The Haas F1 Team is just four weeks away from making its Formula One debut, and everyone is curious as to how they will perform.
This got us to thinking: How did the other Formula One teams do in their inaugural seasons?
MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS:
Mercedes-Benz entered Formula One midway through the 1954 season with the W196 at the French Grand Prix. Juan Manuel Fangio moved over from Maserati to finish the season off with the Silver Arrows. In doing so, he took four victories with the team en route to the World Championship.
Mercedes was out of Formula One from 1956-2009 and returned in 2010 with the MGP W01, which Nico Rosberg took to three podium finishes.
Alberto Ascari competes in a Ferrari 125 in the team's first race at the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix.
Scuderia Ferrari:
Scuderia Ferrari is the only Formula One team to have been in the sport since its inaugural season in 1950. That year, Luigi Villoresi, Alberto Ascari, Raymond Sommer and Dorino Serafini all had their time behind the wheel of a Ferrari, with Ascari and Serafini giving the Prancing Horse team three podium finishes in total.
Williams Martini Racing:
Although Frank Williams Racing had debuted in Formula One in 1969 with Piers Courage taking two second-place finishes in a Brabham BT26A, it wasn’t until 1977 that the Williams Formula One Team joined the sport as a constructor, with Patrick Neve failing to score a point in a March 761.
Red Bull Racing:
David Coulthard, Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi all got behind the wheel of the RB1 during the 2005 season after the team took over from Jaguar Racing. The team placed seventh in the constructor’s standings, but would have to wait until 2006 for its first podium finish.
Sahara Force India F1 Team:
Giancarlo Fisichella drives during qualifying for the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at Monza on Sept. 13, 2008 in Monza, Italy.
The Force India F1 Team joined the sport in 2008 after taking over from the Spyker F1 Team. Neither Adrian Sutil nor Giancarlo Fisichella could break into the points during the team’s inaugural season, but Fisichella did score an impressive second-place finish at Belgium in 2009.
Renault Sport Formula 1 Team:
Renault’s first season as a constructor in F1 was 1977, where Jean-Pierre Jabouille failed to finish a race in the RS01. The team did not compete as a constructor from 1986-2001, but came back strong in 2002 with Jarno Trulli and Jenson Button taking the R202 to multiple point – albeit no podium – finishes during the season and placing fourth in points. The team has been out of the sport since 2011, but took over from Lotus at the end of last year.
Scuderia Toro Rosso:
Scott Speed drives the STR1 during practice for the European F1 Grand Prix at the Nurburgring on May 6, 2006, in Nurburg, Germany.
Scuderia Toro Rosso took over from the Minardi F1 Team at the end of the 2005 season, and so debuted in 2006 with the STR1. Vitantonio Liuzzi scored one single point for the team at the 2006 United States Grand Prix while his American teammate Scott Speed was taken out in a pileup at the start.
Sauber F1 Team:
Sauber joined Formula One in 1993, and finished seventh in the constructor points in its first season, which is saying something considering these were the days when there were 26-car fields and only the top six finishers scored points. Karl Wendlinger and JJ Lehto both got a best race finish of fourth.
McLaren Honda Formula 1 Team:
Bruce McLaren drove the McLaren M2B in its debut at the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix but failed to make it to the finish. However, he did score a fifth-place finish in his car at the 1966 United States Grand Prix.
Manor Racing MRT:
Technically Manor Racing is about to enter its first season of Formula One competition, but it is easily associated with the Virgin Racing team that debuted in the 2010 season with the VR-01. Virgin Racing switched to Marussia F1 in 2012, and to date the only points finish that the team has had was with Jules Bianchi at Monaco in 2014, where the late French racing driver placed ninth.
Haas F1 Team:
We’re about to find out…
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