These Are The Worst Formula 1 Accidents In History

Being an athlete might often seem like an easy task on the outside. The reality? It’s usually a high-risk way of life that comes with plenty of chances for injuries and even potentially losing your life. Being a Formula One driver is one of the biggest risks someone can take.

After all, it almost goes without saying that traveling hundreds of miles an hour around a track comes with plenty of chances for things to go wrong. Sadly, the worst F1 accidents in the history of the sport go to show just how dangerous things can be.

Alberto Ascari was forced to swim to safety following an F1 accident

• Race: Monaco Grand Prix
• Year: 1955
• Involved: Alberto Ascari

It’s not every day that a body of water becomes a problem for F1 drivers. Still, that was the case for Alberto Ascari in 1955 as he battled to take home the winning title at the Monaco GP. He was already a two-time champion and took the lead from Sir Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio when the bizarre struck.

It’s believed the crowd’s reaction to Moss’ sudden retirement from the race somehow caused Ascari to lose focus and plunge headfirst into the Bay of Hercules. Although he was able to swim to safety, the F1 driver suffered a broken nose. Sadly, a test race crash caused Ascari to lose his life just four days later.

Clay Regazzoni’s car somehow became wedged under the barrier

• Race: Monaco Grand Prix
• Year: 1968
• Involved: Clay Regazzoni

The worst F1 accidents in the history of the sport usually leave someone with life-changing injuries or, at the very least, some scrapes and bruises. Clay Regazzoni? No one can still work out how he managed to walk away virtually unharmed after his car ended up wedged under the barrier at the Monaco Grand Prix back in 1968.

Apparently, the driver lost control at the chicane and had no way to steer away from the barrier as he came out of the turn. Instead, Clay knew he had to act fast if he would walk away with his life, so ducked into the cockpit. The barrier somehow missed Clay’s head by millimeters before he climbed out to safety.

Only eight drivers ever finished the Belgian Grand Prix in 1998

• Race: Belgian Grand Prix
• Year: 1998
• Involved: David Coulthard, Mika Häkkinenm, Johnny Herbert, Michael Schumacher, and others

It comes to something when conditions mean a race is almost undrivable. Still, that was the case in 1998 as F1 racers took to the starting line at the Belgian GP. The extremely wet weather meant the track was far more slippery than anyone realized, with David Coulthard losing control on the first lap, causing a multi-car pile-up.

All in all, 13 cars piled up, and it took over an hour to clear the track to restart. Four cars were already out of the race, with Mika Häkkinenm and Johnny Herbert out by the second first lap. Although Schumacher looked set to win, the spray meant visibility was poor, and he was hit. Eventually, only eight drivers finished.

Gilles Villeneuve lost his life before qualifying in 1982

• Race: Belgian Grand Prix
• Year: 1982
• Involved: Gilles Villeneuve

Being one of the most flamboyant drivers the sport has ever seen meant that Gilles Villeneuve always stood out on the track. One of those moments came in 1982 when people across the world were convinced that the F1 driver would walk away with the title. That was until the final qualifying session of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Villeneuve was busy trying to improve his standing while Jochen Mass was on a cool-down lap. Sadly, while Mass moved to the right to let Villeneuve pass, the Canadian driver didn’t read his intentions in time and ended up slamming into Mass. Villeneuve’s Ferrari flipped, and he was thrown from the car, eventually losing his life to the injuries.

The San Marino Grand Prix in 1994 was one of the most dangerous in F1 history

• Race: San Marino Grand Prix
• Year: 1994
• Involved: Roland Ratzenberger

It comes to something when a race has so many of the worst F1 accidents in the history of the sport that it goes down as one of the most dangerous races of them all. Unfortunately, that was the case for the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Rubens Barrichello had already suffered a near-dangerous crash before the real tragedies unfolded.

Roland Ratzenberger suffered damage to his front wing, which ultimately meant he lost downforce as he raced to the end of the Tamburello sweeper. The result? Ratzenberger crashed into the concrete wall. Although he was airlifted to safety, the F1 driver later lost his life, meaning Ratzenberger was the first person to pass away at a Grand Prix since 1982.

