Formula One racing takes the motorsport crown. Its appeal is that it is a global sport. The best drivers use the best cars and the best engines from different countries. The races are organized in different tracks around the world and these events are attended by fans who follow with their flags.

Is Formula One the most popular sport in the world?

At the beginning of the last century, Formula One racing was only for the rich who used to enjoy spending their money racing on the weekends. It was not until 1950 that the official Formula One World Championship began with the British Grand Prix. In the 1960s, endorsement deals promoted public and media awareness of the sport. In the 1980s, the popularity of the sport soared thanks to worldwide television coverage.

Formula One racing has the largest television audience in the world. Today, television viewing is measured in the billions and as a sporting event it has a popularity rating on par with the Olympics and the Soccer World Cup. Naturally, such attention draws the corporate sponsorship that pays for the advancements in technology that go hand in hand with Formula One racing.

With the immense growth in popularity and the enormous amount of money that has been invested in the sport, it is no wonder that countries around the world have stepped up to organize the event. It is considered such a status symbol that there are more countries that want to host the Formula One Grand Prix than there are available dates.

With every successful sport you have your sports superstars and Formula One racing is no exception. Amazingly, Formula One drivers are highly conditioned athletes. Drivers who will be on the grid for the 2010 season include:

* Jenson Button, who was the winner of the 2009 Formula One World Drivers Championship.

* Michael Schumacher, seven times champion and holds the record for the most championships.

* Lewis Hamilton, who won the 2008 Formula One World Drivers Championship.

* Fernando Alonso, who won the Formula One Drivers’ World Championship in 2005 and 2006.

Without the drivers there would be no racing and the drivers are the focus of almost everyone in Formula One. However, behind every good driver there is a very good team and this is very much a team sport. The team’s job is to make sure the driver has the best machinery running as well as possible.

The team leader is known as the team leader or team manager and is responsible for running the entire show. Your goal is to recruit the best people, use the latest computer technology, build the best car, and then find a way to pay for it all. Today’s team leaders must be as good at attracting sponsorships as they are at preparing race cars. Some noteworthy teams are:

* Ferrari, based in Italy, first season in 1950, the team leader is Stefano Domenicali, he has won 16 world championships and his drivers are F Massa and F Alonso.

* Williams – based in the UK, first season in 1975, the team boss is Frank Williams, he won 9 world championships and his drivers are R Barrichello and N Hulkenberg.

* McLaren – based in the UK, first season 1966, the team boss is Martin Whitmarsh, he has won 8 world championships and his drivers are J Button and L Hamilton.

Let’s not forget the best men in the sport of Formula One racing.

* Bernie Ecclestone is the commercial rights holder for Formula One, and many say he is responsible for the success of Formula One racing today.

* Jean Todt, recently elected president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the governing body for motorsports that regulates Formula One and other international motorsports. Replaces Max Mosley.

The Formula One car is the ultimate open wheel single seat racing car. The characteristics of a Formula One racing car give it a completely different look than any other racing car. It’s the ultimate machine with technology, materials, and design ideas that focus on speed over comfort. You can only imagine the rigorous testing these cars go through. Some of the unique elements of the Formula One race car include:

* Wheels open. The wheels are not covered like your normal car.

* Central cabin with space for a single driver.

* Ultra-light, high-tech materials such as carbon fiber are used.

* Aerodynamic wings that are designed to push the car towards the ground.

There are 19 racing events on the calendar for 2010 starting in March in Bahrain and ending in November in Abu Dhabi. Formula One design has been transformed over the years. Each track is uniquely designed with its own challenges.

Here I have only scratched the surface. Formula One racing is without a doubt one of the most exciting and interesting sports out there. It will give you hours of pleasure if you take the time to learn a little about it. It runs on weekends and thanks to Mr. Ecclestone, you should have no trouble finding a TV channel to enjoy the show in the comfort of your own home.