Formula one
One to fall in and out of love with.
As long as there have been cars, people have wanted to race them: early Grand Prix were ramshackle, riotous road-rallies for madmen, though by the 20s, such racing had settled into track-based series, with classes for different types of vehicle. The formal World Championship series started in 1950, with Alfa Romeo' s Giuseppe Farina taking the first title (his teammate Juan Manuel Fangio then dominated for the next five years). The first British World Champion was Mike Hawthorn, driving for Ferrari in 1958. By the early 1960s, mid-engined cars were racing at the top level and 1962 brought the first monocoque-bodied racer, from Lotus. Lotus went on to pioneer the use of ground effects, or aerodynamic technology to aid downforce – and sponsorship.
Rules for F1 became increasingly strict, however, in a bid to curb the growing fatality and injury rate, and the late 60s and 70s saw many modifications to courses – many circuits simply closed down. Commercial interests also took hold, with teams signing up to contracts and profit-share agreements for TV revenue. Controversial measures to limit speeds and spice things up for TV audiences have included the banning of turbocharged engines, the limiting of the size of fuel tanks and, later, limits on electronic driver aids, changes to aerodynamic aids and new limits on engine size.
In recent years, however, the outcome of races has been increasingly predictable – the team which spends the most money wins – with little drama or even overtaking, although the latest changes to the qualifying format have made things more interesting again, as have challenges to the sport's control by Bernie Ecclestone. There have been threats of forming a breakaway race series, though most teams have now signed up to a new deal for 2007 and new, smaller teams are getting involved.
One to fall in and out of love with.
As long as there have been cars, people have wanted to race them: early Grand Prix were ramshackle, riotous road-rallies for madmen, though by the 20s, such racing had settled into track-based series, with classes for different types of vehicle. The formal World Championship series started in 1950, with Alfa Romeo' s Giuseppe Farina taking the first title (his teammate Juan Manuel Fangio then dominated for the next five years). The first British World Champion was Mike Hawthorn, driving for Ferrari in 1958. By the early 1960s, mid-engined cars were racing at the top level and 1962 brought the first monocoque-bodied racer, from Lotus. Lotus went on to pioneer the use of ground effects, or aerodynamic technology to aid downforce – and sponsorship.
Rules for F1 became increasingly strict, however, in a bid to curb the growing fatality and injury rate, and the late 60s and 70s saw many modifications to courses – many circuits simply closed down. Commercial interests also took hold, with teams signing up to contracts and profit-share agreements for TV revenue. Controversial measures to limit speeds and spice things up for TV audiences have included the banning of turbocharged engines, the limiting of the size of fuel tanks and, later, limits on electronic driver aids, changes to aerodynamic aids and new limits on engine size.
In recent years, however, the outcome of races has been increasingly predictable – the team which spends the most money wins – with little drama or even overtaking, although the latest changes to the qualifying format have made things more interesting again, as have challenges to the sport's control by Bernie Ecclestone. There have been threats of forming a breakaway race series, though most teams have now signed up to a new deal for 2007 and new, smaller teams are getting involved.
Four wheel drive
There are many types of four-wheel drive on the market these days: some have a permanent and fixed-ratio division of power between the front and rear axles, some apportion power automatically as determined by road conditions; some come with an extra set of low-ratio gears for coping with really slippery or rough terrain and others add all sorts of electronic gizmos like Hill Descent Control and Trailer Stability Assist, to help out the horsebox-pullers.
Whatever the system, the basic principle of power to both axles has been around a while: the first four-wheel drive cars included the electric-powered 1901 Lohner-Porsche and the 1902 Jacobus Spyker. A few more low-volume cars tried out the idea in later years, such as wartime versions of Volkswagen's Beetle-based Kubelwagen, various military vehicles and the later Citroen 2CV Sahara, the latter taking the expedient measure of having one engine to drive the front wheels and another to drive the rear. First 4WD road-car up in any production numbers, however, was the 1966 Jensen FF. The trend for tall, bulky military-style SUVs came later...
There are many types of four-wheel drive on the market these days: some have a permanent and fixed-ratio division of power between the front and rear axles, some apportion power automatically as determined by road conditions; some come with an extra set of low-ratio gears for coping with really slippery or rough terrain and others add all sorts of electronic gizmos like Hill Descent Control and Trailer Stability Assist, to help out the horsebox-pullers.
