The FIA Formula One World Championship

The first-ever Formula One race took place on May 13, 1950 marking the beginning of a motorsport phenomenon. That initial season featured only seven races, all but one held in Europe.

Over the decades, the championship has expanded significantly, now encompassing 23 Grand Prix (great prize) races across multiple continents.

Today’s events range from circuits purpose-built for speed, like Lusail, to iconic street races such as the Monaco Grand Prix.

Formula One has undergone remarkable transformations in car technology, driver safety, and team operations. Cars have become faster and safer thanks to groundbreaking engineering innovations. What began as a competition between small teams has grown into a global industry dominated by legendary names like Ferrari and McLaren.

Racetracks, too, have evolved, boasting state-of-the-art spectator facilities that enhance the viewing experience.

Millions of fans tune in to watch the world's best drivers compete for glory, and names like Verstappen and Schumacher are synonymous with excellence.

Formula One remains one of the most prestigious competitions in the world of sports.

Aytron Senna

Ayrton Senna, often hailed as one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula One, began his motorsport journey at a young age.

Born to Brazilian factory owners, his passion for racing was ignited when his father built him a kart powered by a lawnmower engine. His competitive journey began at age thirteen in karting, where his talent was evident. He transitioned to open-wheel racing in 1981 and won five championships in just three years.

His Formula One career, which spanned from 1984 to 1994, was marked by exceptional skill and intense rivalries, particularly with French driver Alain Prost. One of their most memorable battles occurred during Senna’s debut season in torrential rain at Monaco, where he narrowly missed beating Prost.

In 1988, Senna joined Prost at McLaren, creating one of the most dominant partnerships in F1 history. The duo won all but one of the sixteen races that year, with Senna claiming the first of his three World Championships.

Tragically, Senna’s career and life were cut short on May 1, 1994, when he crashed during the San Marino Grand Prix. His legacy as one of the fastest and most beloved drivers endures

This Bell XFM 1 helmet, currently on view at QOSM’s The Race is On hall, was designed by the renowned helmet designer, Sid Mosca.  It bears Brazil’s colours and was unique to Senna.  The design was first used for Senna’s participation in the 1979 Karting World Championship.

Ayrton Senna wore it during his debut Formula 1 season for the Toleman-Hart team in the 1984 Canadian, Austrian, German, and Portuguese Grand Prix races.

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton, another icon of Formula One, started his racing journey with a remote-controlled car gifted by his father at age five. By six, Hamilton was racing karts, and by ten, he had already won the British cadet karting championship, becoming the youngest champion in its history. His talent caught the attention of McLaren, which brought him into its driver development program in 1998.

Hamilton made his Formula One debut with McLaren in 2007. He clinched his first World Championship in 2008, becoming the youngest champion at the time.

A seven-time World Champion, in 2021 Hamilton was knighted in his native England, for his contributions to motorsport and his efforts to promote diversity and inclusion. His legacy goes beyond racing, inspiring millions to dream big and challenge limits.

This unique hand-painted helmet (above) is the result of a collaboration between the New York-based artist Daniel Arsham and Hamilton, inspired by Hamilton’s favourite crystal, the amethyst.

Arsham also made a helmet sculpture as part of this series of eroded casts of everyday objects.  Hamilton described the project as ‘reimagining my helmet as a relic you might find in a museum in 1,000 years’.

Plan your visit to QOSM to see these special relics and other fascinating objects from the world of sport.