World champion Ayrton Senna couldn’t escape the devastation of 1994

• Race: San Marino Grand Prix
• Year: 1994
• Involved: Ayrton Senna

Things went from bad to worse at the 1994 San Marino GP, as the legendary F1 driver Ayrton Senna took to race day. He was a triple world champion, and many hoped Senna would walk away victorious before he suffered the same fate as Ratzenberfer and crashed on the same Tamburello corner that ended his fellow driver’s life.

A tie rod pierced Senna’s helmet, rupturing his temporal artery, causing multiple brain injuries, fracturing his skull, and ultimately ending Senna’s life. To make matters more tragic, Senna thought about pulling out following the numerous accidents and tragedies but changed his mind and decided to race at the last minute. Eventually, the GP led to several safety updates in F1.

One British Grand Prix had to be stopped following accidents related to the weather

• Race: British Grand Prix
• Year: 1975
• Involved: Almost everyone in the race

If there is one thing many have learned about Britain, it’s that the nation’s weather is more than a little unpredictable. Sadly, it was this fact that saw things have to be called off in 1975 as the British Grand Prix became too dangerous to run. The weather had already been bad before a severe hail storm in lap 53.

The addition of ice was enough to see three of the top four racers aquaplane and crash on the same corner. Almost everyone spun out at some point, with Carlos Pace having to be towed off the track during the chaos. Eventually, losing the top racers meant the race was stopped early at just 56 laps.

Severe head injuries were on the cards for Jules Bianchi following his 2014 crash

• Race: Japanese Grand Prix
• Year: 2014
• Involved: Jules Bianchi

Most Formula One drivers aim to walk away with a title or two during their careers. Of course, most of them don’t want to be known as the most recent person to lose their lives in the sport. Sadly, that title goes to Jules Bianchi, who was just 25 when he found himself in the Japanese Grand Prix in 2014.

Wet weather caused Bianchi to lose control of his Marussia and plow into a recovery vehicle. This caused severe brain injuries, which led to emergency surgeries and an induced coma. Bianchi was ultimately unconscious for nine months before he passed away, making him the first driver to lose their life to an on-track accident in over 20 years.

Martin Brundle was back to restart the race after totaling his car in Australia

• Race: Australian Grand Prix
• Year: 1996
• Involved: Martin Brundle

Things have come a long way throughout the years, and safety precautions often mean that people have to be checked over and given the all-clear before they’re allowed to put their lives on the line again. Amazingly, that wasn’t the case for Martin Brundle when he took part in the Australian Grand Prix in 1996.

The terrifying crash was enough to write off his Jordan, but that wasn’t the end of it all. Somehow, Brundle climbed from the wreckage, spotted the race had been red-flagged, and ran back to the pits to jump in the spare car. Amazingly, Brundle made it just in time to restart the race before crashing again after one lap.

The 1961 Italian Grand Prix spelled disaster for the crowd

• Race: Italian Grand Prix
• Year: 1961
• Involved: Wolfgang Von Trips

Wolfgang Von Trips was a leading contender for Ferrari in 1961, especially as the Italian Grand Prix marked the penultimate round before the championship. Sadly, what started as a great day for the F1 racer became a disaster. The race had barely begun when Von Trips lost control on the approach to the Parabolica corner.

The driver collided with Jim Clark, with the latter’s car sliding for a few feet before coming to a halt. Von Trips wasn’t so lucky. His vehicle plunged into the crowd, ending the lives of 15 spectators lining the track. Von Trips also lost his life on impact with the ground, making it one of the most tragic F1 accidents.

A narrow track caused a multi-car pile-up during the opening lap of the Austrian Grand Prix

• Race: Austrian Grand Prix
• Year: 1987
• Involved: Almost everyone in the race

It turns out the 1987 Austrian GP was plagued with issues, which all began with Stefan Johansson hitting a deer during a practice race. Things got worse on race day when the race had to be started not once, not twice, but three times. The first ended when Martin Brundle crashed his Zakspeed, followed by multiple other drivers.

The second start was even more dangerous, as Nigel Mansell suffered clutch issues that caused the grid to back up. The result? The narrow start of the track caused over half of the grid to crash, meaning most cars were out. The third start continued the theme, with teams having to scramble together vehicles to even get into the race.

