An article in which you will learn about age of pilots who perform and have performed in Formula 1. From the youngest to the most mature 50 year olds reckless drivers.
“If you're good enough, you're old enough.”
This is what legendary 1950s Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby said about his unusually young but ultimately incredible successful team. But in addition to Sir Busby, this phrase can easily be used by Red Bull motorsports consultant Mr. Helmut Marko.
The Austrian oversees the junior series, which features drivers from the Red Bull Young Driver Support Program. He has already brought such young guys into Formula 1 as Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniil Kvyat when they were only 19, 22, 21 and 19 years old respectively. But his latest discovery was the Dutchman, who made his practice debut at the Japanese Grand Prix, just three days after blowing out seventeen candles on his birthday cake.
Marco's long search among young drivers is the main reason why, at this stage, the Formula 1 grid is at an all-time low in terms of driver age. Although this trend began in the early 90s, thanks to the arrival of Rubens Barrichello in F1 (who made his debut in 1993 at the age of 20), from that moment middle age drivers participating in the Formula 1 championship began to drop below the 30-year mark.
All this does not fit at all with the first years of the championship. At that time, the average age of Formula 1 pilots was 40 years, which is quite unexpected by today's standards. Nino Farina won his championship a couple of months before his 44th birthday, in 1950. At the same time, the legendary Argentine racing driver Juan Manuel Fangio won his fifth and last championship title at the age of 46, and his last grand prix at 47. In addition, after Fangio and Luigi Fagoni won the 1951 French Grand Prix between them, Fagoni became the oldest driver in Formula 1 history to ever win the race. At that time he was 53 years old!
But the oldest driver ever to start a Formula 1 Grand Prix was Louis Chiron. His record is now unlikely to ever be surpassed by anyone. The Monegasque driver started at his home grand prix in 1955, when he was only 55 years old. And what’s even more interesting is that he somehow miraculously missed another home race 3 years later, when he was already 58 years old...
Of course, having cut their teeth in the pre-war period, such racers as Fangio, Farina, Chiron and Fagioli successfully 
competed in Formula 1, but the arrival of a younger generation of pilots was only a matter of time. Indeed, by the end of the 50s, the average age of participants had already dropped to 30 years, and 22-year-old Bruce became the youngest driver in the history of Formula 1 to ever win a grand prix. This record stood for almost 40 years before it was taken away from him in 2003 and then by Sebastian Vettel in 2008.
Between 1960 and 1993, the average age of pilots hovered around 32 years. And this despite the fact that Graham Hill and Jack Brabham won their titles at the age of forty (as did Nigel Mansell in 1994). There are currently only five drivers in the championship over 30 years old: Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and Adrian Sutil. While the average age of pilots at the beginning of the season, which was in March at the Australian Grand Prix, was 26 years and 358 days.
In addition, the vast majority of championships between 1960 and 1993 were won by drivers over the age of 30. And only three drivers who are already 30 years old have won the world title since 1993 - Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen. All five world champions who currently continue to compete in Formula 1 have either still not reached the 30-year-old threshold, or won their titles before they turned 30.
It is not surprising then that a large number of different kinds of records have been set anew in recent years. The Red Bull support program for young pilots also played an important role in this. For example, Vettel can lay claim to being the youngest grand prix winner, pole position holder, champion and four-time champion. At the same time, Daniil Kvyat this year in Australia surpassed the record set by Vettel and former Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari, becoming the youngest driver to start a Formula 1 grand prix. Well, and at the end of the race he also took the title of the youngest the driver who scored points. In the same race, Kevin Magnussen, driving for McLaren, became the second youngest driver in Formula 1 history to finish on the podium in his first grand prix.
Interestingly, Sebastian Vettel was also part of the youngest group on the podium to ever sit on the podium in Formula 1. At the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, he was joined on the podium by Heikki Kovalainen and Robert Kubica. How old were they? The three of them were then 23 years and 356 days old. This is just 23 years and 82 days less than the average age of Farino, Fangio and Louis Rozier, who achieved the oldest podium in Formula 1 history in 1950 at the Swiss Grand Prix. Then their average age was 46 years and 274 days.
And also, so to speak, for the future. Jos Verstappen - Max's father, a veteran of 106 grands prix and Formula 1's 13th youngest podium finisher - will be just 43 when his son becomes the youngest driver to take the line at a grand prix next year.
