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New York Times
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
F1 at 75: The historic tracks that held the sport's first world championship season
Happy birthday, Formula One. Seventy-five years ago, 21 cars lined up at Silverstone Circuit in the UK for the first F1 world championship race — the British Grand Prix. Giuseppe Antonio 'Nino' Farina, who competed as one of the three drivers for Alfa Romeo, won the inaugural grand prix and later the first drivers' championship. Advertisement Much has changed since that day in May 1950. Nearly 780 drivers have competed in the F1 world championship, and 34 have won the title. The constructors' championship, which didn't begin until 1958, has changed over the years, and a race win wasn't worth 25 points until 2010. The cars and teams have evolved, and the calendar length has more than tripled, featuring a mix of street circuits and permanent tracks. Advancements have been made in driver safety, such as the introduction of halo and biometric gloves in 2018. Now, the 2025 season is one of the closest in terms of car performance in recent years, and it is the last campaign of the current set of regulations before new engines and 100% sustainable fuel are introduced in 2026. The current season has been chock-full of action, with McLaren holding a strong lead in the championships, three cars being disqualified in one race weekend, two shocking driver swaps, and a team principal resigning just six races in. There are still 18 grands prix to go, but before F1 heads to Italy for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, let's look back on the first world championship season and the historic tracks that made up the seven-round calendar 75 years ago. Date: May 13, 1950 Location: Silverstone Circuit Winner: Nino Farina Silverstone Circuit has lived many lives and is one of the numerous British ex-airfields to be converted into a motor racing track. Prior to becoming a beloved track on F1's calendar, it was a Royal Air Force base during World War II, opening in 1943. It served as a base for Wellington bombers, and when the war ended in 1945, the UK had a surplus of airfields. After work to convert the area to a suitable racing circuit, the Royal Automobile Club hosted the first British Grand Prix in Oct. 1948. Advertisement Among the estimated 100,000-plus in attendance for the first world championship F1 grand prix were King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, and Lord and Lady Mountbatten, watching as Farina won and set the fastest lap after securing pole position earlier in the weekend. This is the only time a reigning monarch attended a British Grand Prix. Another interesting element of the 1950 British GP is that Ferrari did not participate. Instead, the famed team made its first world championship appearance a week later at Monaco. Alfa Romeo was the anticipated favorite and fielded four cars at Silverstone, including the one used by Farina. While there have been a few layout changes over the years, the character of Silverstone Circuit remains, with new names of corners and straights being added to pay homage to its heritage and culture. The current layout features high-speed corners and passing opportunities, a track prime for action. Silverstone has changed over the years, with the most recent significant alterations debuting in 2010. The previous Abbey Chicane became a righthander, and Farm Curve was created. Other new corners, such as the Loop and Aintree, as well as the Wellington Straight, were added while Brooklands and Luffield remained. This change allowed for a new section with three grandstands, called the Arena, to be added alongside a completely new paddock and pits area. And, in 2020, the pit straight was named the Hamilton Straight after the British driver won his seventh world championship. A number of changes also came during the 1990s, some of which were for safety reasons following the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger at Imola in 1994. Runoff space was increased at Copse, and Stowe was made slower. Changes were added to other portions of the track that no longer exist, such as a chicane added at Abbey, with Priory turned earlier. Advertisement Date: May 21, 1950 Location: Circuit de Monaco Winner: Juan Manuel Fangio When fans think of F1, the Monaco Grand Prix and the iconic Circuit de Monaco come to mind for many. The narrow street circuit requires pinpoint accuracy as the cars navigate past historic and famous buildings, the well-known hairpin, and race by plenty of yachts in the harbor. Drivers were racing through the principality's streets long before the F1 world championship began. Antony Noghés, a Monaco resident and cigarette manufacturer, proposed the first course, and Prince Louis II saw the benefits motor racing would bring to Monaco, such as increased tourism. William Grover Williams won the first grand prix in April 1929, and the circuit began establishing itself in the following years. The war did force cancellations in 1939, but it returned in 1948. The death of Prince Louis II led to