The Most Memorable F1 Failures

Most people usually consider the risks and mistakes in Formula one as moments of sheer excitement that are worth kindling a memory. In this context, they look at the failures in F1 as moments of suspense and heart-stopping action. There were numerous crashes in which some of the cars flipped several times. There were also some cars which just exploded right after contact with other cars took place. The following is a list of top 10 most memorable failures in Formula 1 history.

• 2005 US Grand Prix Tire Disaster

In 2005, at a United States Grand Prix practice session for drivers running Michelin tires, several teams had tyre failures during the session. One failure was quite serious (for Ralf Schumacher) and it led to Michelin telling the teams they would have to slow down during turn 13 because its tyres would only last 10 laps. 

Today, they could have just called their pit stop men over the radio and given them that information, but at the time teams were required to complete the race with a set of tyres. Michelin tried to get a chicane put in at turn 13 but it was refused by the FIA as that was deemed unfair on the Bridgestone teams.

Ferrari would go on to win the 6 car race held in front of the unhappy crowd demanding a full refund. 

 

• Singapore Grand Prix 2008

When the inaugural Singapore F1 night race was held in 2008, it was hailed as a big step forward for the sport. With Bernie Ecclestone fulfilling his dream of world domination and opening up new markets while still trying to ensure he maintained revenue from TV broadcasts in F1’s home markets in Europe, there was a great deal of skepticism about the night racing. The race also brought lots of drama with claims that Nelson Piquet Jr. had crashed his car to give Alonso an advantage during the ensuing safety car period.

At the time nothing seemed unusual and no one ever imagined something like this would happen. When Piquet was dropped from the team in the middle of the 2009 season, he blew the whistle in return for immunity, fuelling an investigation. 

This led to Briatore and Symonds being banned from F1 (the latter for five years, the former indefinitely). Renault got away with a suspended sentence as it had taken action on firing Briatore and Symonds – Alonso was cleared of all wrongdoing.

• Taki Inoue got hit by the safety car

It’s dangerous enough being an F1 driver, so breakdowns are all part of the game. And when you do break down you know that help is on its way via the safety teams and medical cars. But what you don’t expect to happen is to be run over by the very car that’s arrived to help you. In 1995, Taki Naganuma’s car caught fire while he was driving during a Grand Prix in Hungary. He quickly parked the car and jumped out, but while trying to get a fire extinguisher to help the marshals with the engine fire, the medical car arrived and knocked him over the bonnet, injuring his leg. Irony being he was fine before that!

• Coulthard hits the pit wall

David Coulthard was racing in his final GP for the Williams team, leading the 1995 Australian Grand Prix, which was taking place on the Adelaide street circuit for the last time. On lap 20 with a comfortable lead, Coulthard came into the pits for his first stop, but never made it to his garage because he slid straight into the wall at the pit lane entrance.

• Spygate – McLaren v Ferrari

The 2007 season was a tough one for McLaren, who lost the win at the Australian Grand Prix due to driver Lewis Hamilton’s and Fernando Alonso I house squabbles. The team also lost its points in the Constructors’ Championship. Why? It all revolved around a dossier containing hundreds of pages of secret information from the Ferrari factory, which the FIA ruled McLaren had used to gain a sporting advantage. The punishment was a record $100 million fine and the wiping of all constructors points that year. Alonso, unhappy at the situation, would leave McLaren at the end of the season, returning to his previous team Renault.

• Mansell celebrates too early

At the 1991 Canadian GP, Nigel Mansell was waving to the crowd as he crossed the finish line—only half a lap early. On the final lap of the race, Mansell exited the hairpin and slowed dramatically to a standstill. The cause was reported to be an electrical failure, but post-race analysis revealed that Mansell had allowed the engine revs to drop too low and this led to power failure. This cost him the win. Three-time champ Nelson Piquet surged past in his Benetton to take the checkered flag.

 

• Lola’s embarrassing debut

It’s incredible to think that Lola was such a big failure when it came to F1—a big name in motorsport supplying chassis to teams in many categories. Lola decided to try its hand in the top flight with backing from Mastercard, but neither of its drivers qualified for the first race in Australia. Within a few weeks, Mastercard along with all the other sponsors pulled out at the last minute, neither car would take to the track again and the team was forced to withdraw from the next race in Brazil due to financial and technical problems. They never raced in F1 again. That was one race, £6 million of debt, and receivership within a few weeks. 

• Multi 21 – Team Orders Vettel Vs Webber 

Formula 1 is a team sport in which there can only be one winner, leaving team principals with the unenviable task of managing their drivers. Fans view team orders as a way to manipulate race results—and teams often resorted to coded messages to do so. In 2013, Red Bull issued the order “multi 21” to both of its drivers during the Malaysian Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel—on the verge of winning his third title—ignored the order and went after his teammate, ultimately taking him out of the race in an attempt to win. 

• Toyota F1 Team – Biggest Budget And No Wins

The Toyota F1 team, which operated on a budget higher than that of most other sports, lasted just 8 seasons before selling the team to HRT and withdrawing from the sport. Toyota’s failure to win a single race despite its huge budget shows that even the biggest names and budgets fail to guarantee success.

• Damon Hill/Arrows F1 Hungarian Grand Prix

 F1 is a brutal sport where careers change from season to season, and even champions get dropped. World Champion Damon Hill joined the noncompetitive Arrows F1 team in 1997 after being dropped by his previous team Williams F1, despite winning the title. Within a few laps of securing their first win, Damon Hill took the lead early in the race from Ferrari using the advantage of his Bridgestone tires to good effect. Then, with three laps remaining a hydraulic failure left the Arrows down on power, Hill eventually finished second all due to a small rubber seal. 

• Michael Schumacher 2010-2012 – Comeback Mistake

Seven-time F1 champion and the sport’s most successful driver, if somewhat occasionally controversial, Michael Schumacher returned to F1 in 2010 after a three-year break. Former team principal Ross Brawn lured Schumacher out of retirement to drive for newcomers Mercedes F1, hoping to add to his previous success. Unfortunately, F1 cars had changed dramatically since his days at Ferrari coupled with Mercedes’ lack of competitiveness led to just one pole position and a single podium result in three seasons.