At 15:00 on 13 May 1950, the cars raced off the line to start the very first Formula 1 World Championship at Silverstone, United Kingdom.
The event, part of a seven-race series at the time, set in motion 75 years of excitement, drama, and innovation, which have led to the truly global sporting phenomenon we know today.
To mark the 75th anniversary of this historic occasion, Formula 1 has released restored and colourised footage of the first race so fans can witness a moment in history brought to life like never before.
A team of experts at Formula 1 have expertly brought the race footage and a historic news reel to life, showing the victory by Italy’s Giuseppe “Nino” Farina in the Alfa Romeo in vibrant colour and giving new perspective to the making of the first Formula 1 World Drivers Champion, which will forever stand as a milestone in world sport.
Using advanced AI software, reference imagery, and manual painting techniques, the process painstakingly implants the original colours of the scene onto the moving imagery, bringing to life the people and surroundings of that day. Specific elements such as the sky, grass, cars, and faces are electronically painted manually to truly bring the scene to life, using images of the cars and subjects, and F1 archive footage, to ensure accuracy.
The release of this footage is part of a day of celebration from Formula 1, which also includes a 24hr YouTube stream featuring seven full classic races, highlights from across the decades, and the drivers and team principals from the current F1 grid reflecting on their earliest memories of the sport.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said:
“Seventy five years ago today our sport roared to life, and we are privileged to continue the incredible legacy of the brave drivers who raced for the ultimate prize on this day in 1950. It is fantastic to see this footage brought to life in full colour, and an amazing way to mark this historic moment.
“Today is a day when we can pay tribute to those who have come before us; drivers, engineers, team owners and of course, our fans, without whom we would not be in the position we are today.
For 75 years we have innovated and driven the world forward, exciting our fans with feats of human endurance and speed that continue to amaze. Here is to the next 75 years and beyond for this incredible sport. Avanti Tutta!”