– Stroll through the entire history of Formula 1 in one morning? That’s possible – in the current Formula 1 exhibition “Grand Prix Legends” at the Musee National de l’Automobile “Collection Schlumpf” in Mulhouse, France.
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We visited the exhibition. Five of the approximately 50 race cars particularly caught our attention. We present these vehicles in detail in a video on the YouTube channel of Formel1.de. Because these cars made Formula 1 history – each in its own way.
For example, the Maserati 250F from the 1954 season: With Juan Manuel Fangio at the wheel, the car won its very first Formula 1 race. It remained competitive for years: Even in 1957, Fangio achieved his last and perhaps best victory at the Nürburgring, when he made up a large deficit and spectacularly caught and overtook his two Ferrari rivals – in a car with a front engine and no driving aids.
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In stark contrast, just a few meters away in the Formula 1 exhibition in Mulhouse stands the Williams FW14B from the 1992 season: About four decades after Fangio, Formula 1 was bursting with high tech. Thanks to the active suspension, the car even “thought” along and automatically adjusted its ride height and position to the driving situation. The cars were so technically sophisticated that the FIA intervened before the 1994 season and banned numerous electronic driving aids and technical systems.
Several times in its history, Formula 1 reached such a turning point. This was also the case before the regulation change for the 2009 season. One reason was the aerodynamic excesses, as represented by the Ferrari F2007 in Mulhouse: winglets and attachments everywhere, jagged surfaces, and an incredible amount of downforce – and for Ferrari with Kimi Räikkönen, the last world championship title so far in the Formula 1 drivers’ standings.
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German Formula 1 history in the exhibition
The Formula 1 exhibition in Mulhouse makes this development tangible: It clearly shows how Grand Prix race cars have changed from era to era, what technology was used, and what performance resulted.
German Formula 1 history is not neglected either: Cars from Stefan Bellof, Timo Glock, Michael and Ralf Schumacher, as well as Sebastian Vettel, can be admired in Mulhouse. An emotional highlight for all “Schumi” fans: the Benetton B195, with which Michael Schumacher won his second world championship title in 1995. In addition, there are modern “Silver Arrows” and historic BMW cars with and without turbo engines.
The Formula 1 exhibition “Grand Prix Legends” at the Musee National de l’Automobile “Collection Schlumpf” in Mulhouse, France, runs until November 1, 2026.
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