Motorsport History

The history of auto racing has been very rich and exciting in the past century. Ever since man invented the internal combustion engine and, subsequently, the automobile, he has used this new technology not just for getting from point A to point B, but also for the satisfaction of mankind’s competitive spirit and “need for speed” (as one famous series of auto racing games proclaims it — more on that on the Auto Racing Games page).

The first automobile races took place in the late 19th century in Europe and the United States, with cars generally designed and built by the drivers themselves, their friends and collaborators. France, in particular, was a leading country for the invention of different types of auto races and for the systematization of auto racing as a motorsport. City-to-city races, for example, were introduced around the turn of the 20th century in France and were very successful.

The French tradition of auto racing spawned what is known as Grand Prix motor racing, the direct ancestor of today’s formula racing (Formula One being the most prestigious and well-known circuit). Many other kinds of auto races evolved, including stock car racing, which is particularly popular in the United States (regulated by NASCAR), sports car racing, touring car racing, and many other forms, each of which is unique in terms of the types of cars, tracks, and competition involved.

Motor sports are dangerous just like any other high-speed activity, and there have been quite a few infamous crashes and accidents that claimed the lives of race drivers. However, tremendous improvements have been made in terms of technology and standards to ensure that history does not repeat itself. Formula One and Sports prototype races are perhaps the two types of auto racing most responsible for the greatest innovations in the field.