Era · 1977–1988
Ground effect and turbos
Two revolutions at once: underbody downforce and forced induction. Power outputs reached figures never approached since.
- Dominant
- Lotus, Williams, Brabham, McLaren, Ferrari
- Technology
- Venturi tunnels, sliding skirts, 1,400 bhp qualifying engines, carbon-fibre chassis
- Confidence
- medium
The seasons 12
| Season | Rounds | Drivers' champion | Driving for | Points | Wins | Runner-up | Margin | Title race | Constructors' champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 16 | Ayrton Senna | McLaren | 90 | 8 | Alain Prost | 3 | McLaren | |
| 1987 | 16 | Nelson Piquet | Williams | 73 | 3 | Nigel Mansell | 12 | Williams | |
| 1986 | 16 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 72 | 4 | Nigel Mansell | 2 | Williams | |
| 1985 | 16 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 73 | 5 | Michele Alboreto | 20 | McLaren | |
| 1984 | 16 | Niki Lauda | McLaren | 72 | 5 | Alain Prost | 0.5 | McLaren | |
| 1983 | 15 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 59 | 3 | Alain Prost | 2 | Ferrari | |
| 1982 | 16 | Keke Rosberg | Williams | 44 | 1 | Didier Pironi | 5 | Ferrari | |
| 1981 | 15 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 50 | 3 | Carlos Reutemann | 1 | Williams | |
| 1980 | 14 | Alan Jones | Williams | 67 | 5 | Nelson Piquet | 13 | Williams | |
| 1979 | 15 | Jody Scheckter | Ferrari | 51 | 3 | Gilles Villeneuve | 4 | Ferrari | |
| 1978 | 16 | Mario Andretti | Team Lotus | 64 | 6 | Ronnie Peterson | 13 | Team Lotus | |
| 1977 | 17 | Niki Lauda | Ferrari | 72 | 3 | Jody Scheckter | 17 | Ferrari |
Margin is the points gap between champion and runner-up at the end of the season; before 1991 that is net of dropped scores, so it can look small beside the wins. A row marked “so far” is the season still running: its leader, not its champion. The title race is the champion’s lead over the runner-up after each round, above the line when ahead and below it when behind, each season drawn to its own scale. A row reading “not yet run” is a calendar that has been announced and not yet raced. A blank constructors’ champion before 1958 is not a gap — the championship did not exist yet.
Engine formulae 1
| Era | Formula | Typical | Power (bhp) | Revs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The turbo era 1977–1988 | 3.0 L naturally aspirated or 1.5 L turbocharged | Turbo I4 / V6 | 600-900 race, 1,000-1,400+ qualifying | 11,000-12,000 rpm | Renault's RS01 introduced turbocharging in 1977. Qualifying boost produced the highest power outputs in the sport's history before boost limits (4.0 bar in 1987, 2.5 bar in 1988) closed the era. |
Regulation changes 8
| Year | Category | Change | Detail | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | technical | 2.5 bar boost limit and 150 litre fuel limit | Final year of turbo eligibility. | McLaren-Honda still won 15 of 16 races. |
| 1987 | technical | 4.0 bar boost limit; naturally aspirated cars readmitted | 3.5 L atmospheric engines permitted alongside boost-limited turbos, with separate trophies. | Began the managed phase-out of turbos. |
| 1986 | technical | Naturally aspirated engines outlawed | Turbo-only season, the sole one in the sport's history. | — |
| 1984 | technical | Refuelling banned; 220 litre fuel limit | Race fuel capped to restrain turbo power. | Turbo engines were detuned for races and unleashed in qualifying. |
| 1983 | technical | Flat bottoms mandated | Underbody had to be flat between the axles, ending Venturi tunnels. | Cornering speeds fell sharply; downforce moved back to wings. |
| 1981 | sporting | First Concorde Agreement | Settled the FISA-FOCA war over commercial rights and rule-making between the governing body, the teams and the commercial rights holder. | Established the tripartite governance model that still applies. |
| 1981 | technical | Sliding skirts banned; 6 cm ride height minimum | Aimed at killing ground effect. | Circumvented by hydropneumatic suspension that lowered the car at speed. |
| 1977 | technical | First turbocharged car | Renault exploited the long-dormant 1.5 L forced-induction option with the RS01. | Began an eleven-year turbo arms race. |
Technical innovations 4
| Year | Innovation | Originator | What it was | What became of it | Banned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Ground effect | Lotus 78/79 (Peter Wright, Colin Chapman) | Inverted-wing underbody profiles with sliding skirts sealing the low-pressure area. | Transformed cornering speed. Banned in 1983, reintroduced in modified form in 2022. | 1983 |
| 1977 | Turbocharging | Renault RS01 | 1.5 L forced-induction engine exploiting a long-ignored rule. | Defined 1980s F1 and produced the highest power figures ever seen in the sport. | 1989 |
| 1978 | Fan car | Brabham BT46B (Gordon Murray) | A fan, nominally for cooling, extracting air from beneath the car to generate suction. | Won its only race, the 1978 Swedish GP, and was withdrawn under pressure. | 1978 |
| 1981 | Carbon-fibre monocoque | McLaren MP4/1 (John Barnard) | The first F1 chassis made from carbon composite. | Vastly stronger and lighter than aluminium; the foundation of modern survival-cell safety. Universal within four years. | — |
Safety 5
Permanent medical car and travelling medical delegate1977
After: Tom Pryce's death at Kyalami
Professor Sid Watkins appointed in 1978; a doctor now travels with the championship.
Standardised race-start procedure and medical helicopter1978
After: Ronnie Peterson's death after a delayed extraction at Monza
A helicopter capable of flying must be on site or the race does not start.
Survival cell strength test1981
Minimum crash structure ahead of the driver's feet.
Frontal crash test introduced1985
Cars had to pass a static and then dynamic impact test to be eligible.
Driver's feet behind the front axle line1988
Ended the practice of pedals ahead of the front wheels.