More than 1,100 Formula 1 grand prix events have taken place in the championship’s 74-year existence. However, there have been some peculiar occurrences that have only happened once. Ollie Bearman, an 18-year-old driver racing for Ferrari, can be counted among these unique instances. But there are 10 even stranger things that have only happened once in F1 history – and are unlikely to happen again.
One of these unique moments occurred nine years ago this week when Max Verstappen made his F1 debut at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix for the then-Toro Rosso team. At the age of 17 years and 166 days, he became the youngest-ever driver to start a race. Although he retired from that race, two weeks later in Malaysia, he became the youngest race finisher and points scorer, finishing in seventh place. It is highly likely that Verstappen will retain these records, as the FIA introduced a minimum age of 18 for a driver to hold a race superlicence in 2016.
Only a fraction of the nearly 800 drivers who have started an F1 grand prix have scored a point. Luca Badoer is an exception to this rule. Although he is best known for his disastrous two-race stint with Ferrari in 2009, Badoer had a career that stretched back to the mid-1990s. He came close to scoring points in the 1999 European Grand Prix but was denied due to a gearbox failure. Despite his long tenure as Ferrari’s test driver, Badoer’s record of 50 races without scoring a point is unlikely to be surpassed.
Bad weather has often posed a threat to completing or starting a grand prix, but only once has it resulted in no racing laps being completed. This occurred during the infamous 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. The race was delayed due to persistent rain, and when the cars finally hit the track, they could only complete three laps behind the safety car before the red flag was shown. The result was declared based on these three laps, with Max Verstappen declared the winner and George Russell earning his first F1 podium. This race prompted F1 to revise its procedures for shortened races.
In the past, pre-qualifying sessions took place on Friday mornings, and some drivers were unable to participate in free practice due to their poor machinery. Gabriele Tarquini holds the record for the most failed attempts to pre-qualify for an F1 event, with 25 tries. One driver, Aguri Suzuki, failed to qualify for all 16 races in the 1989 season, driving for the struggling Zakspeed team. However, Suzuki’s fortunes improved in 1990 when he landed on the podium at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Narain Karthikeyan had a short-lived F1 career, but he holds the distinction of being the only driver to ever finish in 24th place. This occurred at the 2011 European Grand Prix in Valencia, where he trailed his teammate and was lapped three times. Unless F1 reverses its decision to reject new teams, Karthikeyan’s record is unlikely to be challenged.
Markus Winkelhock made a memorable debut in F1 when he led the European Grand Prix in 2007. He was brought in as a replacement for one round only and took the lead due to an inspired strategy call. Although he eventually retired from the race, Winkelhock’s performance on his one and only F1 start will be forever remembered.
Teo Fabi achieved the unusual feat of taking three pole positions in F1 but never leading a single lap in a grand prix. Despite starting from pole, various issues prevented him from leading a lap in each of these races. Fabi’s pole positions were marred by bad luck and mechanical failures, preventing him from converting them into a race lead.
The 2005 United States Grand Prix saw Michelin’s tyre woes result in unusual circumstances. Due to safety concerns, the Michelin-shod cars were unable to start the race, leaving only the Bridgestone runners on the grid. This led to a highly unusual and controversial race that left lasting damage to F1’s reputation in America.
While shortened races with half-points have occurred in F1, double points have only been awarded once. In an attempt to create a thrilling title decider, F1 introduced double points for the season finale in Abu Dhabi. However, this rule had no impact on the championship outcome, and F1 quickly abandoned it due to widespread criticism.
Race bans are rare in F1, but Jacques Villeneuve’s experience at the 1997 Japanese Grand Prix is unique. Despite receiving a one-race ban before the race, Villeneuve still competed and finished in fifth place. However, Williams withdrew its appeal, resulting in Villeneuve’s exclusion from the race. This controversial decision ultimately played a role in Villeneuve winning the championship in the following race at Jerez.