The regulations governing Formula One, set by the sport's governing body, the FIA, have changed many times throughout the history of the sport. The primary reason behind rule changes has traditionally been safety. As each decade has passed, the FIA has made more and more changes in the regulations so that better facilities and equipment are available in the event of an accident at race meetings. These rule changes have also been aimed at eliminating dangerous practices from the sport in an effort to make it safer.
Many innovations and technological improvements have been banned over the years as a result of FIA regulation changes. The governing body has taken these actions to slow the cars down to a level where they can be driven relatively safely; if cornering speeds were sufficiently high, an accident while cornering would almost certainly result in the death of the driver.
Since 2000, the FIA has been issuing an increasing number of rule changes to limit the cost of Formula One, which has increased dramatically and to an unsustainable degree in recent years. From 2009 onwards, the sport has committed itself to dramatic reductions in expenditure.
1950s
Although Formula One races had been taking place since 1946, it was not until 1950 that the World Championship was established. Safety was almost a non-issue in the first 10 years of racing, and technological progress was extremely slow compared to modern standards. All of the circuits that Formula One raced on in the 1950s had no safety features; the general mentality was that death was an acceptable risk, and as a result, very few regulations were changed during this period.
1948–1953 Maximum engine displacement set to 1500 cc for engines with a compressor (supercharger or turbocharger), or 4500 cc for naturally aspirated engines. No weight limit. For 1952, crash helmets are made compulsory, but these helmets are made with dubious materials and resemble medium-sized dinner bowls. Note that in 1952 and 1953, the World Drivers' Championship was run to Formula Two regulations (maximum capacity of 750 cc for supercharged engines or 2000 cc for naturally aspirated engines), but the Formula One regulations remained unchanged, and numerous non-championship Formula One races were held during this period. 1954 Maximum engine displacement amended to 750 cc with a compressor, or 2500 cc with natural aspiration. No weight limit. 1958 The use of commercial petrol becomes compulsory, and alcohol-based racing fuels are banned.
1960s
The 1960s began the way the previous decade had ended for Formula One's rule book, with relatively few changes made. However, with the advent of a new breed of innovative and forward-thinking designers like Colin Chapman and the beginnings of drivers lobbying for safer racing conditions, the number of rule changes made began to accelerate as the decade came to a close.
1960 Regulations unchanged from 1959 (maximum engine displacement of 750 cc with a compressor or 2500 cc with natural aspiration, no weight restrictions). 1961–1965 Engine specs amended to a naturally aspirated engine of between 1300 cc and 1500 cc (no compressors allowed), minimum weight set to , open wheels mandated, pump fuel only, required automatic starter, roll bar, double braking system, standardised seatbelt anchorage, and fire protection for fuel tanks, fillers and breathers. FIA begins to organise safety inspections (previously done by local authorities), protective helmet and overalls obligatory, flag signalling code established. 1966–1969 Engine specs amended to allow a 1500 cc engine with a compressor or a 3000 cc naturally aspirated engine, minimum weight increased to , required electrical circuit breaker, reverse gear, oil catch tank, roll bar 5 cm above driver's head, two-part extinguisher system, and cockpit designed for quick evacuation. All aerodynamic features must be immobile (thereby banning air brakes) and fixed to a sprung part of the car, maximum bodywork height and width restrictions ban the use of dangerous high wings, and recommendations are made on seat harnesses, fire-resistant clothing and shatterproof visors.: Straw bales banned from use as safety barriers in response to Lorenzo Bandini's fatal accident in Monaco in 1967.
1970s
The speed of Formula One cars had increased dramatically since 1950, but the standard of safety at race meetings had not followed suit. Deaths were still common, with many factors to blame. Many of the drivers felt that the danger level involved in the sport was still unnecessarily high despite the changes in the rules that had been implemented by the end of the 1960s. The drivers' crusade for improved safety was led in the 1970s by Jackie Stewart. After the needless and avoidable death of Ronnie Peterson at the Italian Grand Prix in 1978, the sport finally made the wholesale changes needed to bring it up towards the modern standards of safety which it enjoys today.
The 1970s was the last decade that Formula One raced at truly long circuits (i.e. with lap times close to or over 3 minutes); going into the decade, Formula One still raced at the 5-mile Charade circuit, the 8.7-mile Spa-Francorchamps circuit, and the 14.2-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife. Although the aforementioned circuits were improved with safety features, all three had disappeared from the calendar by 1977 for the same general reason—safety concerns. Safer circuits such as Paul Ricard, Zolder, and Hockenheimring were built with safety features installed, and at the end of the decade Formula One had become a safer sport, although it was still dangerous.
Ground effect, a technology that was able to create huge amounts of downforce with inverted aerofoils mounted on the sides of the car, was discovered and developed by Colin Chapman and his Lotus team in the mid 70s, and the technology was perfected with the dominant Type 79. All the other teams followed suit, and the performance of the cars skyrocketed over a period of 2 years.
