Formula 1

The Formula 1 pinball machine, manufactured by Jac van Ham of Tilburg, Holland in 1988, is a rare and intriguing piece of pinball history -- only three prototype units were ever confirmed made. The backbox credits its design to A. Bartoszek and Cees van Duin. As a Solid State Electronic (SS) game, it features a theme centered around the high-speed world of Formula 1 auto racing, an unusual focus for a pinball machine of its era.

What sets the Formula 1 apart is its array of innovative and challenging features. Players enjoy five balls per play, navigating a complex playfield with two flippers, three pop bumpers, two slingshots, three star rollovers, banks of 2-bank and 3-bank drop targets, a kick-out hole, and a spinning disk in the lower playfield. A timed skill shot and two-ball multiball add further layers of strategy, while the ramps -- labeled "Deathman's Curve" and "Dizzy Spin" -- create a sense of excitement and challenge for players.

One especially notable design touch is the extra flipper button on each side of the cabinet, which changes the direction of the lower-playfield spinning disk during play and also lets players enter up to eight characters on the game's alphanumeric LED displays for high scores. As one of only three prototypes ever built, the Formula 1 remains an exceptionally rare and collectible piece of pinball history.