List of Formula One fatalities
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of open-wheeled auto racing defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motorsport's world governing body.[1] The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants and vehicles 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. The results of each race are combined to determine two annual Championships, one for drivers and one for constructors.
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Safety standards have improved since the first World Championship Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1950, where there was no medical back-up or safety measures, in case of an accident.[2] It was not until the 1960s these were first introduced, as helmets and overalls became mandatory and the FIA assumed responsibility for safety at the circuits.[2] Steps were taken to improve the safety of the Formula One car in the 1970s; the cockpit opening was enlarged allowing the driver to escape quicker in the event of an accident and outside mirrors became mandatory.[3] The 1980s saw further improvement in the structure of the Formula One car, with the monocoque being made out of carbon fibre instead of aluminium, increasing protection upon impact.[4] Following the death of Ayrton Senna in 1994, a number of measures were introduced in an attempt to slow the cars down, including the prohibition of traction control systems. Grooved tyres were introduced in 1998 instead of racing slick tyres to reduce cornering speed.[5] Safety measures continued to be introduced into the 21st century, with a number of circuits having their configuration changed to improve driver safety.[6]
This list includes drivers who have died during a FIA World Championship event (including practice, qualifying and the race), and those who have died while driving modern or vintage Formula One cars outside the World Championship. Track marshals and other race attendees who have died as a result of these accidents are not included in the list. Fifty-two drivers have died from incidents that occurred at a FIA World Championship event or while driving a Formula One car at another event, with Cameron Earl being the first in 1952. Thirty-two of the drivers died from incidents during Grand Prix race weekends which formed part of the World Championship, seven during test sessions and twelve during non-championship Formula One events. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has seen the most fatalities; seven drivers have died there during the time that the Indianapolis 500 formed part of the world championship. Fifteen drivers died in the 1950s; fourteen in the 1960s; twelve in the 1970s; four in the 1980s and two in the 1990s. Following the deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna at Imola on consecutive days in 1994, no driver died during world championship events for more than 20 years until Jules Bianchi's death in 2015, from injuries sustained during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.[7] Three drivers died in the intervening years while driving former Formula One cars (two from the 1960s, one from the 1990s) in vintage racing and other events not associated with World Championship Grands Prix.[8][9][10] Two Formula One Champions have died while racing or practising in Formula One, Jochen Rindt in 1970, and Senna in 1994. Rindt is the only driver to have won the championship posthumously.[11]
Fatalities
Indicates a race or test drive that was not part of the Formula One World Championship. |
Driver | Date of accident | Event | Circuit | Car | Session | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
June 18, 1952 | Test | MIRA | ERA | Test | [12] | |
May 15, 1953 | Indianapolis 500[note 1] | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Kurtis Kraft | Practice | [14] | |
September 18, 1953 | Modena Grand Prix |
Autodromo di Modena | Ferrari Tipo 500 | Practice | [15] | |
July 31, 1954 | German Grand Prix | Nürburgring | Maserati 250F | Practice | [14] | |