1970 Minimum weight increased to , safety bladder fuel cell tanks introduced. Report published on track standards recommending banning of straw bales, installation of double guard rails, 3-metre grass verges, spectators to be kept a minimum of 3 metres behind guard railings, barrier between pit lane and track as well as track width, surface and gradient recommendations, and mandatory FIA inspections of track facilities. 1971 Role responsibilities and mandatory equipment list set out for race supervisors, marshals, and signalers. Drivers must be able to evacuate from their cockpits in less than five seconds. All race distances must be under 200 miles (320 km). 1972 Minimum weight increased to , safety foam in fuel tanks, no magnesium sheeting to be less than 3 mm thick, a 15w red rear light, on the centre-line, mounted as high as possible, became mandatory, head rest required, minimum cockpit dimensions established, combined electrical cutoff and extinguisher external handle required, fuel tanks to meet FIA specifications, six-point harness required, circuit safety criteria established, driver's code of conduct released. The first appearance of the red taillight for all Formulae, was not for any one specific reason, but instead was to be switched on by order of the clerk of the course. 1973 Numbers now assigned to drivers; the #1 number is assigned to the reigning World Champion. Minimum weight increased to , mandatory crushable structure around fuel tanks, no chrome plating of suspension parts allowed (to avoid hydrogen embrittlement),Jim Stengel's McRae GM-1 Formula 5000 Race Car, Number 59 drivers required to carry medical card and submit to medical examination before they are able to race, catch fencing and rescue equipment mandatory at races, starting grid dimensions standardised, fire service regulations established. 1974 Self-sealing fuel lines mandatory, sand traps added alongside catch fencing as safety features at circuits, 2x2 staggered starting grid with 12 metres allowed per car. 1975 Marshal's posts to be provided with service roads for ease of access, FIA standard set for fire resistant clothing. 1976 Overhead airboxes banned, and the cooling of engines through similar means is heavily limited. "Safety structures" around dashboard and pedals implemented. After Niki Lauda's near-fatal accident at a nearly inaccessible point on the treacherous 14.2 mi (22.8 km) Nürburgring in West Germany, the circuit was taken off the 1977 calendar after having been on the calendar for all but 4 seasons of Formula One up to 1976. 1977 Pedal box safety structures and gravel traps more adequately defined, helmets must be made to FIA approved standards. 1978 Brabham's BT46B 'fan car' deemed illegal and banned after its first (and only) appearance of the season, where it won at the Swedish Grand Prix. Bulkhead behind driver and front roll bar defined, licence qualification criteria set for all drivers, all grid slots allocated 14 metres per car.: Following a request from Lotus, a single central fuel tank between the driver and engine is permitted. Previously, no more than 80 litres of fuel in a single tank was allowed, meaning most cars required 3 separate fuel tanks (usually a bladder on each side of the cockpit, and another tank behind it). However, this requires multiple fuel lines for the various tanks, and it is the shearing of the fuel lines in impacts that causes the fires of Jo Siffert, Roger Williamson, and Niki Lauda. Therefore, the central tank pioneered by Lotus becomes accepted as a safer option to stop fuel lines being sheared from side impacts and igniting. 1979 Medical air required to be piped into driver's helmet in the event of an accident. Larger cockpit opening, two mirrors, improved onboard fire extinguisher, and FIA-appointed permanent race starter mandatory.
1980s
With the raft of safety improvements as a result of Ronnie Peterson's fatal crash being implemented during the late 70s and early 80s, Formula One overall became much safer despite the deaths of Patrick Depailler in 1980 and Gilles Villeneuve & Riccardo Paletti in 1982. The huge amounts of downforce created by ground effect became increasingly dangerous as years went on, and aside from the fatal accidents mentioned above, a number of drivers crashed heavily enough for their careers to be brought to an end, and the technology was banned outright at the start of the 1983 season. These safety changes, coupled with the much stronger carbon fibre replacing aluminium as the material of choice for chassis construction, meant there was not a single driver fatality at a race meeting for the rest of the decade.
However, one factor threatening to undo all this progress was the almost exponentially increasing power being extracted from turbocharged engines. Renault proved in 1980 that turbocharging was the way forward, with their very dominant performances in qualifying in almost every race (especially on fast and high-altitude circuits, where the thinner air did not affect the turbocharged engines). With power outputs doubling in less than 10 years and figures in excess of floated by engine manufacturers, the FIA's primary goal from 1986 onwards became to rein in turbo engines before finally banning them altogether at the end of the 1988 season.
Brabham team owner Bernie Ecclestone and ex-March team owner Max Mosley set new organizational standards for Formula One, something they had been working on since 1972. All races became organized by Formula One Management instead of circuit organizers; the organization also set specific times for races, practice sessions, and qualifying sessions, and teams were made to commit to all races in a season to assure sponsors that their advertising would be seen on television—also an enterprise set up by Ecclestone and Mosley. This effectively transformed the sport into the multibillion-dollar business it is today.