Over greater than 75 years of Formulation 1, there have been some iconic automobiles which have turn into big fan favourites.
Generally that’s as a result of they’ve been profitable and are related to sure drivers, generally it’s purely all the way down to aesthetics – or very often it’s a mixture of each.
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Spanning the Nineteen Fifties to 2025, we now have drawn up a shortlist which incorporate evocative names from F1 previous and current: Maserati, Ferrari, Lotus, Brabham, McLaren, Mercedes, Jordan, Renault and Crimson Bull.
We now have principally saved the listing to no a couple of automobile per crew, though we now have made an exception for Ferrari and Lotus – given their longevity and the memorable automobiles they’ve produced.
Take a look over our choice under after which select your favorite…
Maserati 250F, 1954-60
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Juan Manuel Fangio is pictured above driving the Maserati 250F through the 1958 French Grand Prix, the ultimate race for the five-time world champion who dominated the primary decade of F1.
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Fangio drove the 250F to victory in its first race, the 1954 Argentine Grand Prix – his dwelling occasion.
It was additionally on this front-engine automobile that Fangio got here from 50 seconds behind to catch and move Ferrari’s Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins to win the 1957 German Grand Prix on the 14-mile Nurburgring, lapping 15 seconds sooner than the previous lap file for considered one of F1’s biggest victories.
‘Sharknose’ Ferrari 156, 1961
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The ‘sharknose’ Ferrari 156, with a twin-nostril entrance finish, dominated the 1961 season, successful 5 of the eight races, together with the British Grand Prix at Aintree the place they completed 1-2-3.
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The championship turned a straight combat between team-mates Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Journeys and it was determined in tragic circumstances when the German was killed in a horrific crash at Monza, which additionally claimed the lives of 15 spectators.
American Hill is seen above driving the 156 through the 1961 German Grand Prix on the Nurburgring, a race by which he completed third behind Von Journeys and the successful Lotus of Stirling Moss.
Eagle Mk1, 1966-69
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Constructed for Dan Gurney’s Anglo American Racers crew, the elegant Eagle Mk1 was darkish blue with a white stripe on the entrance.
It gained the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix with Gurney on the wheel – Jack Brabham and Bruce McLaren are the one different drivers to have gained an F1 race in a automobile run by their very own crew.
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Gurney is pictured wanting over the Mk1 within the pits on the 1966 Mexican Grand Prix.
Lotus 49, 1967
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The Lotus 49 was launched in 1967, the ultimate 12 months by which the crew competed in British racing inexperienced with a yellow stripe on the entrance. Tobacco sponsorship arrived in 1968 by way of Gold Leaf and the Lotus turned purple, white and gold.
The 49 was designed by Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe and was the primary F1 automobile to be powered by a Ford-Cosworth DFV engine.
It gained on its debut on the 1967 Dutch Grand Prix by Scotsman Jim Clark and although reliability points meant it couldn’t win the championship that 12 months, Englishman Graham Hill took the title in 1968 after Clark’s loss of life in a F2 accident.
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Lotus 79, 1978
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By 1978, Lotus had been racing in livery that additionally would turn into iconic – their black and gold which was used, on and off, till 1986.
For the automobile itself, the Lotus 79, designer Colin Chapman perfected ‘floor impact’, the place air flowing beneath the automobile was channelled to create hitherto extraordinary ranges of aerodynamic downforce.
The design sped up airflow to create a low-pressure space that sucked the automobile down on to the observe. Vertically sliding ‘skirts’ had been used to forestall any air escaping out of the perimeters.
The automobile dominated the 1978 season, with eventual world champion American Mario Andretti saying it cornered “prefer it was painted to the street”.
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Brabham BT46, 1978
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The Brabham BT46, designed by Gordon Murray, was eclipsed by the dominant Lotus 79s in 1978 however did handle to win two races by Niki Lauda, in Sweden and Italy. Within the first of those, the Brabham ran with a large fan on the rear.
