Early F1 cars were simpler in design with no wings, front mounted engines, and required significant driver effort for control. During the early years, a front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout was used with a 4.5 L naturally aspirated or a 1.5 L supercharged engine capable of an output power of up to 317 kW (425 hp). In the early 1960s, lighter cars with aluminum chassis were introduced with the addition of wings towards the end of the decade.
In the 1970s, understanding of aerodynamics began to impact car design significantly, with the introduction of nose boxes in the front, and air boxes behind the driver to increase air flow to the engine. The advent of ground effect cars in the 1980s allowed a significant increase in downforce with a small drag penalty. With continuous improvement in engines and the introduction of turbochargers, the cars produced an increased amount of thrust.
Following the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, a number of changes were introduced, which led to the development of modern day F1 cars. A 10 mm (0.39 in) thick wooden skid block was added on the underside of the body to enforce minimum ground clearance. In the following seasons, several modifications were introduced, the underbody plank was lengthened and a 50 mm (2.0 in) tall, 500 mm (20 in) wide block was added on top of the plank to minimize the ground effect.
Since the 2000s, several changes have been made by the FIA, which are aimed at sustainability and cost reduction, such as the cap on car parts, usage of mixed fuel, and usage of energy recovery systems. The latest rules in the late 2010s introduced simpler front wings, which reduced the intake of dirty air from the cars in front, and enabled closer racing. The underside of the vehicle was required to be flat between the axles with the wear of skid block limited to a maximum of 1 mm (0.039 in) during the race. The latest regulations which came into effect in 2022 with the intention of enabling closer racing, simplified the aerodynamic components, which reduced vortices, and created more ground effect.
The modern Formula One car is a single-seat, open-cockpit, open-wheel racing car with substantial front and rear wings, large wheels, and a turbocharged engine positioned behind the driver. The monocoque is constructed of reinforced carbon fiber, lined with kevlar and fire resistant materials to protect the driver from high impact crashes and fires. The driver cockpit consists of single seat with a detachable steering wheel in the front. A halo safety device mounted on top of the open cockpit was introduced in 2018. The cars are limited to dimensions of 5.63 m (18.5 ft) in length, 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in width, and 0.9 m (2 ft 11 in) in height, with a minimum weight of 798 kg (1,759 lb) including the driver. The wings act as inverted aerofoils to produce negative lift, resulting in increased down force.
The engine is located between the driver and the rear axle and is bolted to the cockpit at the front end, and transmission and rear suspension at the back end. Modern F1 cars use semi-automatic sequential gearboxes with a rear-wheel-drive, featuring eight forward gears and a reverse gear operated with paddle-shifters. Disc brakes are used for braking, with carbon composite materials capable of handling temperatures of up to 1,000 °C (1,830 °F). To withstand high temperatures, brakes are made of carbon composites.
Wheels have evolved over time, and for the 2022 F1 season, the wheel rim diameter size was increased from 13 to 18 in (330 to 460 mm), and the overall diameter was increased to 720 mm (28 in).
The kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) recover the kinetic energy created by the car's braking process. There are principally two types of systems: electrical and mechanical flywheel. KERS typically adds 120 hp (89 kW) additional power boost for a specific time.
Prior to 1968, Formula One cars were coloured after the nationality of a constructor. Following the allowance of unrestricted sponsorship in 1968, teams began to rely on sponsors for funding, leading to liveries featuring major sponsor implementations. In 2021, McLaren debuted a special Monaco Grand Prix livery, prompting other teams to design one-off liveries for anniversaries, sponsorships, or drivers.