the following is what I personally subscribe to, keeping in mind that very few "official" documents are readily available among insufficient, potentially missing or other information just not surviving into present day. For example, the official government registration form or confirmation document granting the F.I.A. non-profit status (marking its birth), would be a great historic piece of paper to see if the FIA would see fit to establish a real digital archive beyond basic race and championship statistics, containing historically important documents, technical memorandums and (hopefully) missing or incomplete race event information.
Assessment of the general timeline and specific dates of events (if available), leading to the inception of the specific terms or words: F.I.A. - CSI (Commission Sportive Internationale), Formula A (B), Formula One
(Assessment per Hans Etzrodt, web page: History, Grand Prix-, American- & Other Formulae, available at http://www.kolumbus....ellman/gpw5.htm)
Regulations immediately leading up to 1946:
1938-1939
Formula, based on a sliding scale of weight in relation to capacity:
3-liter supercharged cars (minimum weight from 400 kg - 881.84 lb)
4.5-liter normally aspirated (minimum weight of 850 kg - 1873 lb).
Net weight to include tires, all oils, fuel (but not cooling water), tools and spare wheels.
Free choice of fuels, minimum race distance 500 km (312 mi).
Ratio of supercharged to unsupercharged engine was 1:1.5.
1940-1945
1946
Pre-war Formula specs (used until 1939 and still in effect) were annulled on February 28, 1946 at the first postwar AIACR meeting.
Formula Libre in effect, 20 races (seven major events, no Grandes Épreuves).
Cars from the 1939 3-liter supercharged era and voiturette formula.
FIA and CSI instituted at the end of 1946.
CSI introduced Formula A specs for Grand Prix cars to be officially in effect by 1948 (but already applied by 1947).
1947-1948 (Formula A, B)
Open for 4.5 liter (normally aspirated engines) and 1.5 liter (supercharged engines).
No weight restrictions.
Minimum race distance of 300 km (186 mi) or minimum of three hours.
Ratio of supercharged to unsupercharged engine 1:3.
1949 (Formula A, B)
The same as for 1947/1948, free choice of fuels.
1950 (Formula One)
Formula specs as from 1947 to 1949.
Formula A' officially renamed ' Formula 1'.
FIA established and implements the World Championship of drivers.
synopsis:
1904-1946: AIACR
1946-Present: FIA /CSI formation, Formula A (B) (definition)
1947: Formula A cars (first appearance)
1948: Formula A regulations in effect
1949: Formula A regulations in effect
1950: Formula A officially renamed to Formula One, start of Drivers World Championship (first official use of the term "Formula One")
In my own daydreams, I like to think that there might be still a chance for a few odd documents to have survived the war, flood, fire or general neglect in various attics, cellars or other dark and dusty corners, from among local promoters, car clubs, event sponsors... maybe even from a 1934 hot dog & beer vendor... lol (I could use a few more circuit maps)
great points made here... hope my take on this is at least half-way there
Edited by P917LeMans, 09 May 2014 - 02:35.