In principle, the fan was there to chill the engine but it surely had a aspect impact of extracting air from beneath the automobile, sucking it to the observe. After protests, it by no means raced once more.
McLaren MP4/4, 1988
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Till 2023, the McLaren-Honda MP4/4 was essentially the most dominant automobile in F1 historical past, successful 15 of the 16 races in 1988 with Ayrton Senna taking his first drivers’ title forward of team-mate Alain Prost.
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Additionally designed by Gordon Murray, the MP4/4 had a placing ‘low’ look. It seemed quick and it was quick. Very quick.
It obliterated the opposition and solely the carelessness of a backmarker prevented a clear sweep, as Jean-Louis Schlesser punted Senna off because the Brazilian tried to lap him with two laps to go of the Italian Grand Prix. An virtually excellent season for an virtually excellent automobile.
Ferrari 641, 1990
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The elegant curves of the scarlet Ferrari 641 was given the honour of being displayed in New York’s Museum of Fashionable Artwork. The automobile itself, pushed by Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell, had extra about it than simply appears, successful six of the 16 races in 1990.
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Frenchman Prost contended for the drivers’ championship with by now bitter rival Senna and his hopes solely ended when the Brazilian drove him off the observe on the first nook of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Jordan 191, 1991
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The automobile by which Michael Schumacher made his debut, the 191 was the primary F1 automobile produced by Eddie Jordan’s small crew.
Designed by Gary Anderson, the inexperienced 7UP sponsorship fitted with Jordan’s Irish background and it was a powerful debut season, with journeymen drivers Andrea de Cesaris and Bertrand Gachot recurrently choosing up factors within the first half of 1991 at a time when solely the top-six finishers had been rewarded.
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For the Belgian Grand Prix, Jordan wanted a alternative for Gachot, who had been jailed within the UK for utilizing CS gasoline in an altercation with a London taxi driver. In got here Schumacher from sportscars and he was an instantaneous sensation, qualifying seventh – greater than 0.7 seconds forward of De Cesaris.
A clutch failure on the primary lap prompted Schumacher’s retirement and by the subsequent race in Italy he had been poached by the Benetton crew.
Williams FW14B, 1992
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The Williams FW14B was the automobile that delivered Nigel Mansell’s world title, after three earlier near-misses.
It was the category of the sector in 1992 as Williams pioneered and perfected an lively suspension system and had been powered by a Renault engine that eclipsed the Honda within the McLaren.
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Briton Mansell gained 9 of the 16 races and had wrapped up the championship by the Hungarian Grand Prix in mid-August.
Renault R25, 2005
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The R25 was the automobile by which Fernando Alonso gained the primary of his two drivers’ championships.
Within the closing 12 months of the three-litre V10 formulation, Alonso’s race craft and consistency, mixed with the automobile’s pace and reliability, overcame the quick however fragile McLarens.
The Spaniard, nonetheless in F1 on the age of 44, is pictured above driving the R25 on the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Mercedes W11, 2020
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The Silver Arrows turned black in 2020, which Mercedes mentioned was a means of displaying its dedication to extend range and stand towards racism.
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The W11 is the primary automobile in his listing to function the halo head safety system, which turned obligatory in F1 in 2018.
The W11 continued Mercedes’ domination of the hybrid-turbo period that started in 2014, successful 13 of the 17 races in a season compressed right into a five-month interval by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Throughout the 12 months, Lewis Hamilton broke Schumacher’s file for essentially the most F1 wins after which equalled his tally of seven drivers’ championships.
Crimson Bull RB21, 2025
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This model of the Crimson Bull RB21 was a particular one-off livery used on the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix in tribute to engine producer Honda, to mark the final 12 months of their partnership and Honda’s first F1 victory in 1965 in Mexico after they raced in white and purple.
Max Verstappen ensured this design had a 100% success charge by successful the race at Suzuka, which is Honda’s personal circuit.