A slow start saw Michael Schumacher in the middle of a terrible accident

• Race: German Grand Prix
• Year: 2001
• Involved: Michael Schumacher, Enrique Bernoldi, and Luciano Burti

The start of the race is usually where most of the issues and the most dangerous Formula One accidents happen, especially when someone is having problems with their car. Sadly, that was the case for Michael Schumacher, as something going wrong on the grid meant he was much slower than everyone coming up behind him.

Although most people avoided Schumacher, Luciano Burti wasn’t so lucky. His car did a pretty impressive backflip and corkscrew before landing on innocent Enrique Bernoldi’s car. Thankfully, everyone climbed out unharmed as the debris was cleared to restart the race. Ultimately, all three were back for their second go, with no one seeming to suffer any injuries.

Fernando Alonso was somehow unharmed after totaling his car in a 2016 F1 race

• Race: Australian Grand Prix
• Year: 2016
• Involved: Fernando Alonso

They were only 17 laps into the 2016 Australian Grand Prix when things took a major turn for the worst for Fernando Alonso. The driver suffered a huge crash after hitting the back of Esteban Gutiérrez, who had already suffered mechanical issues earlier in the race. Amazingly, Alonso was sent flying into the air at 190 mph as a result.

Although his car hit the left barrier, Alonso continued to roll several times and crash through advertising banners before he finally came to rest upside down on the track. A safety car was deployed, but they ultimately had to red-flag the race due to the amount of debris. The twist? Alonso walked away with nothing more than minor injuries.

Mark Webber somehow walked away from a 190 mph crash in 2010

• Race: European Grand Prix
• Year: 2010
• Involved: Mark Webber and Heikki Kovalainen

One thing that’s changed throughout the years is the number of the worst F1 accidents that happen every year. That’s because safety regulations mean that things have improved a lot in recent times, but that doesn’t mean they’re entirely out of the question. One of those times came in 2010 during the European Grand Prix.

Being able to read someone else is all a part of F1 and something Mark Webber failed to do. He was riding in Heikki Kovalainen’s slipstream at 190 mph when the latter braked earlier than expected. Webber crashed into the back of Kovalainen’s rear wheel and was sent flying into the air, somehow walking away from it all uninjured.

Romain Grosjean somehow escaped a devastating fire with his life in 2020

• Race: Bahrain Grand Prix
• Year: 2020
• Involved: Romain Grosjean

It can be tough to know how some things go so wrong. That was the case at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix when Romain Grosjean somehow ended up wedged in between the safety barrier. Grosjean was in the opening lap of the race when he cut across the straight between turns three and four when he clipped Daniil Kvyat.

Hitting the barrier at 137 mph meant Grosjean smashed straight through the fence before his car burst into flames. To make matters worse, it took the F1 driver 32 seconds to escape from the burning vehicle, meaning he suffered burns to his hands and legs. Thankfully, Grosjean recovered, but not without a terrifying scene on the track.

Michael Schumacher was involved in a major accident a few years before his retirement

• Race: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
• Year: 2010
• Involved: Michael Schumacher

Even though every driver made it off the starting line without issue, it wasn’t long before something major happened in the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Michael Schumacher was determined to put his skills to the test and continue his incredible career when he attempted to overtake his teammate Nico Rosberg only to spin his own Mercedes.

Facing the rest of the pack meant it was inevitable Schumacher would end up getting hit, with that position going to Vitantonio Liuzzi. The damage to both the vehicles was enough to see both the drivers retire on the spot, with the moment coming just three years before Schumacher suffered his life-changing skiing accident in 2013.

Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen made Ferrari history for all the wrong reasons in 2017

• Race: Singapore Grand Prix
• Year: 2017
• Involved: Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen

It comes to something when not one but both Ferraris are out before the race even gets going. Sadly, that was the case for Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen back in 2017 when they both appeared at the Singapore Grand Prix. That’s because both Ferraris were out before they even made it around the opening lap.

Vettel and Räikkönen ended up in a sandwich with Max Verstappen in the middle. With nowhere to go, Verstappen hit tires with Räikkönen before the latter spun out of control and crashed into his teammate Vettel. The result? They were out of the race and have gone down in the history books for all the wrong reasons.