April 11, 1955 | Pau Grand Prix |
Circuit de Pau-Ville | Maserati 4CLT | Race | [16] | |
May 16, 1955 | Indianapolis 500[note 1] | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Kurtis Kraft | Practice | [14] | |
May 30, 1955 | Race | |||||
March 14, 1957 | Test | Autodromo di Modena | Ferrari 801 | Test | [18] | |
May 15, 1957 | Indianapolis 500[note 1] | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Kurtis Kraft | Practice | [14] | |
May 30, 1958 | Indianapolis 500[note 1] | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Kurtis Kraft | Race | [14] | |
July 6, 1958 | French Grand Prix | Circuit de Reims-Gueux | Ferrari 246 F1 | Race | [14] | |
August 3, 1958 | German Grand Prix | Nürburgring | Ferrari 246 F1 | Race | [19] | |
October 19, 1958 | Moroccan Grand Prix | Circuit d'Ain-Diab | Vanwall | Race | [14] | |
May 2, 1959 | Indianapolis 500[note 1] | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Kuzma | Practice | [14] | |
May 19, 1959 | Cornis | |||||
May 13, 1960 | BRDC International Trophy |
Silverstone Circuit | Cooper T51 | Practice | [14] | |
June 19, 1960 | Belgian Grand Prix[note 5] | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | Cooper T51 | Race | [14] | |
Lotus 18 | ||||||
June 1, 1961 | Silver City Trophy |
Brands Hatch | Cooper | Practice | [20] | |
June 15, 1961 | Test | Autodromo di Modena | Cooper T51 | Test | [21] | |
September 10, 1961 | Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza | Ferrari 156 F1 | Race | [23] | |
November 1, 1962 | Mexican Grand Prix |
Autódromo Magdalena Mixiuhca | Lotus 24 | Practice | [24] | |
December 21, 1962 | Natal Grand Prix |
Westmead Circuit | Lotus 24 | Practice | [14] | |
August 1, 1964 | German Grand Prix | Nürburgring | Porsche 718 | Practice | [14] | |
August 7, 1966 | German Grand Prix | Nürburgring | Brabham | Race | [26] | |
May 7, 1967 | Monaco Grand Prix | Circuit de Monaco | Ferrari 312 | Race | [27] | |
August 14, 1967 | Test | Silverstone Circuit | Brabham | Test | [28] | |
July 7, 1968 | French Grand Prix | Circuit de Rouen-les-Essarts | Honda RA302 | Race | [29] | |
August 1, 1969 | German Grand Prix | Nürburgring | BMW | Practice | [14] | |
May 25, 1970 | Nottingham Sports Car Club meeting |
Silverstone Circuit | Cooper | Race | [30][31] | |
June 21, 1970 | Dutch Grand Prix | Circuit Park Zandvoort | De Tomaso | Race | [32] | |
September 5, 1970 | Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza | Lotus 72 | Qualifying | [11] | |
October 24, 1971 | World Championship Victory Race |
Brands Hatch | BRM P160 | Race | [33] | |
July 29, 1973 | Dutch Grand Prix | Circuit Park Zandvoort | March | Race | [14] | |
October 6, 1973 | United States Grand Prix | Watkins Glen International | Tyrrell | Qualifying | [34] | |
March 22, 1974 | Test | Kyalami Racing Circuit | Shadow DN3 | Test | [35] | |
October 6, 1974 | United States Grand Prix | Watkins Glen International | Surtees | Race | [36] | |
August 17, 1975 | Austrian Grand Prix | Österreichring | March | Practice | [14] | |
March 5, 1977 | South African Grand Prix | Kyalami Racing Circuit | Shadow DN8 | Race | [38] | |
August 29, 1977 | Shellsport International Series Round 11 |
Brands Hatch | McGuire BM1 | Practice | [39] | |
September 10, 1978 | Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza | Lotus 78 | Race | [41] | |
August 1, 1980 | Test | Hockenheimring | Alfa Romeo 179 | Test | [42] | |
May 8, 1982 | Belgian Grand Prix | Circuit Zolder | Ferrari 126C | Qualifying | [43] | |
June 13, 1982 | Canadian Grand Prix | Circuit Gilles Villeneuve | Osella | Race | [14] | |
May 14, 1986 | Test | Circuit Paul Ricard | Brabham BT55 | Test | [45] | |
April 30, 1994 | San Marino Grand Prix | Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari | Simtek S941 | Qualifying | [46] | |
May 1, 1994 | Williams FW16 | Race | ||||
June 24, 2000 | Goodwood Festival of Speed |
Goodwood Hillclimb | Lotus 63 | Run | [8] | |
July 14, 2002 | Czech Superprix |
Autodrom Most | Footwork FA17 | Race | [9][48] | |
July 27, 2014 | Jack Brabham Memorial Trophy |