the race not being held a year later, but Monaco was round two of the F1 world championship calendar in 1950. Monaco didn't always have a consistent place on the calendar, as it was left off in 1951 (partly due to budget concerns) and from 1952 to 1954. It returned in 1955 and has been on the slate since, except for the pandemic-shortened season in 2020. It is a street circuit, so there's little room for error. Some drivers, including Alberto Ascari, the 1952 and 1953 world champion, have ended up in the harbor, and fans have seen many costly crashes into the barriers. Metal barriers were placed at certain points around the track for the first time in 1969, and other permanent safety changes came over the years to slow the cars down. These include tweaks made to the Rascasse and Ste Dévote corners in 1976 and how land was reclaimed from the harbor to create more space for runoff in other locations. Advertisement The addition of the swimming pool section in the 1970s drastically changed the layout, as four corners were built around the pool, and the Nouvelle Chicane came in 1986. But the most recent Monaco track change occurred in 2015 when Tabac was reprofiled. Monaco has faced criticism due to a lack of overtaking because of the track's tight confines, impacted by how the cars have evolved over the years. The FIA, motorsport's governing body, has made a rule change ahead of this year's grand prix to make the contest a mandatory two-stop race. Date: May 30, 1950 Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Winner: Johnnie Parsons The idea of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway came from Europe. Indiana businessman Carl G. Fisher visited the United Kingdom's Brooklands track, which only deepened his desire to bring a circuit to his home state. The initial proposed circuit was an oval around three to five miles long, and the original purpose was for it to be a testing track for local automobile manufacturers. Fisher once said, 'Indianapolis is going to be the world's greatest center of horseless carriage manufacturing, what could be more logical than building the world's greatest racetrack right here?' In 1908, Fisher convinced James A. Allison, Arthur Newby, and Frank W. Wheeler to partner with him to create the track. According to the IMS organization, Fisher's initial desire was for a five-mile oval; however, the plan became 'a 3-mile, rectangular-shaped oval, with a 2-mile road course inside that, when linked to the oval, would create a 5-mile lap.' New York civil engineer P.T. Andrews oversaw the project and discovered that a three-mile oval would be possible, but the outside being right near the property boundary would mean that grandstands wouldn't be. The track was shortened to two-and-a-half miles, and the road course abandoned. In 1909, IMS was finished, and motorcycle racing began in August of that year. Advertisement But early races with bikes and cars showed that change was needed, as concerns arose about the track surface. Multiple people died due to different incidents, and the track owners decided to pave it with bricks, less than a month after the first car racing took place. Thus, the nickname 'The Brickyard' was born. IMS reopened for testing in December 1909, and racing returned the following year. The first Indianapolis 500 took place in 1911, becoming one of the most prestigious racing events on the global motorsports calendar. Naturally, like several tracks on F1's 1950 calendar, the world wars interrupted racing. During WWI, IMS served as a refueling spot and a military aviation repair location, and racing only returned in 1919. Tragedy did continue at IMS, though, as speeds increased and safety concerns escalated. From 1931 to 1935, 15 deaths occurred, triggering further repaving. A significant fire then occurred in 1941, and when WWII unfolded, all racing was halted. IMS subsequently fell into disrepair, and the track was put up for sale. Wilbur Shaw, a three-time Indy 500 winner, searched for an investor who would allow public racing. He found one in businessman Tony Hulman and when the Speedway was bought in 1945, it marked the beginning of an ownership dynasty within the Hulman-George family that'd last until 2019, when Roger Penske acquired the track. The Indy 500 returned in 1946 and was part of F1's calendar for several years, starting in 1950. But it ran under different regulations and left the world championship calendar during the 1960s. IMS underwent significant changes by the time F1 returned in 2000. An infield road course that included the oval's Turn 1 was created. But the last F1 race at IMS was in 2007. Two years prior, teams running with Michelin tires had to withdraw after completing the warmup lap because the compounds were disintegrating. Only six cars competed, and Michael Schumacher won a farcical race. Date: June 4, 1950 Location: Bremgarten Winner: Nino Farina Another lost gem. Nestled in the forest between Bern and the River Wohlensee in Switzerland was Bremgarten, another track known for its danger. This circuit started out hosting motorcycle events in 1931, and racing cars didn't reach