The teams currently on the F1 grid all bring with them very different back stories. From those who have built a storied history, through to some that have been borne out of the ashes of past outfits and others that arrived brand new, we’ve been taking a look at the fascinating family tree of all 10 outfits…
McLaren
In terms of the sport’s most historic names, McLaren is up there amongst them. The team were founded by Bruce McLaren and made their debut back in 1966, with the New Zealander himself at the wheel.
McLaren claimed the first win for his squad at the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix and, following his death whilst testing a Can-Am car in 1970, the team bearing his name have gone on to score a total of 200 Grand Prix victories to date along with nine Teams’ Championships and 12 Drivers’ titles.
The outfit are the second oldest team on the grid, behind another famed name in motorsport history…
Ferrari
Having arrived in Formula 1 when the championship made its debut back in 1950, Ferrari are the only team to have competed in every season since, and in that time the Scuderia have built an illustrious legacy.
Famed for their scarlet livery, the Italian outfit have attracted some of the most famous drivers over the years and collected titles with many of them, including Alberto Ascari, Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher.
While their last Drivers’ Championship came courtesy of Kimi Raikkonen in 2007 – with the Teams’ crown following in 2008 – Ferrari have well and truly earned their place in the F1 history books.
Mercedes
Mercedes first appeared in Formula 1 back in 1954 and 1955 but, following their withdrawal from motorsport after the latter year, the name did not return as a manufacturer until many years later.
The outfit now known as Mercedes started life as Tyrrell back in 1970, before being purchased by British American Racing in 1998, resulting in the team being rebranded one year on.
Another change came in 2006 when Honda took over but, after the company opted to withdraw at the end of 2008, Ross Brawn famously purchased the squad for one pound, leading to the fairytale championship-winning 2009 season for the Brawn GP squad.
Mercedes acquired the team at the end of that year, meaning that the Silver Arrows name returned for 2010. In the years since, the Brackley-based outfit have achieved seven Drivers’ Championships – six courtesy of Lewis Hamilton – alongside eight Teams’ titles.
Red Bull
The origins of the Red Bull team can be traced back to Stewart Grand Prix, the squad founded by Jackie Stewart that went on to compete in F1 between 1997 and 1999.
When Ford purchased the outfit at the end of the latter year, the team were rebranded as Jaguar, a name that they raced under through to the 2004 season.
Energy drinks company Red Bull then acquired the squad, leading to the team becoming Red Bull Racing in 2005. The rest is history, with the outfit having gone on to win the Teams’ Championship on six occasions and the Drivers’ title a total of eight times, four apiece for Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
Williams
Another one of Formula 1’s most historic names, Williams made their full-time debut on the grid back in 1978 with Alan Jones at the wheel. The outfit – co-founded by Frank Williams and Patrick Head – went on to experience championship glory for the first time just two years later.
Following plenty of success in the 1980s and 1990s, Williams have struggled to replicate that form in the years since, and a change came for the team in 2020 when they were purchased by Dorilton Capital.
While Frank Williams and daughter Claire stepped back from the team, the squad continue to carry the Williams name as they try to make their way back to the front of the grid.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin briefly competed in F1 for just five races between 1959 and 1960, but the outfit that now carries the brand’s name actually started life as Jordan back in 1991.
Founder Eddie Jordan sold the team to Midland Racing in 2005, who then rebranded under that name in 2006. The squad were subsequently acquired by Spyker, leading to another name change for the 2007 campaign.
Just one year on, the outfit became Force India after another buyout, a moniker that they raced under through to 2018. A consortium led by Lawrence Stroll took over during that final year to bring the struggling team out of administration, and another rebrand as Racing Point followed in 2019.
After Stroll’s consortium took a 16.7% stake in Aston Martin, the team took on the famous manufacturer’s name from 2021 onwards.
Kick Sauber
The Sauber name first arrived in Formula 1 in 1993, with Karl Wendlinger and JJ Lehto forming the line-up of Peter Sauber’s eponymous squad.
When the team was purchased by BMW at the end of 2005, they began racing under the BMW Sauber moniker in 2006. However, after the manufacturer decided to withdraw from the sport at the close of 2009, the squad was sold back to Peter Sauber and returned to his name.
After partnering with Alfa Romeo in 2018, the team rebranded as Alfa Romeo Racing from 2019 onwards, a name that remained until the Italian brand exited after 2023.
While the team have been known as Kick Sauber since 2024, a big change is on the horizon next season when the squad will become Audi’s works outfit, coinciding with a new era of technical regulations coming into effect in the sport.
Racing Bulls
Another team that has seen its fair share of identity changes is Racing Bulls. The life of the outfit actually goes back to 1985 and the arrival of Minardi, the Italian squad that remained on the grid through to the end of 2005.
Red Bull – off the back of purchasing the former Jaguar outfit – acquired Minardi ahead of the 2006 season, with the company deciding to run a second ‘junior’ team in which they would develop young talent.
After making their debut under the Toro Rosso name, a rebranding saw the squad become AlphaTauri in 2020, which then changed to RB in 2024 before evolving into Racing Bulls for the 2025 campaign.
Haas
The newest team to arrive in Formula 1, Haas – established by American founder Gene Haas – entered the sport in 2016, having purchased the Banbury base of the former Marussia outfit to use as their headquarters in the United Kingdom.
With the line-up of Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez, Haas enjoyed the strongest debut of a new team in this century after placing in a respectable P8 of the Teams’ Championship, before recording their best finish to date in 2018 with P5 at the end of the year.
While they have faced some highs and lows in the time since, the squad bounced back from a last place result in 2023 to become regular points scorers again in 2024, ending that campaign in seventh place.
Alpine
Alpine are another team to carry a long history of name changes over the years. The origins of the outfit go right back to 1981 when Toleman arrived on the grid, the squad that famously gave Ayrton Senna his debut in 1984.
After being purchased by Benetton, they took the moniker of the Italian fashion brand in 1986. It was under this guise that the team experienced great success in the mid-1990s, with Michael Schumacher claiming back-to-back Drivers’ Championships in 1994 and 1995.
The outfit became Renault in 2002 following their acquisition by the French manufacturer, with Fernando Alonso taking the Drivers’ title in 2005 and 2006, before they changed to Lotus in 2012. Four years later, Renault took over again, a name that remained through to the end of 2020.
As of 2021, the company decided to rebrand the F1 team as Alpine. The squad have faced mixed fortunes in the years since, but have collected six podiums along the way as well as a surprise victory courtesy of Esteban Ocon at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Cadillac
While there are currently 10 teams on the grid, it is worth noting that another name will join the family as of 2026.
Cadillac are set to become F1’s newest arrival next season. It was first confirmed in November 2024 that Formula 1 had reached an agreement in principle with General Motors (GM) to support bringing GM/Cadillac to the grid in the 2026 season.
The Cadillac Formula 1 Team then received final approval in March 2025 to join the sport next year, with the squad set to be led by Team Principal Graeme Lowdon, while General Motors and TWG Motorsports are also building a power unit facility which will ultimately make the Cadillac team a full-works operation.