The Toro Rosso kid will be the ninth youngster after Ricardo Rodriguez, Chris Amon, Mike Thackwell, Esteban Tuero, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Jaime Alguersuari and Daniil Kvyat to start a Formula 1 World Championship grand prix. that he will be the last...
And now a complete list of the youngest and oldest pilots who have distinguished themselves in Formula 1.
Youngest Formula 1 driver to win a race:
Fernando Alonso, Hungary 2003, 22 years and 26 days
Troy Ruttman, 1952 Indy 500, 22 years and 80 days
Bruce McLaren, USA 1959, 22 years and 104 days
OldestFormula 1 driver who won the race:
Nino Farina, Germany 1953, 46 years and 276 days
Juan Manuel Fangio, Germany 1957, 46 years and 41 days
The youngest Formula 1 driver to become world champion:
Sebastian Vettel, 2010, 23 years and 134 days
Lewis Hamilton, 2008, 23 years and 300 days
Fernando Alonso, 2005, 24 years and 59 days
OldestFormula 1 driver who became world champion:
Juan Manuel Fangio, 1957, 46 years and 41 days
Nino Farina, 1950, 43 years and 308 days
Jack Brabham, 1966, 40 years and 155 days
Youngest Formula 1 driver to win pole position:
Sebastian Vettel, 2008, 21 years and 72 days
Fernando Alonso, Malaysia 2003, 21 years and 236 days
Rubens Barrichello, Belgium 1994, 22 years and 97 days
OldestFormula 1 driver who won pole position:
Nino Farina, Argentina 1954, 47 years and 79 days
Juan Manuel Fangio, Argentina 1958, 46 years and 209 days
Jack Brabham, Spain 1970, 44 years and 17 days
The youngest Formula 1 driver to start a grand prix:
Jaime Alguersuari, Hungary 2009, 19 years and 125 days
Mike Tuckwell, Canada 1980, 19 years and 182 days
Ricardo Rodriguez, Italy 1961, 19 years and 208 days
OldestFormula 1 driver who started the Grand Prix:
Louis Chiron, Monaco 1955, 55 years and 292 days
Philippe Etantselin, France 1952, 55 years and 191 days
Arthur Legat, Belgium 1953, 54 years and 232 days
Youngest Formula 1 driver to earn points:
Daniil Kvyat, Australia 2014, 19 years and 324 days
Sebastian Vettel, USA 2007, 19 years and 349 days
Jaime Alguersuari, Malaysia 2010, 20 years and 12 days
OldestFormula 1 driver who earned points:
Philippe Etancelin, Italy 1950, 53 years and 249 days
Luigi Fagioli, France 1951, 53 years and 22 days
Youngest Formula 1 driver to finish on the podium:
Sebastian Vettel, Italy 2008, 21 years and 73 days
Kevin Magnussen, Australia 2014, 21 years and 162 days
Fernando Alonso, Malaysia 2003, 21 years and 237 days
OldestFormula 1 driver who finished on the podium:
Luigi Fagioli, France 1951, 53 years and 22 days
Louis Chiron, Monaco 1950, 50 years and 291 days
Felice Bonetto, Netherlands 1953, 49 years and 363 days
Always yours V.G.
It's no secret that the Grand Prix peloton is getting younger over the years. Ed Straw looks back and analyzes how the average age of F1 drivers has changed from 1950 to 2014
There was a time when the participation of 50-year-old drivers in the Grand Prix was considered quite an ordinary occurrence. In those years, champions became not even in their fourth, but in their fifth decade.
But today, pilots over thirty are not far from retirement. And this trend towards rejuvenation of athletes is observed in the most various types sports
The 2014 Formula 1 lineup was the youngest ever: at this year's Australian Grand Prix, the average age of the peloton was below 27 years.
This is partly due to the debut of a young talent, Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat, but nevertheless: the average age of the 22 drivers who took to the start of the stage in Melbourne was only 26 years and 358 days.
It is noteworthy that the average age of the athletes was lower than the previous historical F1 record not only in Melbourne, but also in the first six races of this season. At the same time, the ten oldest Grand Prix occurred in the two debut world championships in 1950 and 1951. The trend is obvious!
The graph below shows the average age of Grand Prize participants since 1950. First, the average age of the pilots in each race was calculated, after which the average for the season was determined. The figures for the 2014 championship were taken with the expectation that all riders who started racing at Albert Park would be able to keep their place until Abu Dhabi.
