How have current teams evolved over the decades?

F1 Grand Prix, GP Azerbaijan, Baku Street Circuit

Four of the current ten teams have maintained their original identity over the years, while the rest of the grid has gone through significant changes. F1Technical’s lead journalist Balazs Szabo delivers a quick history review.

Formula One’s current grid is the product of more than seven decades of evolution, mergers, rebrandings, and ownership changes. While some teams have remained remarkably consistent, others have undergone dramatic transformations, passing through multiple identities before arriving at their present form.

Scuderia Ferrari is the only team to have competed in every season since the Formula One World Championship began in 1950. Founded by Enzo Ferrari, the team has become synonymous with the sport itself, amassing a record number of championships and establishing a legacy unmatched in motorsport.

McLaren entered Formula One in 1966 under the leadership of Bruce McLaren and quickly grew into one of the sport’s most successful teams.

Over the decades, it has evolved through eras defined by legendary drivers, technical innovation, and championship success. Despite changes in ownership and structure, the McLaren name has remained constant, making it one of the longest‑standing and most recognisable teams in the sport.

Founded by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head in 1975, Williams rose to prominence as one of Formula One’s great independent teams. The team dominated large portions of the 1980s and 1990s, securing multiple constructors’ and drivers’ titles.

Although the team has changed ownership in recent years, the Williams name and identity remain intact, preserving one of the sport’s most important legacies.

Haas F1 Team joined the grid in 2016, becoming the first American‑led entry in decades. Founded by Gene Haas, the team adopted a unique model by outsourcing significant technical components to Ferrari and Dallara.

Despite being the youngest team on the grid, Haas has established itself as a stable presence and remains the only current team to have entered Formula One directly under its present identity.

Red Bull Racing’s lineage began with Stewart Grand Prix, founded in 1997 by Jackie and Paul Stewart. Ford purchased the team in 2000 and rebranded it as Jaguar Racing. In 2005, Red Bull acquired the operation and transformed it into one of the most successful teams of the modern era. Under the Red Bull banner, the team has secured multiple world championships and become a dominant force in Formula One.

The team now known as RB traces its origins to Minardi, a beloved independent outfit that competed from 1985 to 2005. Red Bull purchased the team and rebranded it as Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006, establishing it as a junior programme for developing young drivers.

In 2020, the team became AlphaTauri as part of a corporate marketing shift, before adopting the RB identity in 2024. Despite the name changes, the team’s role within the Red Bull structure has remained consistent.

Mercedes’ modern Formula One team can trace its lineage back to Tyrrell, which entered the championship in 1970 and became one of the defining teams of the era.

The operation transitioned through several identities — British American Racing (1999), Honda Racing (2005), and Brawn GP (2009). After Brawn’s fairytale championship season, Mercedes acquired the team in 2010 and built it into one of the most dominant forces in Formula One history.

The team currently known as Alpine began life as Toleman in 1981, the outfit that famously launched Ayrton Senna’s Formula One career. It became Benetton in 1986, winning championships with Michael Schumacher in the mid‑1990s.

Renault took over in 2002, rebranded the team as Lotus for a period between 2012 and 2015, and then returned to the Renault name until 2020. The Alpine identity was introduced in 2021 as part of Renault’s broader brand strategy, continuing the long and complex lineage of one of Formula One’s most storied operations.

Aston Martin’s current team began as Jordan Grand Prix in 1991, a popular independent outfit known for its vibrant personality and occasional giant‑killing performances. The team changed hands several times, becoming Midland F1 in 2006, Spyker in 2007, and Force India from 2008 to 2018.

After Force India’s collapse, the operation was revived as Racing Point before being rebranded as Aston Martin in 2021 under Lawrence Stroll’s ownership. Today, it represents one of Formula One’s most ambitious manufacturer‑backed projects.

Sauber entered Formula One in 1993 and quickly established itself as a respected independent team. BMW purchased the operation in 2006, creating BMW Sauber, before withdrawing from the sport at the end of 2009.

The team returned to the Sauber name from 2010 to 2018, then partnered with Alfa Romeo from 2019 to 2023. In 2024, the team adopted the Kick Sauber identity as it transitions toward becoming the Audi works team in 2026. Throughout these changes, the Hinwil‑based operation has remained one of the grid’s most technically capable and resilient teams.