Missing a cue almost cost a medic his life while helping Enrique Bernoldi

• Race: Brazilian Grand Prix
• Year: 2002
• Involved: Enrique Bernoldi, Alex Ribeiro, and Nick Heidfeld

Everything seemed to be going as expected when Enrique Bernoldi crashed at the 2002 Brazilian Grand Prix. Although he was in a major accident in the free practice, the medical car arrived to ensure that Bernoldi was okay. The session saw the wave of the red flag; only Nick Heidfeld missed the signal and carried on at full speed.

Heidfeld didn’t spot the scene until he came out of the chicane, meaning he had little time to react to the accident. Thankfully, medic Alex Ribeiro waited for a few seconds after opening the door before getting out, meaning the vehicle took the brunt of the impact - and was severely damaged - instead of ending anyone’s life.

Allan McNish hit the barrier harder than most others ever have in F1

• Race: Japanese Grand Prix
• Year: 2002
• Involved: Allan McNish

It’s no secret that F1 drivers experience extreme G-force as they travel around the track. The 130R corner comes off the back of a long straight, meaning F1 drivers reach up to 5G as they come into the turn at almost flat-out speed. The Japanese Grand Prix has seen drivers take the turn time and time again.

The problem? Allan McNish hit the barrier harder than most drivers have ever crashed in Formula One after taking the corner a fraction too wide. Ultimately, McNish hit the barrier backward at almost 200 mph, leaving a huge hole in the fence as a result. Although he didn’t race the following day, McNish wasn’t injured by the crash.

A freak wave almost spelled disaster for racers in the Monaco Grand Prix

• Race: Monaco Grand Prix
• Year: 1950
• Involved: Unknown

Looking back at it, many have wondered how the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix ever finished. After all, the race track eventually went down as one of the most dangerous in the history of the sport due to the number of accidents there have been throughout the years. Things took a new turn in 1950 thanks to the harbor.

For some reason, a giant wave flooded the track, causing a major pile-up in the first lap. It started with first place escaping and second place getting caught in it all before those behind tried to stop to avoid the carnage. Ultimately, eight more drivers - out of 19 starters - ended up crashing and retiring before the end of the lap.

Ralf Schumacher ended up airborne after clipping another car in 2002

• Race: Australian Grand Prix
• Year: 2002
• Involved: Ralf Schumacher

Plenty of people in the sport have heard of Michael Schumacher, but not many know that his brother, Ralph, is also a successful F1 driver. The pair have appeared in plenty of races alongside one another, including their time at the Australian Grand Prix back in 2002. Sadly, Ralph didn’t enjoy the same success as Michael’s win.

Instead, Ralph was caught by Rubens Barrichello, who braked earlier than expected at the first corner. Barrichello had decided to retire, but the sudden stop was enough to send Ralph and his Williams flying through the air. Another accident also caused a six-car pile-up, leading to the safety car being deployed as they cleared the track.

Felipe Massa was left skidding upside down following a devastating crash at the German Grand Prix

• Race: German Grand Prix
• Year: 2014
• Involved: Felipe Massa

Things were going well for Felipe Massa at the 2014 German Grand Prix as he got off the start line in third place. He was doing better than his teammate, Valtteri Magnussen, but Massa didn’t want to overtake him. Instead, he backed off, but this created a new problem. Magnussen was going too fast to find somewhere else to go.

While Massa was hoping to avoid a collision, the pair ended up crashing together, with Massa’s car flipping on its head. As if that wasn’t enough, the car skidded along with the driver’s head almost on the floor the entire way before it finally came to a halt. Magnussen was allowed to continue, while Massa was forced to retire immediately.

Fernando Alonso somehow crashed on top of Charles Leclerc at the Belgian Grand Prix

• Race: Belgian Grand Prix
• Year: 2018
• Involved: Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc

Sometimes, it’s not until something happens that people begin to wonder if there are enough safety measures in place. Although things are triple checked, it wasn’t until the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix that people realized just how many accidents can happen if you’re not careful. Fernando Alonso was focused on the race when his McLaren flipped upside down.