AVERAGE AGE OF F1 PILOTS FROM 1950 TO 2014
Of greatest interest is the rejuvenation of Grand Prix drivers between 1950 and 1961. This is partly due to the consequences of World War II.
Since then, the age of pilots has not decreased so sharply. Over the next half century, the average fell by only about four years. If we consider the last 13 seasons, the 2012 championship turned out to be the oldest, but this is largely explained by the performances of Michael Schumacher and Pedro de la Rosa, who were already in their fifth decade, as well as Rubens Barrichello, who was close to his 40th birthday.
Juan Manuel Fangio won his fourth title at the age of 46Photo: LAT
This year, the average age of pilots starting the race is 27 years and 62 days. To get a more objective picture, we will again assume that all drivers will retain their places in the teams until the end of the season. Thus, for 2014 the average will reach 27 years and 120 days.
It is curious that among the current F1 drivers, Sebastian Vettel is closest to this indicator. On Thursday 12 August, he was 27 years and 40 days old. Thus, it can be assumed that he is now at the very peak of his career, even if the results of the 2014 season indicate otherwise.
Vettel's career is also a clear example of the journey young, promising drivers go through. Sebastian is one of eight drivers in history who started a Grand Prix before reaching the age of 20 (the latest to join this small group was another Red Bull protégé, Daniil Kvyat). The German's path proves that those who have the potential to climb the career ladder do so very quickly.
Among the world champions competing in F1, Vettel and Fernando Alonso made their Grand Prix debuts at 19, Jenson Button at 20, Kimi Raikkonen at 21, and Lewis Hamilton at 22. All this clearly demonstrates: the skills they acquired while still time of performances in karting and in “junior” formulas, allow you to go to F1 at the very high level at an age when Damon Hill, it seems, had not even gotten behind the wheel of a race car.
That is why, over time, the average age of Grand Prix pilots has been decreasing, although in recent seasons everything has been more or less stable in this regard, and the jump at the beginning of this decade is due to the performances of F1 veterans who decided to return to racing.
AVERAGE AGE OF PIlots STARTING IN GRAND PRIX BY DECADE
It is possible that the F1 peloton could become even younger. Now there are only five pilots left on the grid over thirty: Raikkonen and Button are 34 each - and their retirement is not far off, Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso are 33 each, and Adrian Sutil is 31.
It's possible that Grand Prix will lose one or two of these drivers next year, so the 2015 season could have its youngest driver line-up ever. And then the next generation will be over thirty - first Hamilton, and then Vettel. These guys are unlikely to retire very early - so the average age of riders will remain stable for some time.
It should also be taken into account that in the current decade, compared to the past, the number of those who pay for their seat in the cockpit has sharply increased. During the manufacturer era, there were many different pilot support programs, making it much easier for young talent to advertise their abilities to the world.
The 2014 Australian Grand Prix became the youngest in F1 history. Photo: LAT
But given the current economic situation, it is now quite easy for already very mature riders to come to the championship, bringing sponsorship support with them. Also, with the help of the financial component, they are able to perform for much longer than it would cost.
In any case, due to the economic problems of the teams, it is becoming increasingly difficult for young drivers with great potential to make their debut in F1, as a result of which the number of prodigies in the championship may seriously decrease in the coming years.
We can definitely say that in the near future it is unlikely that we will be able to break the record of the “youngest” podium in the history of the Grand Prizes. It was installed at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, when the top three winners were Sebastian Vettel, Heikki Kovalainen and Robert Kubica, whose average age was even less than 24 years.
THE YOUNGEST PODIUMS IN F1 HISTORY
- 1. Italy 2008: 23 years, 356 days
- 2. Heikki Kovalainen
- 3. Robert Kubica
- 2. Germany 2008: 24 years, 220 days
- 1. Lewis Hamilton
- 2. Nelson Pique Jr.
- 3. Felipe Massa
- 3. Hungary 2003: 24 years, 231 days
- 1. Fernando Alonso
- 2. Kimi Raikkonen
- 3. Juan Pablo Montoya
THE MOST "AGED" PODIUMS IN F1 HISTORY
- 1. Switzerland-1950: 46 years, 274 days
- 1. Giuseppe Farina
- 2. Luigi Fagioli
- 3. Louis Rosier
- 2. Belgium-1950: 45 years, 87 days
- 1. Juan Manuel Fangio
- 2. Luigi Fagioli
- 3. Louis Rosier
- 3. UK-1950: 44 years, 294 days
- 1. Giuseppe Farina
- 2. Luigi Fagioli
- 3. Reg Parnell
It immediately catches your eye that all the record-breaking top three medalists date back to a time when there was an influx of young talent in F1. And although drivers like Kovalainen and Piquet Jr. ultimately did not achieve great fame, they are still representatives of that stellar generation that has given us many of the outstanding drivers of the 21st century.