the track until 1934. But much tragedy occurred over the subsequent years. British driver Hugh Hamilton died during that 1934 race, and in 1948, when rain fell during practice, Achille Varzi's car flipped and killed the Italian driver when it skidded on the wet track surface. Christian Kautz also passed away that weekend following a separate accident. Advertisement This permanent road course was 7.28 km (4.524 miles) long and was more a collection of high-speed corners – not a straight in sight. Bremgarten was the home of the Swiss Grand Prix for the first five seasons of F1's world championship. Nino Farina may have won the 1950 edition, but Juan Manuel Fangio was the only repeat Swiss GP winner in that five-season stretch, taking the victory in 1951 and 1954. All racing was halted in Switzerland in 1955, as the country banned motorsport following the 24 Hours of Le Mans disaster that year. A total of 83 people died and more than 100 were injured when Mercedes racer Pierre Levegh crashed into the crowd. One motorsport category was eventually allowed to compete in the country: Formula E. The electric championship held two races in 2018 and 2019 in Zurich and Bern, within the partial lifting of the ban in 2015, but each event faced substantial local opposition and has not been repeated. Date: June 18, 1950 Location: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Winner: Juan Manuel Fangio Motor racing in Spa-Francorchamps dates back over a century as the sport became popular in Belgium following World War I. The first race was in 1922, and it featured motorcycles. It wasn't until 1924 that the now-famous 24 Hours of Spa took place for the first time, a year after Le Mans' debut in France. And it was in 1925 that the first international single-seaters race at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps took place, with only seven cars competing. Like many tracks across Europe, Spa-Francorchamps, a lengthy track through the Ardennes Forest, needed repairs after World War II, and the changes increased the circuit's speed. Safety concerns were prevalent in those early years, as numerous people died in crashes. Jackie Stewart led the eventual call for safer conditions, and the drivers boycotted the 1969 F1 race when improvements weren't made. Racing did return the following year, but F1 eventually left. Advertisement The circuit was redeveloped in 1979, and the pinnacle of motorsport returned in the 1980s. The length was cut in half, from 14.9km (8.26 miles) to 7.004km (4.35 miles), and the Kemmel Straight was created, along with the modern-day layout that includes Eau Rouge and Raidillon (two sections used at Spa since 1930). F1 returned in the 1980s, but Spa's F1 future came into question again at the end of 2005 when then-F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone called for improvements. But funds were limited, and the track promoter went bankrupt. The local government stepped in to provide the necessary funds for the redevelopment project. The F1 pit facilities were rebuilt, and several changes were made to the circuit, such as remodeling the 'bus stop' chicane (where buses used to stop when this part of the old course was still a public road) and extending the straight to La Source (Turn 1). But safety concerns remain even today, as numerous serious crashes have happened at the Eau Rouge and Raidillon sequence. Shortly after that portion is where Anthoine Hubert died in a 2019 Formula 2 race, while Formula Regional European racer Dilano van 't Hoff is the most recent driver to have died in a crash at Spa – his death occurring in 2023. Date: July 2, 1950 Location: Circuit de Reims-Gueux Winner: Juan Manuel Fangio In the Champagne region of France lies one of Europe's traditional road circuits, formed in a triangular shape, but it hasn't held racing since the 1970s, after the Reims event closed. It may have been a temporary circuit that used country roads, but the pit facilities and grandstands were permanent — and are still standing today. Motor racing began here in 1926 when the Grand Prix de la Marne moved from Circuit de Beine-Nauroy to Circuit de Reims-Gueux. The initial layout of Reims-Gueux featured long straights and hairpin turns, and other racing categories competed at the circuit, such as the 12-hour endurance sports car race. Track width was eventually widened at certain sections over the years, changing the circuit length right before the 1932 French GP from 7.816 km (4.857 miles) to 7.826 km (4.863 miles). Advertisement World War II halted all racing at the track until 1947. F1 cars didn't arrive at Circuit de Reims-Gueux until a year later, when temporary grandstands became established fixtures. After the 1950 grand prix, it was evident renovations were needed to keep up with F1's evolving technology. Two different layout alterations took place, one bypassing Gueux in 1952 (which shortened the track) and a purpose-built section that lengthened the track again to 8.302 km (5.159 miles). But racing soon left Reims. The last F1 race was in 1966, sports cars departed in 1969, and motorcycle racing continued only for three more