Rather than hitting a barrier or skidding along the floor, Alonso somehow ended up on top of Charles Leclerc. Even though he practically had an entire car on his head, Leclerc somehow walked away without injury. It made many question the safety measures, but people pointed out how vital the ‘halo’ safety structure is in F1.

Most couldn’t believe Robert Kubica was virtually unharmed after his 2007 F1 accident

• Race: Canadian Grand Prix
• Year: 2007
• Involved: Robert Kubica

Although plenty of F1 fans are used to seeing the safety car used a handful of times throughout the season, it’s not every race we see it used a whopping four times. Amazingly, that was the case at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007, with one incident being to try and clear up debris left behind from Robert Kibuca’s crash.

The terrifying crash saw the Polish F1 driver skid off the track and hit into a barrier, a move that ultimately meant Kibuca flew through the air. Many worried he might have sustained career or life-ending injuries. Amazingly, Kubica was virtually unharmed, walking away with nothing more than a light concussion and a sprained ankle.

Paul Hawkins somehow ended up in the water and had to swim to safety

• Race: Monaco Grand Prix
• Year: 1965
• Involved: Paul Hawkins

One of the biggest - and most dangerous - things about the Monaco Grand Prix is the fact the race is held next to the water. Although it hasn’t interrupted races too much throughout the years, the times it has have been unforgettable. One of those moments came in 1965 when Paul Hawkins ended up in the water.

Hawkins was the second and last person to end up in the harbor, but it was a memorable moment. The race was in the 79th lap when the Australian driver lost control and spun his Lotus. Hitting the barrier was enough to see the car flip into the water, with Hawkins having to get out and swim to safety unharmed.

Racer and safety marshal had their lives ended when Tom Pryce crashed at the South African Grand Prix

• Race: South African Grand Prix
• Year: 1977
• Involved: Tom Pryce and Frederik Jansen van Vuuren

Dealing with another fire was enough to see teenage marshal Frederick Jansen van Vuuren lose his life. He was working with another marshal, and it’s believed they crossed the track without permission when Tom Pryce and Hans-Joachim Stuck came over the hill, with Pryce behind his competitor. Sadly, Pryce didn’t have time to react to the people on the track.

The driver hit Vuuren at 170 mph, with the extinguisher colliding with Pryce’s head and ending his life instantly. As if things couldn’t get worse, Pryce’s lifeless body was stuck in the car, which scraped down the wall and bounced into driver Jacques Laffite. To top things off, they couldn’t identify Vuuren until all the other marshals were accounted for.

Riccardo Paletti was trapped in his car amid fears of restarting a fire

• Race: Canadian Grand Prix
• Year: 1982
• Involved: Riccardo Paletti

In 1982, things got off to a strange start at the Canadian Grand Prix. The lights took an unusually long time to turn green, leading Didier Pironie to stall. Although he raised his hand for help, the lights changed at the same time. Most made it around stranded Pironie, apart from Riccardo Paletti, who hit the Ferrari at 110 mph.

The impact caused significant chest injuries and knocked Paletti unconscious. The problem? The fuel ignited and engulfed the car in flames. The fire marshals got things under control, but it still took 25 minutes to cut Paletti free, as they were worried the sparks would reignite the flames. Paletti ultimately passed away days before his 24th birthday.

A lack of staff meant Elio de Angelis was trapped in his burning car 

• Race: Test race at Circuit Paul Richard, France
• Year: 1986
• Involved: Elio de Angelis

The idea of someone losing their life in F1 can be enough to terrify many. What about if things could have been so different if there had been more people at the track? Tragically, that was the case for Elio de Angelis in 1986 while racing in a test race at the Circuit Paul Richard in France.

Angelis' wing broke, meaning he lost downforce on the rear wheels. His car cartwheeled and flipped before catching fire. Although he only suffered a broken collar bone and light burns, Angelis couldn't get out of the car unaided, and a lack of marshals meant there was a huge delay getting him out. Angelis ultimately passed away due to smoke inhalation.

Denis Welch was a part of the Silverstone Classic when another crash caused him to lose his life

• Race: Silverstone Classic
• Year: 2014
• Involved: Denis Welch

The Silverstone Classic is an annual event and is a huge moment for F1 fans. It takes place over the course of three days and features around 20 races with hundreds of classic F1 cars as people come together to celebrate the history of the sport. While it’s supposed to be a joyous occasion, it spelled disaster for Denis Welch.

