Missing Marques

“Where have all the young teams gone?” the words of that famous song with a one word alteration could well apply to the ranks of Formula One teams since the World Championship came into being  back in 1950. It is said that more than 150 teams have come and gone, and while I don’t dispute that, I think it best to sub out the precise score taking to the anoraks. I confess to being a partial anorak, but this is a mission best left to the superanoraks and the pedants. Too easy to miss one and finish with an incomplete list.

The first team to win the Championship— although in earlier times only the driver was awarded the title—was Alfa Romeo, driven by Farina. Today, as we know, they are long gone from F1, albeit still making road and rally cars. Doing this alphabetically, we have seen AGS, ATS (twice), then BRM (the “Ferrari of England”), Brabham and Cooper, all three of them Championship winners. Connaught was a contender, but never a champion, and Bugatti’s one race effort only just counts. The French were there more permanently with Gordini, Larrousse, Ligier, Lago, Talbot and the glorious-sounding Matra cars. Driven by Jackie Stewart, the Tyrrell-run Matra took the Championship in 1969.