Formula One: Difference between revisions
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Probably the greatest technical change occurred in the late 1950s when front-engined cars were replaced by superior mid-engined cars that were lighter and handled better. This revolution led to British teams taking over from the traditionally dominant Italian Maseratis and Ferraris during the 1960s. In the 1970s cars grew larger aerofoils; inverted wings designed to create downward lift (downforce) to press the cars down on to the road and improve grip. This led to Lotus pioneering 'Ground Effect' cars that were designed to create a low pressure area under the car, further increasing grip. In the 1980s turbochargers increased power outputs to 1000hp but were banned in 1989. During that decade increased safety regulations, and stronger carbon composite cars, led to a massive drop in the number of fatal crashes. The death of Ayrton Senna in a racing crash in 1994 spurred further safety regulations and attempts to limit car performance. Many advanced 'driver aids', like ABS and traction control have been outlawed, allowed again, and outlawed again, since then - technical rule changes are often a cue for fans to say [[They Changed It, Now It Sucks]]. (Compare NASCAR, which banned fuel injection in 1958 - and still maintains that ban, long after carburetors have become obsolete on road cars.) In any event, the cars today have more technical affinity with the Space Shuttle than what's parked in your driveway.
Unlike other major worldwide sports, the playing field for F1 changes at every event. Many of the race tracks are equally legendary names as the drivers and cars. The most notorious is probably the ''Nürburgring Nordschleife'' in Germany - a 14 mile course with over one hundred corners, it was last used in 1976 but is still there and is even open to the public to drive round if you pay. Other famous tracks still in use are ''Monza'' (Italy), ''<s>Silverstone</s> <s> Donnington if they sort the issues</s> Silverstone again'' (UK), ''Spa-Francorchamps'' (Belgium), ''Suzuka'' (Japan) and the street race in Monte-Carlo (Monaco). A frequent gripe of fans is when an exciting track is dropped or altered in the name of safety. Currently the expansion of F1 into new countries such as China, Bahrain and Malaysia has led to several bespoke tracks that are frequently condemned for being soulless and boring, earning the derisive nickname of ''Tilkedromes'' — Google the name "[https://web.archive.org/web/20111026111128/http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Hermann_Tilke Hermann Tilke]" to see the explanation and fan reactions.
F1 used to be notorious for frequent driver deaths, but it's a lot safer than it was - no-one had died at the wheel [[X Days Since...|since Senna in 1994]], and no one had died due to an accident since then until Jules Bianchi's crash in 2014 at Suzuka and eventual death the next year. On the other hand, a marshal was killed at the Melbourne Grand Prix in the intervening time.
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