years before the track was closed in 1972 due to financial difficulties and competition with other French circuits. Date: September 3, 1950 Location: Autodromo Nazionale Monza Winner: Nino Farina F1's Temple of Speed, 'La Pista Magica' (the magic track). Its nicknames have stood the test of time. Autodromo Nazionale Monza was just the third purpose-built circuit in the world, following Brooklands and Indianapolis, when it was finished in 1922. It was built after World War I, though complications occurred during construction. Conservationists halted the project because of the number of trees being cut down in the park that houses the track, and following negotiations in Rome, construction resumed (though with a modified circuit layout to limit the number of lost trees). The circuit officially opened in Sept. 1922 and hosted the Italian Grand Prix (long before the formal world championship for top level formula racing was organized, or even its European predecessor) a week later. But six years on, disaster struck Monza. Emilio Materassi crashed into a grandstand during the 1928 grand prix – killing himself and 28 spectators. As the years passed, more deaths and injuries occurred, including 'Black Sunday' in 1933, when three drivers died. Safety and track changes followed. The last race on the original layout – which combined the track familiar to modern fans with a high-speed banked oval – took place in 1938, and radical alterations were planned. Advertisement But World War II halted the remodeling entirely. The track's buildings were repurposed to store war materials and house animals from the Milan Zoo, and once the war was over, a complete restoration was needed. This took place in 1948. It took two months not only to return the circuit to its original functional state but also to make the changes planned a decade earlier, such as getting rid of two elevated curves. The Italian GP returned in 1948, but as F1 cars evolved, it became evident that the raised curves elsewhere on the track had become an issue. The final F1 race that used the steep banking was in 1961, where Wolfgang von Trips crashed into the crowd, killing himself and 11 spectators. Speed-limiting chicanes were introduced in the 1970s, and the layout familiar to F1 fans today has become the main Monza variation. But after the dark weekend at Imola in 1994, further changes were made to reduce speed in certain portions, and runoff areas were expanded.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
XRP overtakes Tether, analyst says it could hit $10 in 2025
XRP has officially overtaken Tether (USDt) to become the third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, now valued at over $151 billion. This milestone comes as XRP continues its strong bull run, with the token trading at $2.59, up 10.2% in the last 24 hours and 22.4% over the past week, according to Kraken's price feed. Now, one crypto analyst believes XRP's rally is only getting started — and that the price could climb to $10 or more in 2025. Crypto analyst Edo Farina shared his bullish take on X (formerly Twitter), pointing to several key factors behind his price projection. One of the biggest catalysts, according to Farina, is Bitcoin Dominance (BTC.D) — a metric that tracks how much of the total crypto market belongs to Bitcoin. He notes that when BTC.D drops, it often signals the start of an altcoin season, which could push XRP and other tokens higher. Another major factor is the regulatory clarity Ripple now enjoys in the U.S. after resolving its long-running lawsuit with the SEC. Farina argues that XRP must become central to global payments and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. Ripple is already making moves in that direction — reportedly contributing to the digital Euro rollout and acquiring key players like Hidden Road, with potential talks around buying Circle, the issuer of USDC. Another potential game-changer? XRP ETFs. If the SEC approves exchange-traded funds for XRP, Farina believes demand could explode. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
XRP price to reach $10 in 2025? Crypto analyst decodes factors that could drive its surge
XRP , one of the largest cryptocurrencies, could reach as high as $10 or more even than that in 2025, as per the latest prediction by a famous crypto analyst. #Operation Sindoor The damage done at Pak bases as India strikes to avenge Pahalgam Why Pakistan pleaded to end hostilities Kashmir's Pahalgam sparks Karachi's nightmare Currently trading at around $2.55, XRP price has gained significant momentum in the current bull cycle. It has climbed from $1.75 on April 9, 2025 to more than $2.50 now. Edo Farina, XRP supporter and crypto analyst on X, highlighted several major factors that are soon expected to increase the crypto's demand, besides boosting its adoption in the global market. