mercedes vanished as swiftly as they had come. They had proven
the superiority of their technology, but the crash of one of their
sports cars that year at Le Mans, killing 83 people, was also a
significant factor. The company would not return to Formula One for
forty years. After Le Mans, four of the year's remaining Grands Prix
were cancelled.
The Monaco Grand Prix saw a spectacular incident when Ascari and his
Lancia crashed into the harbour after missing a chicane. Ascari was
pulled out of the water alive and apparently well. However, there was
speculation over an undetected internal injury when four days later
Ascari was killed at Monza while testing a sportscar. After Ascari's
death, Lancia followed Mercedes out of the category, passing their
engines, cars, information and technology to Ferrari.
The 1956 season saw Fangio make good use of the Lancia-born Ferrari to
win his fourth championship. Driving for Maserati, he took his fifth
championship in the 1957 season, a record which would not be beaten for
46 years.
Ferrari developed a new engine for 1957, the V6 "Dino" engine, it was
competitive by 1958 and Mike Hawthorn became the first British F1 World
Champion, though his victory was short-lived: he died the following
winter.