The average age of F1 drivers may not decline as rapidly in the future, but when young people fill the front rows of the grid, it will signal the birth of a new golden generation.
All this once again confirms that Sebastian Vettel cannot be written off. He may be having a difficult season, but four-time champion the world, which is only a few weeks younger than the average age of the current peloton, still has a lot of time at its disposal to win a couple more titles.
And now, by definition, he is a pilot in his prime.
The first ever visit of Formula 1 to the Nürburgring, steeped in pre-war legends, was marked by the rivalry between Alfa Romeo and Ferrari pilots. If a year earlier the team from Milan won every single Grand Prix, now its leading position was under serious threat. Two weeks earlier, Jose Froline Gonzalez brought Enzo Ferrari his first victory in the world championship, so the fight between the two Italian giants on German soil was awaited with special interest.
Fate was clearly not smiling on the Alfa Romeo drivers this time - the current champion Nino Farina, although he initially took the lead, but then retired due to engine overheating, and the local driver Paul Pietsch, who was invited to the team for one race, flew off the track, seriously crashing the car . However, the team still had its main joker – Juan Manuel Fangio.
The Argentine controlled the race. At first he let the Ferrari driven by Alberto Ascari pass, but then regained the lead. The racer knew that the supercharged engine on his car would require two pit stops to refuel to cover the 450-kilometer distance. That's why he rushed at full speed, trying to create as much as possible greater advantage over a pursuer who only needed one stop.
However, Ascari also understood how events were unfolding, and therefore squeezed out of his Ferrari 375 everything that the car was capable of. And he was able to take the lead after the opponent’s final pit stop. However, the story did not end there - Alberto was so carried away by the chase that he burned all the gasoline that he had on board. The driver had to go to the pits a second time. But still, Fortune was on the side of Commendatore and his charges that day – Fangio’s Alfa Romeo engine became capricious, and he was unable to compete for victory, remaining second.
Well, Ferrari cars also took third to fifth places at the Nurburgring. “Bronze” went to Jose Froline Gonzalez, followed by Luigi Villoresi and Piero Taruffi. This was the first truly serious and large-scale success of the Scuderia in Formula 1.
Victory in the 1951 German Grand Prix was the first in Alberto Ascari's colorful but short-lived racing career. He was born in Milan into a family famous racer pre-war - Ascari Sr., Antonio, was close friends with Enzo Ferrari, won the 1924 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, but crashed while leading the competition at Montlhéry a year later.
The son followed in his father's footsteps and - despite his mother's objections - made his racing debut for the Maserati team in 1946. For short time the Italian managed to become one of the best pilots in Europe - Alberto won many victories, the first of which came to him in 1948 in San Remo. A key step in terms of further career growth was the move to Ferrari. The driver moved to Maranello on the advice of his teammate - and in many ways mentor - Luigi Villoresi.
At first, the Prancing Stallion cars were inferior to Alfa Romeo on the tracks, but the gap quickly closed, and after a pair of second places in the ’50 season, Ascari celebrated his first victory at the German Grand Prix ’51. Then Formula 1 changed the regulations - and Alberto reigned on the tracks. Of the 15 races of the “two-liter” period, he won 11, and of the two championship titles, both.
Of course important factor such a stunning success was the fact that only Enzo Ferrari had at his disposal required motor, and most of the time Askari essentially fought only with his own partners - but they also needed to be defeated. In the 52 season, Alberto won all the Grand Prix in which he participated, and a year later he gave only one victory to his three pursuers, while he himself was at the top of the podium five times. “When he was in the lead, it was so difficult to overtake him that it was almost impossible,” Enzo Ferrari recalled about his driver. “But when he was in second or third place, his fighting spirit began to weaken, and he no longer fought so desperately for victory.”
