Welcome to the RSC Formula 1 archives. We have decided to include a part of the F1 story into the Racing Sports Cars website because in our opinion the 1970s were really an interesting period of the F1 history. The cars looked pretty good and elegant while at the same time the races were not just one or two men battles but it was still pure racing. Our decision to start with the 1970 season was based on several reasons. First of all, it was the beginning of the decade when Formula One went through biggest changes in designs of the cars. Car shapes evolved very quickly during the 1970 - 1972 period, from the cigars through wedges and coke bottles to the classic dart shapes of the mid-decade, and it is interesting to follow this development.
The 1970 was the season when many new talented drivers, which would play a significant role in seasons to come, made their debut, most notably Ronnie Peterson, Francois Cevert, Clay Regazzoni or Emerson Fittipaldi. And 1970 was also the year when several new manufacturers appeared on the scene. To name them, it was especially the new March made by a company founded in 1969 by four young talented men Max Mosley, Alan Rees, Graham Coaker and Robin Herd, then it was the Team Surtees and also a first Tyrrell 001 made its late season debut. Also many traditional teams like Ferrari, Matra, McLaren, Brabham or Lotus made a debut with cars that would play some role not only in 1970 but also in the few following seasons (312B series, MS120, M14A, BT33 and especially the famous Lotus 72). That is all why we really think that 1970 is a good starting point. Moreover this season saw a great boost in number of starters compared to small grids in 1969. Also a major arrival of sponsorship was another characteristic of the early 1970s. It was a phenomenon that came to motorsport and particularly to the world of Formula 1 and completely changed its face compared to the first two decades of F1 racing.
The era covered by RSC ends with the year 1982, which marked the last season of a ground effect wing car formula. The rules were changed very radically in the 1983 season. The new cars with flat bottoms looked quite differently. Featuring very shortened rear overhangs and with rear wings required to be placed higher and more close to rear axle, all cars lost most of their former elegance that they enjoyed throughout the 1970s and in fact it was the year when our attention moved away from the F1 World Championship to the Group C sports car racing. But that is another story. For more information, please, visit our RSC Photo Gallery.