If there is one thing that really can’t be denied about Formula One it’s the fact that these cars have employed the bleeding edge of engine technology for about 100 years now. The development of engine styles, layouts, displacements, and a million other things have been front and center in Formula One for a very, very long time. Why? Well the simple nature of the “Formula” itself. When the FIA would pass down new rules about the engine displacement, builders got busy figuring out the best way to take advantage of it.
Was it better to be 1.5L turbocharged or 3.0L naturally aspirated? V12? V-8? Inline four? Inline six? the engineers over time created some of the most iconic racing engines ever and car builders all over the world were the benefactors of it sometimes and the captains of failure in other times.
This video looks back at the history of F1 engine development using a mix of classic footage, modern footage, and solid historical background. You don’t have to care a lick about F1 to enjoy this. So long as you like engines, you’ll dig this video. Give it a watch.