Welch suffered gearbox issues while qualifying in his Lotus 18 and was forced to start near the back of the pack. The problem? Two cars further ahead of Welch collided, and he had nowhere to go, meaning he crashed into the quickly getting worse pile-up. He was taken to the medical center, but Welch ultimately lost his life.

Lorenzo Bardini lost his life following a fire that engulfed his Ferrari

• Race: Monaco Grand Prix
• Year: 1967
• Involved: Lorenzo Bardini

The Monaco Grand Prix proved just why it’s the most dangerous track in 1967. Lorenzo Bardini was in second place and coming through the harbor chicane when the rear tire on his Ferrari hit the guard rail, causing him to skid. The car flipped, with sparks causing the fuel tank to ignite before it landed on the safety straw bales.

Of course, this exacerbated the fire, with Bardini being trapped upside down. Although he was pulled to safety, he suffered over 70% third-degree burns to his body, a chest wound, and ten chest fractures. Bardini lost his life to the injuries three days later at the hospital, and straw bales have been banned from F1 ever since.

The 1998 Canadian Grand Prix had to be restarted multiple times

• Race: Canadian Grand Prix
• Year: 1998
• Involved: Jarno Trulli, Jean Alesi, and Alexander Wurz

The 1998 Canadian Grand Prix was supposed to be 69 laps long, but it struggled to make it past the first few laps in the initial rounds. That’s because of the infamous accidents that ended up becoming the talking point of the race. The first happened in the first lap and saw Jarno Trulli, Jean Alesi, and Alexander Wurz crash.

Although the race was restarted, it wasn’t long before Trulli and Alesi were involved in another accident on the same corner as the first, forcing the race to restart once more. This time, they decided to use a safety car in the hopes they would make it past more than the first lap - which they eventually did.

A practice lap could have been enough to end Marcus Ericsson’s career

• Race: Italian Grand Prix
• Year: 2018
• Involved: Marcus Ericsson

Of course, F1 drivers don’t arrive at a race and hope for the best. Hours of training go into each one to ensure they know exactly what they’re doing, which is how Marcus Ericsson ended up doing a practice lap at the Italian Grand Prix in 2018. Amazingly, it meant Ericsson was involved in one of the fastest F1 crashes.

The DRS system failed in Ericsson’s car on turn one, leading him to slam into a wall. The driver was traveling a staggering 220 mph at the time, and this caused him to barrel-roll through the air. Many people were expecting to find the worst as Ericsson’s car almost entirely disintegrated, but somehow, he walked away uninjured.

Ricardo Zonta seemingly recreated Jacques Villeneuve’s crash five minutes later in 1999

• Race: Belgian Grand Prix
• Year: 1999
• Involved: Jacques Villeneuve and Ricardo Zonta

They might have been two separate crashes, but it wasn’t long before Jacques Villeneuve and Ricardo Zonta went down as two of the worst F1 accidents in the history of the sport. It started when Villeneuve was in the qualifying stages of the 1999 Belgian GP on the fearsome Eau Rouge, with the driver going flat out into the turn.

Apparently, Villeneuve then dared his teammate to attempt the corner in the same fashion: going as fast as possible. Not one to be outdone, Zonta geared up to take the corner as fast as he could before doing the exact same thing and crashing in an even more spectacular fashion. It’s certainly not something you hear every day.

Jarno Trulli’s F1 car was severely damaged after spinning off at Silverstone

• Race: British Grand Prix
• Year: 2004
• Involved: Jarno Trulli

Silverstone is a legendary track and has been the home of the British Grand Prix for generations. Plenty of F1 drivers aim to make it to the track, but not everyone makes it out the other side in one piece. Amazingly, Jarno Trulli almost ended things in 2004 after losing control while coming out of Bridge corner.

Any crash on the corner is likely to be huge, and this was no exception. Trulli’s Renault had nowhere to go but off the track, where it hit the tire barrier at almost full speed. Of course, the gravel trap is supposed to stop vehicles - which it did - but it also caused Trulli to flip before finally stopping.