Whatever the system, the basic principle of power to both axles has been around a while: the first four-wheel drive cars included the electric-powered 1901 Lohner-Porsche and the 1902 Jacobus Spyker. A few more low-volume cars tried out the idea in later years, such as wartime versions of Volkswagen's Beetle-based Kubelwagen, various military vehicles and the later Citroen 2CV Sahara, the latter taking the expedient measure of having one engine to drive the front wheels and another to drive the rear. First 4WD road-car up in any production numbers, however, was the 1966 Jensen FF. The trend for tall, bulky military-style SUVs came later...
Mid-engined layouts
Positioning the engine just ahead of the rear axle has a very specific – and spectacular – effect: it gives ideal weight distribution and a low centre of gravity, working to advantage with the rear-wheel drive transmission the layout dictates. This comes at the expense of cabin space, however, which is why most mid-engined cars are totally impractical sports cars.
Mercedes-Benz, Auto Union and Cooper all used the MR layout for racers right back in the 20s and 30s, but the first production car of this type was the obscure, tiny Zundapp Janus micro-car (1957). The likes of the Lotus Europa, Lamborghini Miura and Ford GT40 did more to establish the layout's credibility, before it moved into the mainstream with cars such as the Toyota MR2 and MGF/TF.
Positioning the engine just ahead of the rear axle has a very specific – and spectacular – effect: it gives ideal weight distribution and a low centre of gravity, working to advantage with the rear-wheel drive transmission the layout dictates. This comes at the expense of cabin space, however, which is why most mid-engined cars are totally impractical sports cars.
Mercedes-Benz, Auto Union and Cooper all used the MR layout for racers right back in the 20s and 30s, but the first production car of this type was the obscure, tiny Zundapp Janus micro-car (1957). The likes of the Lotus Europa, Lamborghini Miura and Ford GT40 did more to establish the layout's credibility, before it moved into the mainstream with cars such as the Toyota MR2 and MGF/TF.
Rallying
Effectively, all the earliest motorsport events were rallies, such as the 1895 Paris-Bordeaux event generally considered the first motor race and the Gordon Bennett trophy races of the first decade of the 20th century.
After fatal accidents to drivers and spectators on public roads, however, closed-circuit speed trials developed and, by the 20s, distinct types of different motorsport disciplines were emerging, from the long-distance endurance events and continuing road races such as the Targa Florio and Mille Miglia, to hillclimbs, sprints and Grand Prix.
Rallying developed from the road races, adapting to take in timed stages over demanding terrain and unsurfaced tracks in a variety of conditions, with driving skill and manoeverability more of an advantage than outright speed. The sport's heyday is generally thought to have been the 60s, but it continues to be fanatically followed today.
The World Rally Championships, inaugurated in 1973, brought a new level of sponsor-driven commercialisation to the sport, making it more difficult for small privateer teams to compete alongside the manufacturer-backed works teams, but it retains its appeal, with cars not dissimilar to road-going products and as an antidote to the sanitised, TV-friendly world of F1.
Success in the WRC can also still sell a helluva lot of cars and make a company's name – as the cult of the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Evo proves.
Effectively, all the earliest motorsport events were rallies, such as the 1895 Paris-Bordeaux event generally considered the first motor race and the Gordon Bennett trophy races of the first decade of the 20th century.
After fatal accidents to drivers and spectators on public roads, however, closed-circuit speed trials developed and, by the 20s, distinct types of different motorsport disciplines were emerging, from the long-distance endurance events and continuing road races such as the Targa Florio and Mille Miglia, to hillclimbs, sprints and Grand Prix.
Rallying developed from the road races, adapting to take in timed stages over demanding terrain and unsurfaced tracks in a variety of conditions, with driving skill and manoeverability more of an advantage than outright speed. The sport's heyday is generally thought to have been the 60s, but it continues to be fanatically followed today.
The World Rally Championships, inaugurated in 1973, brought a new level of sponsor-driven commercialisation to the sport, making it more difficult for small privateer teams to compete alongside the manufacturer-backed works teams, but it retains its appeal, with cars not dissimilar to road-going products and as an antidote to the sanitised, TV-friendly world of F1.
Success in the WRC can also still sell a helluva lot of cars and make a company's name – as the cult of the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Evo proves.