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Formula One, abbreviated to F1, is the highest class of open-wheeled auto racing defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motorsport's world governing body. The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants and cars must conform. The F1 world championship season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, held usually on purpose-built circuits, and in a few cases on closed city streets. Drivers are awarded points based on their position in each race, and the driver who accumulates the most points over each calendar year is crowned that year's World Champion. As of the 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, there have been 956 FIA World Championship races since its first event, the 1950 British Grand Prix.
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Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher holds the record for the most championships, while his 91 wins, 155 podium finishes and 68 pole positions are also records. Rubens Barrichello has entered more Grands Prix than anyone else—326 times in total—as well as having made an unsurpassed 322 race starts. The United Kingdom is the most represented country, having produced a total of 161 different drivers. Nine countries have been represented by just one. Indonesia became the latest country to be represented by a driver when Rio Haryanto made his Formula One debut at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix driving for Manor Racing. The most recent driver to make his Formula One debut was Esteban Ocon who debuted at the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix for Manor Racing.
Drivers
This list is accurate as of the 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Drivers who only participated in Friday practice and who were not actually entered for the race are not included. Under this system Daniel Ricciardo became the 800th driver to take part in a World Championship event at the 2011 British Grand Prix.
By country
Drivers from a total of 40 different countries have entered a World Championship race. The United Kingdom is the most heavily represented with 161 drivers. Second is the United States with 158; between 1950 and 1960 the American Indianapolis 500 race, rarely contested by drivers from outside the United States, was part of the World Drivers' Championship. Third is Italy with 98. Nine of these countries were represented in the very first race, the 1950 British Grand Prix, and the most recent newly represented country is Indonesia, with Rio Haryanto making his debut at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix. Statistics are accurate as of the 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.