Silverstone Circuit | Lotus 18 | Race | [10] | |
October 5, 2014 | Japanese Grand Prix | Suzuka International Racing Course | Marussia MR03 | Race | [7] | |
September 2, 2017 | Historic Grand Prix |
Circuit Park Zandvoort | March 701 | Race | [49] |
By nationality
Nationality | Total | First | Last |
---|---|---|---|
14 | 1952 | 2014 | |
10 | 1953 | 1975 | |
7 | 1955 | 1986 | |
5 | 1968 | 2017 | |
4 | 1970 | 2002 | |
2 | 1961 | 1969 | |
1 | 1954 | ||
1977 | |||
1953 | |||
1994 | |||
1982 | |||
1962 | |||
1964 | |||
1962 | |||
1978 | |||
1971 |
By circuit
Circuit | Total | First | Last |
---|---|---|---|
7 | 1953 | 1959 | |
5 | 1954 | 1969 | |
4 | 1960 | 2014 | |
3 | 1953 | 1961 | |
1961 | 1977 | ||
1961 | 1978 | ||
1970 | 2017 | ||
2 | 1960 | 1960 | |
1973 | 1974 | ||
1974 | 1977 | ||
1994 | 1994 | ||
1 | 1952 | ||
1955 | |||
1958 | |||
1958 | |||
1962 | |||
1962 | |||
1967 | |||
1968 | |||
1975 | |||
1980 | |||
1982 | |||
1982 | |||
1986 | |||
2000 | |||
2002 | |||
2014 |
Notes
- From 1950 to 1960, the Indianapolis 500 was part of the World Drivers' Championship.[13]
- Ayulo died on May 17, 1955, the day after his accident.[17]
- Lewis-Evans died of burns on October 25, 1958, six days after his accident.[14]
- Unser Jr. died of burns on May 17, 1959, fifteen days after his accident.[14]
- Bristow and Stacey died in separate accidents.[14]
- Unable to slow down his car because of technical failure, Cabianca drove through an open gate onto an adjoining public road where he hit several vehicles. Cabianca was killed along with three other people.[21]
- Having collided with Jim Clark, von Trips's car shot up the bank lining the track, hit a wire fence and struck several people gathered behind it while spinning in the air. Von Trips, who was ejected from the car, and fifteen spectators died.[22]
- Godin de Beaufort died on August 2, 1964, the day after his accident.[25]
- Taylor died of fifty per cent burns on September 8, 1966, thirty-two days after his accident.[26]
- Bandini died on May 10, 1967, three days after his accident.[27]
- After a tire had blown out, Donohue careened through a number of catch fences and billboards, a support post of which may have struck his helmet. He and Manfred Schaller, a track marshal who had been hit by debris, died on August 19, 1975, two days after the accident.[37]
- Pryce and Frederick Jansen van Vuuren, a teenage volunteer safety marshal, were killed after colliding at high speed when Jansen van Vuuren was crossing the track to put out a fire.[38]
- Experiencing a mechanical failure on his car, McGuire lost control and crashed into a marshals' post. He was killed along with track marshal John Thorpe.[39]
- Peterson died in hospital on September 11, 1978, the day after his accident, as a result of fat embolism.[40]
- De Angelis died on May 15, 1986, the day after his accident.[44]
- Dawson-Damer crashed into a wooden gantry at the finish line, also killing Andrew Carpenter, a marshal, and seriously wounding another. The 59-year-old driver may have suffered a fatal heart attack before losing control of his car.[47]
- Bianchi remained comatose in hospital until he succumbed to his injuries on July 17, 2015, more than nine months after his accident.[7]
- Ferrer died on September 7, 2017, five days after his accident.[49]
References
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- "The fifties and sixties". Formula 1. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
- "The seventies". Formula 1. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
- "The eighties". Formula 1. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
- "The nineties". Formula 1. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
- "The 21st century". Formula 1. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
- DiZinno, Tony (July 17, 2015). "Jules Bianchi dies at age 25, his family confirms". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- Savill, Richard (June 26, 2000). "Brother of Earl dies in Goodwood hill climb". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016.