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Luxury Residences In Bengaluru By Lodha Group Lodha Hosa Road Book Now Undo Will XRP price reach $10? In the current cycle, XRP has emerged as a leading altcoin in the early phase itself. This is quite different from the earlier times when it used to witness a jump only towards the end. Farina recently shared a video on the Elon Musk-owned social media platform predicting XRP's potential price in the months to come. He has even discussed multiple factors that might drive this surge. Live Events Also Read : UK announces measures to tighten immigration policies amid rising voter anger In his close to three-and-a-half minute video, Farina talks about Bitcoin Dominance, looking at it as a major indicator for the price movements of altcoins. At the moment, the price for BTC.D is said to be relatively higher, even though its dominance has declined from 40% to 30%. According to Farina, this marks the onset of the altcoin season. He thinks XRP holds the potential to see a 4X rally from its current price. This means XRP price can reach anywhere around the $10 mark and even more than that, the crypto analyst predicts. A key reason behind its surge in price is the current market cycle. Breaking the mold, the cryptocurrency has performed well early on, contrary to its history of late-stage rallies. With XRP trading above $2 as well as Bitcoin dominance remaining stronger, Farina believes that is a pivotal sign towards "decoupling" from the traditional movements in the market, according to The Crypto Basic. Regulatory clarity One of the major catalysts that could potentially be driving XRP's bullish outlook is the resolution to the long-standing lawsuit between Ripple and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). With XRP no longer being classified as a security in the country, Ripple now is free to offer the token to several financial institutions. This will boost investor confidence and can even lead to its adoption globally, Farina said. Also Read : Who is Edan Alexander? American-Israeli hostage set to be freed by Hamas after more than 500 days in Gaza FAQs 1. How much to pay for 1,000 XRP taking into consideration Edo Farina's projection? Going by Farina's prediction, investors will be required to pay $10,000 for 1,000 XRP if its price reaches $10. 2. What are the largest cryptocurrencies worldwide? These include Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Tether, BNB, Solana, USDC and Dogecoin among others.
The Star
05-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Sabah's elephant champion
Collective effort: Farina (centre) posing with members of her team. The conservationist says the Whitley Award is not just for her, but for everyone working to protect Sabah's elephants. — Pic from the Whitley Fund for Nature KOTA KINABALU: Dr Farina Othman's life changed when she came up close and personal with the Bornean elephant. It all began when she moved from Alor Setar to further her studies in conservation biology at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). On assignment, she realised her calling was to protect the Bornean elephant, which has defined the past 17 years of her life. Her long journey was recognised on the global stage when she received the 2025 Whitley Award – one of the world's most prestigious conservation prizes – for her work to protect the endangered Bornean elephant. 'Winning the Whitley Award is incredibly meaningful. It's a personal affirmation that the struggles and sacrifices in this work matter,' she said after receiving the award from the UK's Princess Anne at the Royal Geographical Society in London on April 30. Farina, now a senior lecturer at UMS, started her conservation career in 2008 at the Danau Girang Field Centre. A decade later, she founded Seratu Aatai – which means 'solidarity' – a non-profit organisation rooted in community-based conservation in Kinabatangan. Bornean elephants are the smallest subspecies of Asian elephants and genetically distinct, with fewer than 1,000 remaining in the wild. Around 300 can be found in the Kinabatangan region, where forest fragmentation from logging and oil palm cultivation has brought wildlife into closer contact with people. 'My real dream is to see elephants truly become part of our landscape again – not something we fear or push away, but something we live with and respect,' she said. The Whitley Award comes with £50,000 (RM287,000), which will be used to help her team create safe corridors across oil palm estates, carry out behavioural research and support the work of trained community honorary wildlife wardens. Her approach is based on humility and empathy. She works directly with plantation workers, independent smallholders and local schools – training communities to identify individual elephants, track herd movements and find ways to reduce conflict without harm. 'Conflict is something we can't completely avoid. Even between people, there are disagreements,' she added. 'I'm doing this because I see injustice in how we treat the environment, and how that creates conflict for both people and animals. 'This work feels more like a calling.' She said the award isn't hers alone, but belongs to everyone in Kinabatangan and Sabah working towards peaceful coexistence. 'I'll feel proud when I meet my Creator and can say, 'I tried my best, with what I had, to protect your other creations.'