But in 1954, only memories remained of past successes - the move to the Lancia team (Ascari had fallen out with the wayward Enzo Ferrari) brought only disappointments. The Turin team postponed the debut over and over again and eventually brought their car to the track only in the fall. Before this, Alberto had to compete in other teams - and in four attempts he never reached the finish line, although between the stages he won the Mille Miglia marathon race.
Driving a Lancia D50, the sad series of failures continued: a breakdown in Spain, then an accident at the first race of the ’55 season in Argentina, and in Monaco, the Italian broke through the fence and fell into the azure waters of the bay. It’s good that the divers arrived in time and pulled out the unlucky swimmer, who escaped with only a broken nose.
A few days later, the racer was accepted as an honorary member of the Milan diving club. And a little later, on a fine September day, Alberto stopped by Monza, where his good friends from Ferrari were testing their new sports car - in this car the Italian, paired with Eugenio Castellotti, was soon to compete in endurance competitions, so Ascari decided to drive a few laps. Having borrowed a helmet from his partner, he went out onto the track in ordinary trousers and a short-sleeved shirt.
What exactly happened at the entrance to the high-speed Curva Vialone turn is not known for certain. Based on the tracks, one can only conclude that the car jerked sharply to the side, it overturned, rolled over twice and crashed into the trees of the Royal Park. The pilot was not wearing a seat belt, so he flew out from behind the wheel and died from his injuries. Whether the terrible tragedy was caused by a breakdown, the appearance of a stranger on the highway, or something else - will remain a mystery.
They said goodbye to the racer in Milan's Dome Square. Usually there is an incredible hubbub there, but that day there was truly deathly silence. Three more days passed - and the Lancia team left Formula 1 forever, selling the cars and all the property of Enzo Ferrari.
Alberto Askari died, leaving a widow and two children. The rebuilt corner of Monza was named after him, as was one of the Roman streets. More than half a century has passed since his death, but not a single Italian has managed to beat the Milanese in the number of victories - in 32 Grand Prix he won 13 times. Moreover, since 1953, not a single driver from the Apennines has been able to win the world champion crown in Formula 1.
The world of motors in 1951: Citroen 2CV
Citroen 2CV is a unique car in many ways. Let's start with the fact that it lasted on the assembly line for more than 40 years - from 1949 to 1990 - and during this time it was released in a circulation of almost 4 million copies. The number of modifications, versions and varieties is difficult to count.
Perhaps he holds the unspoken record for the number of nicknames - in almost every country he was called differently: “duck”, “ugly duckling”, “tin snail”, “frog” - just a few of them. Despite all the irony running through them, the 2CV has become one of the icons of the French brand. Here's what the British magazine Autocar wrote about this car in the early 50s: “An exceptionally inventive design, undoubtedly the most original since the Ford T.”
The first sketch of the future 2CV was sketched back in the 30s of the last century by the then vice-president and chief designer of Citroen, Pierre-Jules Boulanger, and several prototypes were built in 1939, but the car went into production after the war.
The 2CV was first presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1949, and a year later the first copies went on sale - with 9-horsepower air-cooled engines and then without electric starters. But the front-wheel drive car featured independent suspension on all four wheels, which was a revolutionary solution at that time. It is curious that, on the one hand, the 2CV immediately became an object of ridicule, and on the other, right at the auto show, the Citroen representative office was simply inundated with pre-orders, and soon the queue stretched for three years ahead. In short, I liked the car, and not least because of its more than affordable price.
In 1950, 400 cars a day rolled off the assembly line every day; in 1951, the Camionette van, built on the basis of the 2CV, appeared. “The Ugly Duckling” very accurately found its consumer: in post-war France, the percentage of the agricultural population was very high, and as conceived by the creators, the 2CV was originally intended to transport two peasants along with their agricultural products to the market at a speed of 60 km/h. Moreover, not only on asphalt, but also on country roads, and even across fields. By the way, in those years there was a joke: the 2CV accelerates from 0 to 60 km/h in one... day.
However, city residents also liked the car, and soon acquired cult status: clubs for 2CV lovers still exist and are actively working in European countries.
Of course, filmmakers did not ignore the funny car, but we will mention only one film: in 1981, the next Bond series was released on the screens of the world - For Your Eyes Only (“Only for your eyes”), where James Bond was played by Roger Moore. In one of the scenes of the film, agent 007, together with his girlfriend Melina, deftly escapes from being chased in her bright yellow Citroen 2CV.