- "Grave incident mars Czech Superprix". Motorsport.com. July 16, 2002. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018.
- "Historic racer Denis Welch dies in Silverstone Classic accident". Autosport. July 28, 2014. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018.
- Benson, Andrew (March 13, 2012). "Formula 1's greatest drivers. Number 20: Jochen Rindt". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016.
- "Killed while testing racing car". The Times. London. June 19, 1952. p. 4.
- "F1: A brief history of the US Grand Prix". F1.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018 – via Racing News.
- Williamson, Martin. "Deaths in Formula One". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on April 7, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
- "Charles de Tornaco". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on December 25, 2015.
- "XVI Grand Prix de Pau". Motor Sport. Vol. XXXI no. 5. Teesdale Publishing. May 1955. pp. 264–265.
- "Crash injuries fatal to Indianapolis racer". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press. May 17, 1955.
- Diepraam, Mattijs; Muelas, Felix (2001). "The dashing Milanese that stayed young forever". 8W. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012 – via Forix.com/8w.
- "Silverstone '58 – Hawthorn & Collins' all-English affair". Formula1.com. July 6, 2010. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013.
- "Racing driver dies after crash". The Times. London. June 2, 1961. p. 23.
- "Four die in Italian race car crash". The Times. London. June 16, 1961. p. 13.
- Collantine, Keith (September 10, 2011). "50 years ago today: F1's worst tragedy at Monza". RaceFans. Archived from the original on October 27, 2015.
- Williams, Richard (September 5, 2011). "When motor racing really was a matter of life and death". TheGuardian.com. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013.
- "Ricardo Rodríguez". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015.
- Diepraam, Mattijs (May 24, 2000). "The last knight of Grand Prix racing". 8W. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016 – via Forix.com/8w.
- "John Taylor". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015.
- "Lorenzo Bandini". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on May 2, 2016.
- "Bob Anderson". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on December 25, 2015.
- "Schlesser dies in experimental Honda at Rouen". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on February 15, 2018.
- "Racing car death". The Times. London. May 26, 1970. p. 2.
- "Martin Brain". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
- Edworthy, Sarah (July 19, 2003). "Piers Courage lived life to the full and was tipped for GP greatness". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012.
- "Jo Siffert". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on December 24, 2015.
- "François Cevert". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015.
- "Peter Revson". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on May 12, 2016.
- Katz, Michael (October 7, 1974). "Driver is killed as Fittipaldi wins title at Watkins Glen". The New York Times. p. 45. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018.
- "Donohue dies after surgery". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. August 20, 1975.
- "Plaque to commemorate F1 winner". BBC News Online. June 11, 2009. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012.
- "News in brief: Brands Hatch crash kills 2". The Times. London. August 30, 1977. p. 1.
- "Ronnie Peterson". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015.
- "F1's greatest drivers – 19 Ronnie Peterson". Autosport. Archived from the original on December 9, 2012.
- "Patrick Depailler". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015.
- Benson, Andrew (July 4, 2012). "Formula 1's greatest drivers. Number 12: Gilles Villeneuve". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016.
- "Racer dies of crash injuries". Boca Raton News. May 16, 1986.
- "Elio de Angelis". ESPN UK. Archived from the original on July 13, 2015.
- Benson, Andrew (April 21, 2004). "A death that shocked the world". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on November 24, 2010.
- Harding, Thomas (June 27, 2000). "Driver 'died of heart attack before crash'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018.
- "Fritz Glatz". Grandprix.com. July 19, 2002. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018.
- Pye, Marcus; Benyon, Jack (September 7, 2017). "French driver David Ferrer dies after Zandvoort Historic GP crash". Autosport. Archived from the original on October 12, 2018.