Rufus Blacklock's F1 car evolution infographic

Rufus Blacklock's F1 car evolution infographic

Formula One cars of 2012 have precious little in common with Formula One cars of 1950. Aside from the open wheel and open cockpit designs that form the backbone of the sport, everything from construction materials through engine position and steering wheel design has changed over the past 62 years.

There are plenty of side-by-side Formula One comparisons to be found on the net, but we don’t recall ever seeing one as elegant as the video above, created by animator Rufus Blacklock. In under sixty seconds, it shows you the evolution of the modern F1 car, from 1950 to 2012.

Cars from each season are rendered in outline form, complete with a representation of  the engine’s layout and number of cylinders. There’s even a depiction of the car’s steering wheel, which itself began to evolve quickly in the mid-1990s.

We’d call the video mesmerizing, and it works better than anything else we’ve ever seen  to illustrate the dramatic changes that have occurred in F1 car design throughout the years. You can clearly see the jump from front to rear engine layouts, as well as the tentative introduction of aero elements, such as the rear wing and front canards.

Watching this video has us wondering two things: what will the F1 car of 2074 look like, and what other racing-related animations does Mr. Blacklock have under development?