To coincide with the release of the film, Citroen launched a limited edition 2CV 007 - of course, in yellow, with company logos and stickers on the body depicting bullet holes.
In 1958-59. two Frenchmen, Jean-Claude Bado and Jacques Seguela, drove a Citroen 2CV trip around the world, having traveled 100 thousand kilometers in 13 months.
Project website. Text: Alexander Kabanovsky. World of Motors: Andrey Los
Is this possible? Oh yes. For example, if you only participated in one race. In 2007, Markus Winkelhock led 6 laps of the rain-soaked European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. The hereditary German pilot accurately guessed the moment of switching from intermediate tires to rain tires and led the peloton on the unfortunate Spyker F1. In the future, luck was not so favorable to Marcus; he never again found himself in the cockpit of a formula car. It's a pity. Winkelhock, by the way, is a winner of the FIA GT World Championship and a three-time winner of the Nürburgring 24 Hours marathon. In the photo: Marcus at work. European Grand Prix, 2007.Longest pit stop
While some people practice servicing cars in a couple of seconds, the BAR team decided not to fuss. In 2005, at the Canadian Grand Prix, the British team's mechanics serviced Takuma Sato's car for 30.51.763 minutes. You read that right – over half an hour. During this time, the bored Japanese managed to hold a tea ceremony according to all the canons, but this did not help. The car, which left the pit lane after a record-breaking downtime, had no intention of reaching the finish line. After a few laps, the car’s brakes failed and, although Takuma Sato always didn’t give a damn about such trifles, he was finally driven into the pits. In the photo: the brakes were invented by cowards.
Oldest pilot
In the wake of the entry into Formula 1 of boys who have neither a driver’s license nor the right to vote (and they don’t sell vodka either), the brilliant pilots who retained the speed and ability to win in their grandfather’s age were somehow forgotten. Let's remind you. Monegasque Louis-Alexandre Chiron made his debut in F1 already in his sixth decade, and he spent his last Grand Prix, held in Monaco, at the age of 58! In the photo: “The Old Fox” – that was Chiron’s nickname – raced even before the Second World War.
A sample of vanity
He has something to be proud of - from a failed pilot he has evolved into the super-successful boss of the Big Circus. At 84, he still jumps like a goat, refuses to acknowledge the importance of the Internet and has his fingers firmly on the pulse of Formula 1. ex-wife“she cheated” Bernie out of the divorce for a tidy sum; cleaned his pockets and the Munich court. And with the rest of his capital (earned by honest labor), our hero bought a plane, erected a modest house and erected a monument to himself. During life. What if the ungrateful descendants of fans forget?
Fastest fine
You can talk as much as you like about German discipline and order, but the fact remains that Sebastian Vettel received his first penalty...6 seconds after the start of his formula career. Having made his debut in the Circus Maximus at the wheel of a BMW-Sauber in 2007, at the United States Grand Prix, Seb was speeding in the pit lane on his first exit from the pits. Due to the lack of cash (where did a 19-year-old boy get the money? How did he even get to America?), instead of contributing to the cash register, Vettel spent two days polishing the plaque on Bernie Ecclestone’s belt. So now the F1 boss is telling everyone that Sebastian is sehr gute Fahrer. Naturally! In the photo: the newcomer did not make a mistake in the race, finishing in points (8th place).
Worst Duelist
The short formula career of Charles Pic did not go unnoticed by fans of racing statistics. It doesn’t matter that the Frenchman, playing for Marussia, was unable to score points. But in 2012, Charles was overtaken 70 (in words: seventy) times during the season. What was he thinking about while “expensive limousines flew by?” He probably swore dirty in Voltaire’s language and said: “To hell with you, they will remember not you, but me. Overtake me, overtake me! In the photo: not the seventy-first time, well, yo-may!
The unluckiest pilot
Sad record, isn't it? However, if we note the most fortunate, then antipodes must also exist. In the world of Formula 1, the reputation of the unluckiest driver has been assigned to Andrea De Cesaris. Not only does the Italian have the longest racing streak without a win (208 Grands Prix), but he also has the most in a long series gatherings in history. He crossed the finish line only 61 times; 143 Grand Prix for Andrea ended with retirement from the race. Because of large quantity accidents at the beginning of his career received the unofficial title "Andrea de Avaris". After leaving racing, the Italian did not lose his thirst for speed, for which he paid with his life. He died at the age of 55 on October 5, 2014, in a motorcycle accident. Fate... In the photo: another gathering. De Cesaris piloting a Minardi M186, Italian Grand Prix, Monza, 1986.