Many still don’t know how Lucien Bianchi survived his 1968 F1 crash

• Race: Dutch Grand Prix
• Year: 1968
• Involved: Lucian Bianchi

Having so much wet weather before the race meant that things weren’t ideal for the racers at the 1968 Dutch Grand Prix. In fact, the familiar roar of the engines was noticeably missing as the cars set off at the start line, as many were hoping to merely make it around the track. One of them was Lucian Bianchi.

The racer was on the final corner of lap nine when spray meant he misjudged the turn. Bianchi clipped the inside curb, a move that sent his Cooper-BRM across the track and into the marshall’s point. Thankfully, they managed to move out of the way on time before Bianchi somehow climbed out of the wreck uninjured.

Debris could have caused Fernando Alonso to lose his life if things were different

• Race: Brazilian Grand Prix
• Year: 2003
• Involved: Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber

They say that some people have to learn from their mistakes, but there was a chance things could have been infinitely worse for Fernando Alonso after he ignored yellow flags. Mark Webber’s crash was bad enough, leaving debris across the track that led to the warning flags. The problem? Alonso hit a wheel left on the track.

The debris was enough to destroy the suspension in Alonso’s car and sent him spinning into the tire barrier at incredibly high speed. The wheel could have gone anywhere, and Alonso was amazingly lucky not to cause more damage. He even came third in the race but had to miss the podium due to being checked by medics.

Patrick Depailler lost his life on impact during a private testing session

• Race: Private testing session at Hockenheim, Germany
• Year: 1980
• Involved: Patrick Depailler

Sometimes, it’s not the Grand Prix that leads to someone losing their life. That was the case for Patrick Depailler when he headed to a private testing session at Hockenheim in Germany just ten days before the German Grand Prix in 1980. The F1 legend was just 35 years old and driving his Alfa Romeo at the time.

Sadly, a suspension failure meant Depailler’s car was launched into the barrier, where it straddled and traveled for hundreds of feet along the rail before finally overturning and coming to a standstill. Severe head wounds were what ultimately caused Depailler to lose his life, with journalists later getting the chance to see the car in question.

The 1973 British Grand Prix is most famous for its first-lap multi-car crash

• Race: British Grand Prix
• Year: 1973
• Involved: Andrea de Adamich and others

It comes to something when a race is most famous for the multi-car pile-up that sent most of the racers back to the pit stop for the rest of the race. Unfortunately, that was the case at the British Grand Prix back in 1973. In fact, the crash took place in lap one and meant 11 cars had to retire.

It started when Jody Scheckter spun in fourth place in his McLaren, causing everyone else behind him to pile up. Sadly for Andrea de Adamich, the accident led to a broken ankle, an injury that ultimately ended his F1 career. In the end, the race was restarted after the second lap, with 18 of 29 of the racers setting off.

Ronnie Peterson battled suffered multiple fractures in his toes and legs

• Race: Italian Grand Prix
• Year: 1978
• Involved: Ronnie Peterson

Seeing flames on the track is usually enough to make most people panic at the F1. That was the case in 1978 at the Italian Grand Prix, and people quickly learned Ronnie Peterson was behind the wheel. Peterson had already lost his first car due to an accident in the practice session before stepping into an older Lotus.

A technical error meant people were rushing to get up the leaderboard when James Hunt crashed into Peterson’s car. The crash was enough to break his toes and legs in at least 27 places, while the flames caused further damage. He got out, but Peterson ultimately lost his life after 24 hours of battling in the hospital.

Niki Lauder was already worried about racing before he almost lost his life

• Race: German Grand Prix
• Year: 1976
• Involved: Niki Lauda

It’s not every day that drivers protest about race conditions. Still, that was the case in 1976 at the German Grand Prix, as they were worried about the dangers of the track. That didn’t stop the race from going ahead, a moment Niki Lauder forever regretted. It wasn’t long into the race that things took a turn.

Lauder lost control of his car on the rise leading up to Bergwerk, causing him to spin off and hit the embankment. The car spun around and stopped in the middle of the track but quickly burst into flames. Several other drivers pulled Lauda from the wreckage, but Lauda was left with permanent scars from the severe burns.