Rakyat Post
02-05-2025
- General
- Rakyat Post
Elephant Emergency: A Conservationist's Plan To Save The Gentle Giants
Subscribe to our FREE Malaysia's biodiversity has been under threat for a long time, thanks to widespread resource harvesting as well as urban and industrial developments that encroach on habitats of wild animals. That's where wildlife conservationists like Dr. Farina Othman step in. She recently won a The species in question is the Bornean elephant, which are considered the world's smallest elephants. Native to East Malaysia, specifically the state of Sabah, there are fewer than 1,000 Bornean elephants left in the wild and they have been classified as an endangered species under the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List. A Bornean elephant herd. Image: Wildlife Conservation Network According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), an international non-governmental wildlife preservation organisation, Sabah This has resulted in the fragmentation of elephant populations, forcing them into small preserved forest areas like the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. Here, native forest pockets are surrounded by vast agricultural estates within the floodplains of the Kinabatangan River. Saving the elephants will take time, money, and cooperation According to a report by In 2018, she founded the conservation organisation Seratu Aatai to raise awareness of the elephants and address the rise in human-elephant conflict. As a consequence of encroaching plantations, the elephants have come into more frequent contact with humans, which sometimes led to crops and buildings being damaged. Image: Whitley Fund for Nature This, in turn, leads to conflict between farmers and the elephants and has resulted in 131 Bornean elephants being killed between 2010 and 2020, primarily due to human-related causes such as accidental poisoning or retribution killings. Farina said although many people understand the importance of elephants to the ecosystem – such as spreading seeds – and know that they are under threat, there is still a 'not on my watch' mindset towards the animal. It's this mindset that Farina aims to change. 'Who else can take that responsibility? I'm Malaysian, so I think it's time for me to also try to educate and raise awareness,' she told the Atlanta-based news network. She was given the Whitley Award and over RM280k for her project Farina was one of six conservationists who was given the The award, presented by UK nature charity Whitley Fund for Nature, supports grassroots conservationists in the Global South. 'If only one plantation wants to do this, it won't work. We need to create a consortium of several plantations so that we can connect this corridor back to the wildlife sanctuary,' she said. Coexistence requires a lot of teamwork For a long time, Farina's biggest challenge was getting the palm planters together, but they met each other in the middle eventually, CNN reported. 'As planters, they actually know the need of preserving biodiversity and also the health of the soil, because this is all contributing back to the trees that they are planting,' she said. Farina said some farmers have agreed to plant native trees alongside their oil palms, as well as 'food chests' of plants that elephants like to eat as a way to encourage them to use the wildlife corridors. Image: Whitley Fund for Nature She and her team are also working with plantations to monitor the elephants to better understand their behaviour. This includes training planters on how to assess herd dynamics and recognize individual elephants. Larger plantations will also be offered sessions on sustainable farming and pest control in an effort to reduce the number of accidental poisonings. Additionally, Farina also set up a team of elephant rangers with members of the local community, who will monitor populations and help ensure palm planters will know how to interact with elephants safely. According to the CNN report, Edward Whitley, founder of Whitley Fund for Nature, said 'Her innovative project recognises the key role that oil palm companies can play in (elephant) conservation, and her connection to and love for these beautiful giants has helped empower community members to become guardians of their environment'. Image: Cede Prudente Farina is concerned that the nature of elephants might change from docile to more aggressive with the rise of human-elephant interaction. But, she hopes that this could be avoided through their work to build forest corridors and community outreach. When an encounter does happen, she says that people should act calmly and kindly, and that elephants will respond in the same way. 'I believe that they can really read your heart and what is in your mind,' she said as she recalls times when elephants could have hurt her in the past, but didn't. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