Longest vacation of my career
Dutch pilot Jan Lammers contributed an original line to the Circus Maximus statistics. The fact is that Ian started competing in F1 back in 1979 (Shadow racing team), and finished in 1982. More precisely, it seemed that he had finished. Which racing gods chose Lammers as the prize driver for the March F1 team for the 1992 season is not at all clear, but ten years later the Dutchman found himself behind the wheel of a formula car again! This is the longest career break in the history of the F1 World Championship. Vacation, so to speak. What did Jan Lammers do during these ten years? We have no idea. Although, we read somewhere that it’s not boring in Holland. In the photo: only a Dutch driver will be able to pilot a car with this livery. US Grand Prix, 1979.
The most unexpected comeback
In the history of F1, dozens of teams have been sold, moving from old owners to new ones. But there is only one team with which everything was the other way around. This is Arrows Grand Prix International. Created in 1977, the British team was originally owned by a group of businessmen and former pilots, from whose first letters the name was derived. In 1991, the Arrows gained a new investor - Japanese multimillionaire Wataru Ohashi - and the team was officially renamed Footwork. Five years later, after a string of disastrous seasons, the Japanese had played with speed and sold the team to Tom Walkinshaw, as well as Jackie Oliver, who was at the origins of the Arrows. It is not surprising that the new-old owner immediately returned to his usual name; in 1996 Footwork reverted to Arrows. The circle is closed. In the photo: look closely - these are two identical cars. Above – Footwork 1996; bottom – Arrows 1997 (ridden by current World Champion Damon Hill)
Argentine racer Jose Froilan Gonzalez has died. In 1951, the athlete brought Scuderia Ferrari its first pole position and victory in the Formula 1 Grand Prix, and three years later he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The pilot died in Buenos Aires at the age of 90. José Froilán González competed in Formula 1 in the 1950s: the driver, nicknamed "The Bull of the Pampas" and "El Cabezón", competed in 26 World Championship rounds, winning two races.
Gonzalez's greatest fame came from his victory in the 1951 British Grand Prix, when Jose Froilan drove a Ferrari 375. Before the Silverstone stage, all qualifying and Formula 1 races were won by Alfa Romeo. “There were four cars on the first line of the starting field: Farina and Fangio’s Alfa Romeo, as well as two Ferraris – mine and Alberto Ascari,” Pitpass quotes the Argentine athlete. “At the start, all four skidded, and the guys from the second row easily passed us, so I was going into the first turn in fourth. At that moment Fangio was behind me.”
“At the end of the second lap I took the lead, but Juan Manuel Fangio attacked me and soon got ahead of me,” Gonzalez continued. “And yet, I did not lose my composure, because I knew that sooner or later he would still have to refuel. I I chased Juan for 30 laps, and when he turned into the pit lane, I passed him. After a while, the Ferrari pits were worried that I might not have enough fuel until the end of the race. They added 20 liters to my tank, but I still managed. maintain the lead: after the pit stop, my lead over Fangio was 50 seconds. Closer to the finish, I could even slow down without risking losing the victory.”
“I realized the full significance of this race only three days later, when on the Wednesday after the race I arrived in Maranello and met Enzo Ferrari,” added the driver. “In his office, right behind his desk, there was a large photograph of my victory. He asked me to sign it photograph, and then tell me all the smallest details of the past race. Then he gave me a gold watch with the image of the Prancing Stallion.”
José Froilan Gonzalez driving a Ferrari 375 at the 1951 British Grand Prix
Gonzalez moved to Europe from Argentina following his fellow countryman Juan Manuel Fangio. José Froilan started out in open-wheel racing in a privately owned Maserati, and in 1951 he was invited to join Ferrari. In the 1954 season, the athlete became vice-world champion, losing in the overall standings only to Fangio. That same year, the driver brought Scuderia Ferrari its second victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Gonzalez won the 24-hour race in tandem with the Frenchman Maurice Trintignant. After his most successful season in Europe, José Froilan returned to South America. For the next six years, Gonzalez continued to occasionally participate in Formula 1 races: the Argentine took the start of the qualifying stages until 1960.
Following the death of José Froilán González, the oldest living Formula 1 Grand Prix winner became three-time champion peace Sir Jack Brabham. The Australian is now 87 years old.
