The F1 moments that defined the 1950s
In a new series looking back on the rich heritage of Formula 1, Autosport picks out the 10 moments that defined the first decade of the world championship, the 1950s, with the help of the extensive Motorsport Images archive
In the 70 years since the Formula 1 World Championship began in 1950, 33 different drivers have won championships, 108 have taken grand prix victories and 342 have been registered as points-scorers.
Autosport, which also celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, has been a big part of the F1 landscape over that time - including of course the 2020 Australian GP that never was.
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Marcus Simmons is the Deputy Editor of Autosport magazine. As a child he was a regular on the chalk banks of Thruxton – hence his unhealthy obsession with 1970s Formula 2 and F3 – before he became an MSA timekeeper at the age of 17. At 19, his reporting debut for Motoring News arguably overshadowed Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal as the sporting moment of June 1986, and he joined the staff in 1990 after graduating from his degree course in Plymouth. A parallel Formula First career – which was as incident-packed as his childhood exploits in show-jumping and hunter trials – finished when he wrote off his car and put himself in hospital in 1991.
Marcus moved to Autosport in the summer of 1996. Since then he has had two stints as a freelancer and a brief spell as editor of Motor Sport magazine, during which the revered green cover was revived, before he rejoined Autosport in 2008. He lives in Teddington with his wife (who, gratifyingly, grew up within earshot of Castle Combe), daughter, stepson, dog, cat and guitars, and additionally has an adult daughter and stepson.
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