To get you in the mood for the 2012 Australian Grand Prix, TIME takes a look at the history of the racing series.
A Brief History of Formula One
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Although the first official 'Formula One' race was at Silverstone, England, in 1950, the origins date back to the early road races which took place in France at the turn of the century. The distances were impossibly long by modern standards and drivers and spectators were often killed. In this trip down memory lane, a Fiat takes a bend on a public road in Dieppe, northern France, in 1912.
